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Envisioning the Future of Theater for Young Audiences

By Laurie Baskin posted 03-20-2019 16:25

  

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THEATRE FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES/USA (TYA/USA) AND THEATRE COMMUNICATIONS GROUP (TCG)
ANNOUNCE

ENVISIONING THE FUTURE OF THEATER FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES:

A One-Day Convening
June 8, 2019 in Miami, Florida


New York, NY
The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), Theatre for Young Audiences/USA (TYA/USA), and Theatre Communications Group (TCG) will present a one-day convening that will bring together TYA leaders, funders, arts journalists, and the wider theatre community to discuss the impact and importance of the Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA) sector in the United States. Envisioning the Future of Theater for Young Audiences will be presented at the National YoungArts Foundation in Miami, FL on June 8, 2019 as a post-conference event following the 2019 TCG National Conference.

The landmark event will feature a series of discussions, presentations, and research to explore the vitality and importance of TYA in the larger theater ecology and the sector’s long-term sustainability. “We are thrilled to offer this event to bring a variety of leaders and stakeholders together to discuss the state of Theater for Young Audiences nationally,” said Mary Anne Carter, acting chairman of the NEA. “We hope the convening will help bring attention to TYA as an industry, making the case for its value and impact to funders, media, and mainstream theater leaders.”

“We are thrilled to collaborate with the NEA and TCG to spotlight the profound importance and meaningful contribution of the TYA field on young people and families across the US,” said Jonathan Shmidt Chapman, executive director,TYA/USA. “It is particularly exciting to announce this unprecedented partnership on World Day of Theatre for Children and Young People, celebrated today around the world in honor of performing arts for young audiences. We hope this event brings together the widest cross-section of artists, leaders, funders, and journalists possible so that the event can serve as a powerful catalyst for future collaboration and impact.”

This event will directly follow the 2019 TCG National Conference, which will bring together nearly 1,000 theatre makers from across the country for exchange, dialogue, and visioning for the future. “We couldn’t think of a more exciting time to partner in focusing on the TYA community,” said Teresa Eyring, executive director, TCG. “This convening will provide an opportunity for learning and exchange between leadership of TYA companies and the broader theatre community who may not typically have the opportunity to intersect. We are looking forward to seeing the ways these conversations will inspire connections and spark change for years to come.”

Registration is now open for this convening, along with the entire TCG National Conference. More info on program and registration can be found here.

Established by Congress in 1965, the National Endowment for the Arts is the independent federal agency whose funding and support gives Americans the opportunity to participate in the arts, exercise their imaginations, and develop their creative capacities. Through partnerships with state arts agencies, local leaders, other federal agencies, and the philanthropic sector, the NEA supports arts learning, affirms and celebrates America’s rich and diverse cultural heritage, and extends its work to promote equal access to the arts in every community across America. For more information, visit www.arts.gov.

Theatre for Young Audiences/USA (TYA/USA) is a national service organization whose mission is to promote the power of professional theatre for young audiences through excellence, collaboration, and innovation across cultural and international boundaries. The organization provides advocacy and resources in order to support, strengthen, and diversify the field of theatre for young audiences. Founded in 1965, TYA/USA is the only theatre organization in the United States which has the development of professional theatre for young audiences and international exchange as its primary mandates. TYA/USA is the United States Center for the International Association of Theatre for Children and Young People (ASSITEJ). TYA/USA hosts a biennial national conference, produces TYA Today Magazine, and offers a range of professional development opportunities, both for its membership and the greater field. www.tyausa.org.

Theatre Communications Group (TCG) exists to strengthen, nurture, and promote professional theatre in the U.S. and globally. Since its founding in 1961, TCG’s constituency has grown from a handful of groundbreaking theatres to over 700 Member Theatres and affiliate organizations and nearly 10,000 Individual Members. Through its Core Values of Activism, Artistry, Diversity, and Global Citizenship, TCG advances a better world for theatre and a better world because of theatre. TCG offers its members networking and knowledge-building opportunities through research, communications, and events, including the annual TCG National Conference, one of the largest nationwide gatherings of theatre people; awards grants and scholarships, approximately $2 million per year, to theatre companies and individual artists; advocates on the federal level; and through the Global Theater Initiative, TCG's partnership with the Laboratory for Global Performance and Politics, serves as the U.S. Center of the International Theatre Institute. TCG is North America’s largest independent trade publisher of dramatic literature, with 16 Pulitzer Prizes for Drama on the TCG booklist. It also publishes the award-winning American Theatre magazine and ARTSEARCH®, the essential source for a career in the arts. In all of its endeavors, TCG seeks to increase the organizational efficiency of its Member Theatres, cultivate and celebrate the artistic talent and achievements of the field, and promote a larger public understanding of, and appreciation for, the theatre.www.tcg.org.

The National YoungArts Foundation (YoungArts) was established in 1981 by Lin and Ted Arison to identify and nurture the most accomplished young artists in the visual, literary, design and performing arts, and assist them at critical junctures in their educational and professional development. Through a wide range of annual programs, performances, and partnerships with some of the nation’s leading cultural institutions, YoungArts aspires to create a strong community of alumni and a platform for a lifetime of encouragement, opportunity and support. For more information, visit youngarts.org, Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. To watch a brief video about YoungArts, click here.

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