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Irish Repertory Theater $15,000
New York, New York
Ciaran O'Reilly, Producing Director
The Irish Repertory Theatre was founded in 1988 by Ciaran O'Reilly and Charlotte Moore to bring Irish
works to a wider audience and to give form to the contemporary Irish American experience. In the eight
seasons since then, the company has won a strong popular following and critical accolades, including
the Drama Desk Award for Excellence. In January 1995, the Irish Rep signed a long-term lease on a
5,200 square foot raw space in Chelsea. By September, the company had transformed the former chemical
warehouse into a beautiful permanent home featuring a 140-seat mainstage theater and a 60-seat
studio theater. Now that the arduous task of renovating its theaters is complete and its future in its new
space is secure, the company has turned its attention to developing its audience base and enhancing its
ability to serve it. Our grant will support two related projects aimed at achieving these ends - the creation
of an integrated mailing list\donor list\box office database and the development of the company's
first membership program. Through these efforts, the Irish Repertory Theatre expects to increase
earned and contributed income and to streamline its administrative functions.
Joyce Theater
New York, New York
Linda Shelton, Executive Director
$35,000
Since 1985, the Dia Center for the Arts has operated a subsidized dance program in the three-story building
it owns at 155 Mercer Street. The building houses exceptional dance rehearsal and performance space
for non-profit dance companies and is a critical element in the "food chain" that supports the dance community
in New York City. Thus, in the spring of 1994 when rumors surfaced that Dia intended to sell the
building, hundreds of dance artists and concerned citizens wrote to the city's Department of Cultural Affairs
to express dismay at the prospect of losing this facility. When the Joyce Theater, one of the foremost venues
for medium-sized dance companies in the country, sought and secured a major grant to purchase the building
so as to. preserve it for dance, the dance community breathed a sigh of relief. The acquisition of the
facility creates an opportunity for the Joyce to enlarge its mission and expand its services to the dance world.
To ensure a smooth transition, our grant will enable the Joyce to begin a planning process that will address
these issues. Work will include the updating of the Joyce's long-range plan, a comprehensive survey of the
dance community's needs, and the development of a business plan for "the Joyce Soho."