September 11, 2023

“You Have to Actually Change.” A Major Theater Funder's Quest to Diversify Its Decision-Making

September 11, 2023/ Mike Scutari

The New England Foundation for the Arts’ National Theater Project has evolved significantly over the last 10 years. We walk through some key takeaways from a report on its work with program director Quita Sullivan.

August 23, 2023

Funder Spotlight: How the Samuels Foundation Supports the Performing Arts and Healthy Aging

August 23, 2023/ Mike Scutari

The New York City-based Fan Fox & Leslie R. Samuels Foundation supports performing arts organizations and seeks to improve quality of life for older adults. We take a closer look at its history, grantmaking and more.

July 18, 2023

“A Series of Compounding Crises.” The State of Post-Pandemic Theater Fundraising

July 18, 2023/ Mike Scutari

Three years after the pandemic, audiences haven’t returned to live theater en masse and donors are wary of a recession. Theatre Communications Group’s Teresa Eyring and other leaders help us navigate a fraught landscape.

March 31, 2022

Six Questions for Laura Aden Packer, Howard Gilman Foundation President and CEO

March 31, 2022/ Mike Scutari

The Howard Gilman Foundation is one of New York City’s most important performing arts funders. We talked with President and CEO Laura Aden Packer about her career path, the health of the city’s arts ecosystem, and more.

March 30, 2022

IP Briefing: What's Going on With Philanthropy for Theater?

March 30, 2022/ IP Staff

Like all the performing arts, theater has been hit hard by the pandemic, and funders are making moves to bolster the nonprofit theater world now and into the future. Here’s our rundown of who’s doing what.

July 07, 2021

“Removing the Tuition Barrier.” Unpacking David Geffen’s Big Gift to Yale’s Drama School

July 07, 2021/ Mike Scutari

A $150 million gift from David Geffen will make Yale University’s drama school tuition-free. We look at how free graduate school may be the next frontier for donors concerned about accessibility at elite schools.

March 17, 2021

How Theater Fundraisers Have Struggled—and Adapted—During a Year of COVID

March 17, 2021/ Beth Rowan

Performance spaces have been closed for over a year now, and it remains unclear when reliable revenue from ticket sales will return. We check in with theater fundraisers on how they’ve adapted during COVID, and their plans for the future.

December 01, 2020

“This is a Big Leap.” How Are Performing Arts Funders Democratizing Grantmaking?

December 01, 2020/ Mike Scutari

An IP survey found that performing arts professionals were skeptical about grantmakers’ efforts at reform. But all hope is not lost. Foundations and regranting organizations share how they are fast-tracking democratization efforts.

November 30, 2020

How Can Philanthropy Best Support School Theater Programs Shuttered by the Pandemic?

November 30, 2020/ Mike Scutari

The pandemic has devastated the nation’s school theater programs, which rely heavily on ticketed revenue. We check in with Educational Theatre Association’s Julie Cohen Theobald to discuss philanthropy’s role in the path forward.

November 19, 2020

As Individual Giving Drops, Performing Arts Leaders Weigh in on the State of Fundraising

November 19, 2020/ Mike Scutari

A new report finds that giving to performing arts organizations fell precipitously in the first nine months of 2020. We explore the pandemic-related dynamics fueling the decline and ask professionals how fundraisers can reverse this trend.

August 19, 2020

“A Huge Leap of Faith.” How a Nonprofit Theater Created a Relief Fund for its Actor Community

August 19, 2020/ Mike Scutari

Theatre of the Oppressed NYC created a COVID-19 relief fund for its actors using emergency grants and converted program funds. Executive Director Meggan Gomez tells us how they did it and how funders can advance equity.

June 03, 2020

As Revenues Evaporate, Arts Institutions Adapt Their Fundraising to Survive

June 03, 2020/ Allen Irish

Forced closures and reduced attendance mean museums and performing arts groups are losing the bulk of their income. They’ll need to lean heavily on fundraising to survive—and get creative about it.

March 27, 2020

“Remake the Model.” Philanthropy and the Arts After Coronavirus

March 27, 2020/ Mike Scutari

As arts funders and nonprofits scramble to stem the impact of COVID-19, many are already looking beyond the pandemic to address glaring structural and operational weaknesses across the arts sector. What might the future hold?

March 18, 2020

Here’s Why Socially Conscious Younger Donors Will Reshape Arts Philanthropy

March 18, 2020/ Mike Scutari

Amid a historic wealth transfer, next-gen donors are poised to make their mark on the fast-changing world of arts philanthropy. But what, exactly, do they expect from institutions? And what will it really take to attract their funding?

January 21, 2020

“Creating Social Capital.” Behind a Corporate Funder’s Support for Theater

January 21, 2020/ Mike Scutari

Conventional wisdom suggests corporate funders aren’t all that interested in supporting the performing arts. So why did Bank of America provide an infusion of funding for an innovative theater grants program?

November 15, 2019

“Deepen People’s Commitment.” With Funder Help, a Theater Company Boosts Engagement

November 15, 2019/ Mike Scutari

Five years ago, the Wallace Foundation began a $52 million initiative to help performing arts organizations attract and retain new audiences. We check in on one grantee’s efforts at rolling out engagement programs based on data.

September 03, 2019

“Play the Long Game.” Talking Philanthropy and Theater With a Seasoned Arts Leader

September 03, 2019/ Mike Scutari

Susan Medak has witnessed some profound changes across the theater funding landscape since assuming the role of Berkeley Repertory Theatre’s managing director in 1990. We talk with her about some of the sector’s biggest challenges.

July 29, 2019

Arts Funding is on the Chopping Block in Many States. Can Donors Fill the Gap?

July 29, 2019/ Mike Scutari

As state governments cuts support for the arts, regional donors often try to fill the gap. For a particularly stark example of this phenomenon, we turn our attention to Florida, where private wealth is offsetting some cuts to public arts funding.

June 19, 2019

With a Growing Stream of Grants, This Stalwart Arts Funder Helps Offset Ominous Trends

June 19, 2019/ Mike Scutari

Many dance and theater groups continue to grapple with lower box office yields, a shrinking subscriber base, fickle millennials, and declines in public funding. The Schubert Foundation is one of the best friends these nonprofits have.