Theater

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Theater has the power to entertain, inform and profoundly move us. The theater world includes community theaters, avant-garde experimental productions and Broadway hits. While most nonprofit theaters bring in some revenue from subscriptions and ticket sales (often about half of their budget), they also rely on donor support. In addition to theaters and theater companies, philanthropy for theater also goes to individual artists, for example, as fellowships for playwrights, festivals, theater education, artist residencies and more. This guide offers advice about how donors can make a difference in the nonprofit theater sector. It highlights the leading philanthropic strategies and offers guidance for donors new to this space to get started with their giving.  

Strategies for Impact

Nonprofits are engaged in a range of efforts related to theater. All this work is important and could benefit from greater donor support. Below, we discuss areas where donors might focus their funding and spotlight organizations that represent the kind of nonprofits that donors might consider supporting.   

  • Contribute to theaters in communities you care about. Even the most established nonprofit theaters in major cities can struggle to be sustainable, so don’t take these institutions for granted. Individual donors play a critical role in keeping the lights on. Small theaters face much larger challenges. If there is a small theater company you appreciate, or you want to nurture the arts in a smaller town or rural area, this is an area where your giving can be particularly impactful. There may also be opportunities to support theater programs at your local high school or community college. 

  • Support theater that reflects our world. The arts are at their best when they reflect diverse voices, experiences and perspectives. Donors can play a role through funding diverse theater organizations and artists. The Black Seed initiative has a platform to help donors invest in Black theater organizations. The Playwrights Realm supports emerging playwrights. Native Voices at the Autry is dedicated to developing new works by Native American, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian and First Nations playwrights. The League of Professional Theatre Women works to ensure representation and equitable pay for a diverse group of women across all areas of the stage. National Disability Theatre supports performing artists with disabilities who create accessible theater and work to enhance the nation’s narrative about disability culture. National Queer Theater celebrates and nurtures queer theater talent and unheard voices through artistic and educational programming. 

  • Back experimental theater. Nonprofit theaters compete with Broadway for attention and for dollars. But what is commercially successful on Broadway does not tend to be cutting-edge theater. Philanthropic donors can make a big impact by supporting experimental and innovative theater that may not make for box-office hits today but has the potential to transform the discipline, connect with audiences in new ways, and maybe even change the discourse on important issues. 

  • Help theaters engage new audiences. The future of theater depends on the future of theater audiences. Funders can support initiatives to expand and engage theater audiences, including the next generation, such as Theater for Young Audiences/USA, a nonprofit dedicated to ensuring that all young people have access to high-quality, culturally relevant theater experiences. Regional theater companies such as the Berkeley Repertory Theater actively court young and diverse talent and audiences. Theater Development Fund is a nonprofit working to make theater affordable and accessible to all. Funding online and virtual theatrical productions is another way to increase access to theater and expand audiences. 

Insights and Advice 

In considering which strategies to support, donors should take into account their personal interests and outlook to find the best fit. They should also keep an eye out for emerging opportunities to give with maximum impact in the theater sector. Here, we offer a few insights and suggestions:

  • Don’t go it alone. Intermediaries and philanthropy-serving organizations can do a huge amount of the leg work of identifying opportunities in the field, and getting involved with one of these groups is a great way for donors to save time and give more effectively. Notable groups include regrantors such as American Theatre Wing and Theatre Communications Group, as well as funder networks such as Grantmakers in the Arts and Americans for the Arts. SMU DataArts provides helpful information about the finances and operations of arts nonprofits. 

  • Center diversity, equity, inclusion and access in theater. In 2021, a coalition of Black theater makers outlined specific ways funders can remedy inequities in the theater world, such as supporting BIPOC-led cultural organizations and providing general operating support. In addition to many of the groups mentioned above, there are nonprofits like Theatre of the Oppressed, which partners with community members to create plays based on their experiences confronting economic inequality, racism and other injustices. 

  • Give multi-year, general operating support. Donations directed toward general operating costs literally help to keep the lights on, particularly for small regional and community theaters. Multi-year, general operating support is considered a best practice in trust-based philanthropy because it gives organizations the sustained support they need to make long-term plans and the flexibility to use funds where they are needed most, including utilities, living wages for artists, a marketing campaign to engage new audiences, or the design of the next spectacular set.  

For Donors Getting Started

Donors who are new to this space should take the time to learn about the landscape. A good place to start is by reading IP’s State of American Philanthropy brief on Giving for Theater. In addition, peruse recent articles that IP has published about what’s happening in this area of philanthropy. Another resource for donors who want to deepen their understanding of this area is Grantmakers in the Arts’ Black Arts & Culture Funding and Justice Resource Hub. 

To find more local nonprofit theater organizations that are well respected, Charity Navigator is a reputable place to search for worthy organizations around the country.

But the best way to get started giving for theater is to make some initial gifts, get to know the work of the groups you’re supporting, and connect early with a funding intermediary that can help you learn more about this giving area and increase your giving in a thoughtful way. 

Have suggestions for improving this brief? Please email us at editor@insidephilanthropy.com.