Leanne Tintori Wells, Director (212) 741-2227
Rita Putnam, Associate (212) 741-7143

The Presenting Program aims to develop, nurture, and strengthen presenters of the live professional performing arts through grants and services. There are four categories of support: Presentation, General Operating Support, General Program Support, and Services to the Field. 

Evaluative Criteria

Grant requests in this Program are evaluated in accordance with the relevant agency-wide criteria. Please review the criteria when preparing your application for the most recent updates to this information.

The Program's goals: 

• Encourage the presentation of innovative and culturally diverse performances exemplifying artistic excellence.

• Encourage the understanding and appreciation of performing artists and their work by diverse audiences of all ages

• Encourage the development of new presenters in regions of the state with a scarcity of professional performing arts activity or an absence of a particular art form.

• Advance the presenting field in areas of planning, programming, marketing, and management through dialogues, technical assistance, and use of new technologies.

New and Returning Applicants

The Presenting Program Eligibility Criteria and Priorities

Priorities:

• Programs or activities that present contemporary and new commissioned works.

• Programming that represents a broad range of culturally diverse work, particularly work by American artists, lesser known artists, women artists, or artists of color.

• Projects that explore new directions involving performing artists, multi-media, and hybrid art forms.

• Co-presentation efforts in which two or more partners share in the expenses and income.

• Presenters that operate in economically depressed communities, as well as presenters that own and/or operate theatrical facilities. 

Eligibility Criteria:

The Program considers for support only those organizations that engage, present and promote professional performing artists and are committed to paying artists a contracted minimum guaranteed fee. Guaranteed fees accompanied by share-of-gate arrangements are acceptable. 

The following activities are not eligible:

• Single and two-day festivals (unless incorporated within a larger presenting season)

• Competitions, contests, talent showcases, parades

• Poetry readings (unless incorporated within a performance context) or staged readings

• Magic shows

• Lectures

• In-school classroom activity, master classes, or workshops

• Presentations or events that include the presentation of the organization's own work or work of their staff or board members, even when the project includes guest artists 

• Student work

Artistic Evaluation/Artistic Audit Requirement

To schedule an artistic audit, forward a request via email at least 4 weeks in advance to Program staff at presenting@nysca.org and include the following information:

• Title of event

• Date and time

• Venue including address and phone

• Organizational contact including name, title, phone, and email information

Other NYSCA Opportunities for Presenters

Presenters of traditional folk arts performances are advised to review the Folk Arts Program guidelines for a comparison of eligibility and evaluative criteria. 

Presenters interested in commissioning new work by New York State artists should refer to the Individual Artists and Dance Program guidelines.

Presenters of media-based technology projects should refer to the Electronic Media and Film and Visual Arts Programs guidelines for a comparison of eligibility and evaluative criteria.