Grants For AmDram

[bitofagiggle]

Me and some friends started a small theatre company called Coffee Time Productions. We've already done one show, but it lost a fair bit of money so with this next one (A production of The History Boys) we want to seek grant support but I've no idea where to go to find out about it or what grants are available! Google has helped somewhat but I was wondering if anyone could shed some light on the topic?

 

We use all volunteer performers/tech team and are non profit in the sense that no one takes a wage from the group, it all goes back into the company for the next production.

[ianknight]

Legend has it that there are a multitude of grants for small theatre but the secret is to know when to apply and who to, not all of them are "publicised".

 

What might be an extra starting point in your hunt is to see if there's a local grouping of small theatre companies similar to yourselves (here in Birmingham the MidPoint network is one of them) - similarly talk to your local council and see if there's an arts development officer, whilst the council itself may not have money he/she may know where you could look.

 

I get the impression that it's a continual feature of running a small theatre group nowadays - more so than preparing and rehearsing a show so it's important to co-ordinate where you all look, to save you time and effort going to the same potential sources.

[paulears]

See if your local council has an arts officer - many do, and they will be the people to talk to, because that usually part of their remit - finding good causes for the available funding.

You really do need to look at your business model though. I doubt that you will be attractive to the funders if your track record is not too hot. Grants tend to go to people who can demonstrate that what they are doing has some kind of 'hook'. Something good for the community, or perhaps targeting groups who have social or locational problems. Most amateur groups who just want to put on the usual type shows are not eligible for grants - because it's a bit too mainstream.

 

What went wrong with the first production that you lost money? You'll still need to solve this to stand any chance of getting a grant, and what does seem certain at the moment is that grants are less available than they were, and they're not for subsidising hobbies. Do something about or for drink/drugs/homelessness/disabilities or even the weirder stuff and you may get something, but if you want to put on My Fair Lady, forget it!

[bitofagiggle]

What might be an extra starting point in your hunt is to see if there's a local grouping of small theatre companies similar to yourselves (here in Birmingham the MidPoint network is one of them) - similarly talk to your local council and see if there's an arts development officer, whilst the council itself may not have money he/she may know where you could look.

Good starting point, thanks very much!

 

What went wrong with the first production that you lost money? You'll still need to solve this to stand any chance of getting a grant, and what does seem certain at the moment is that grants are less available than they were, and they're not for subsidising hobbies. Do something about or for drink/drugs/homelessness/disabilities or even the weirder stuff and you may get something, but if you want to put on My Fair Lady, forget it!

Good point, we basically couldn't get enough money together for a decent marketing campaign so couldn't pull enough audience members in. we started the group because when we came out of college there was absolutely no opportunities to get involved in theatre in our area, so now we have more experience we want to offer some decent 'as close to work' experience as we can. I see what you mean though. We'll have a look to see how else we could push the 'educational' side of the company and add more benefits to the community.

 

Thanks for the tips guys! Keep them coming!

 

 

[gyro_gearloose]

we basically couldn't get enough money together for a decent marketing campaign so couldn't pull enough audience members in.

While a good marketing campaign may (note the word may) help bring in an audience, its no guarantee of full houses every night. If people don't want to watch your show, no amount of marketing will fix that.

 

Having said that, your marketing need not cost a lot of money. Things like Facebook pages, or an ad in your local paper are cheap/free ways of advertising. Have a word with your local paper if you've got on. They may put your next show in their 'Whats on' section for free.

[kerry davies]

First off my usual whine. Fill in your profile, if you are in my patch I can advise you where to look but I don't know where you are, how old, what experience or anything.

 

Paul is right about "Arts Officers" but many LA's now also have grants sections that help source funding. There are things like the Arts Council newsletter, funding directories issued by regional arts council offices and LA's, libraries often have lists of local grant making organisations and there are a myriad ways to seek support including commercial sponsorship BUT and it is a really bit BUT.

 

If you "made a loss" on a first production it suggests more fundamental issues than marketing. I, with two others, ran an unfunded theatre company for 8 years and never made a loss despite paying actors full expenses if not minimal wages. We had to cut our coat to suit our cloth at all times and sometimes dropped things that were going to put us in the red. Even with high-profile professional companies I have been involved in the choice of set was often "have we any cash or is it 'black box' again?"

 

Scrounging resources and mentioning suppliers in programmes is standard practice for the most well-respected companies, the National has a list of corporate sponsors as long as your arm and we were sponsored by the owner of what is now Superdry. We also relied on a wonderful theatre venue hosting us on box-office splits as a home base, without the Bacon Theatre in Cheltenham we would have been stuffed.

(Still sorry about the sand, Dave!)

 

I think you need to sit down and work out a business plan of sorts and reliance on grant funding should be reduced to zero because, as we have seen in another topic, it is not reliable.

[paulears]

I've seen many new amateur companies come and go (usually go) because they missed one vital point. You never put productions on because you want to do them, as actors - you put them on because the public will want to come and see them. This is NOT the same thing!

[dbuckley]

You never put productions on because you want to do them, as actors - you put them on because the public will want to come and see them. This is NOT the same thing!

 

The blue room has perhaps never been more in need of a "like" button.

 

This is the single most important piece of advice you will ever be given in the world of theatre.

[Jivemaster]

Meet your mates and work out what went right and what went wrong with the first show. List your performing assets and spend time working out what you can produce that you can see tickets for.

 

ALL the money as grants etc requires you to be able to give good value for that money. Work out what you can offer to society then work out how you can make it good value.