Linda Levy Grossman holding the proclamation of the District of Columbia's City Council designating the week beginning April 23, 2012 as "theatreWeek."

Ensuring Critical Funding for the Arts
 

Washington, DC is home to incredible museums, vibrant music, innovative dance, and — of course — world-class theatre. And yet in challenging times, arts funding is too often the first budget line to be slashed. And every time that happens, the unquestionable benefits to our community and ourselves — the human connection, the vitality of our region, the value to children, how we understand our history and our world — are lost.

At theatreWashington, we understand that every dollar supporting theatres has a ripple effect in extraordinary ways. As a community mobilizer, champion, and crusader, we advocate on behalf of theatres, professionals, and audiences to maintain and grow levels of funding from all sectors of the philanthropic community. We connect prospective funders with Washington theatres, helping to draw high-level financial, individual, and institutional support. And most importantly, we ensure that the bigger picture, the greater power of Washington theatre beyond the stage, is understood.

In 2009 and 2010, when our community was faced with a proposed sales tax on tickets to arts events in the District of Columbia, theatreWashington (then operating as “The Helen Hayes Awards”) organized and ran two successful campaigns that demonstrated that such proposals were misguided and not economically sound as perhaps envisioned.  In 2012, when the DC budget proposed significant cuts, theatreWashington collaborated with other area arts leaders to help find ways to restore arts funding. Further, theatreWashington connects prospective funders and community leaders with Washington theatres to help generate high-level financial, individual, and institutional support.

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