NATIONWIDE: TheFrontOffice Foundation, the charitable arm of independent director/producer Wendy C. Goldberg’s entertainment company, TheFrontOffice, is awarding a limited amount of hardship grants to mid-career theatre artists, administrators, and production staff in need of aid. The funds are intended not only to help them meet basic living exigencies but also to give them support for “creative inspiration and dreaming during this period of industry shutdown,” according to a statement.
“Although the grant will help cover essential life costs and needs during this time, we are hopeful that by relieving some of that burden, creativity can be further cultivated and explored,” said a statement from TheFrontOffice. “We want to hear about your dreams and be sure those remain active during this time of industry closure.”
Applicants need to have been in the professional theatre work force for at least 10 years to be considered mid-career. Interested and eligible applicants should email TheFrontOffice for application and information. Applications will be available beginning on Feb. 22 at 9 a.m., and the application window will close Feb. 26 at 6 p.m. Applications will be reviewed by a small panel of evaluators comprising two designers, a director, an artistic director, and a choreographer. The goal of the foundation is to award funds within a month from the closing of the application window, i.e., the last week in March.
The funding process is part of a pilot program with Payment as a Lifeline (PaaL), which issues loaded-up debit cards that can be used to pay bills, buy food, and cover essential life needs during this time. The program allows candidates who may not have established bank accounts to have quick access to these funds, and also allows funders to track the spending and give some sense of accountability to the program’s fiscal sponsor and donors.
Founded in 2019, Wendy C. Goldberg’s TheFrontOffice is an entertainment development company that specializes in crossover content from live theatre to new media. Goldberg has 20 years in the theatre, including serving as artistic director of the National Playwrights Conference at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center, and has worked as a performance director for Rockstar Games’ Red Dead Redemption 2. TheFrontOffice Foundation, established in 2020 to support the live theatrical community in a time of shutdown, has previously partnered with TCG and SDCF on relief efforts.
