NEW YORK CITY: The Tank has announced the creation of The Tank Producers Cohort, funded by a grant from the Mellon Foundation.
“This program is thrilling because it will provide support for a group of folks within the Indie theatre community that rarely find opportunities to be paid for their work,” said Meghan Finn, The Tank’s artistic director, in a statement. “It will grow efforts already underway at The Tank and be mutually beneficial to artists working in production here, and we can’t wait to see how it improves the production process overall.”
The Tank Producers Cohort is designed to support the unique needs of emerging creative producers and to invest in pathways to increase and expand representation for those who have been traditionally excluded from producing opportunities. This program will engage three to five early-career producers for renewable one-year fellowships, with annual awards of $15,000 and opportunities for additional artist fees for creative work and funding for professional development.
Cohort members will participate in regular meetings, led by a facilitator and including both practicum discussions and guest artist sessions with mentor practitioners in the field. The program facilitator will be a new, part-time position, selected from an open hiring process this spring.
The Tank is now accepting applications for the program facilitator role and the inaugural cohort of fellows, to begin August 2023. Facilitator applications will be accepted through May 1 and Fellow applications will be accepted through June 5.
With Tank staff and facilitator mentorship, fellows will also take on hands-on learning opportunities by producing at The Tank, including Tank Core Productions and Presented Works. With The Tank’s volume and variety of programming, fellows will be matched with projects that engage their artistic interests and introduce them to potential long-term collaborators, while meeting their level of experience and current practical learning goals.
“We’re excited about a cohort of producers because our experiences at The Tank show us how artists can learn from each other and grow together,” said director of artistic development, Johnny G. Lloyd in a statement. “We’re excited to assist these creatives as they build community and enrich the New York City arts scene through collaboration and artistic innovation.”
As a capstone to their fellowship, each fellow will have the opportunity to produce a presented show at The Tank as the instigating artist, whether as the generative artist, a curatorial force, or another model that centers creative producing as artistic practice.
To support their in-depth integration into the Tank’s programming during their residency, Fellows will be provided with workspace in The Tank’s office, Tank meeting and rehearsal space, and The Tank’s institutional resources such as the Employee Assistance Program, memberships, software, and fiscal sponsorship, as well as staff support and mentorship—offering The Tank as an artistic and professional home.
Celebrating 20 years in 2023, The Tank is a nonprofit presenter and producer dedicated to removing the economic barriers from the creation of new work by emerging artists and artists experimenting with their art form. Programming virtually and out-of-doors throughout the pandemic, and now in person from their home on 36th Street in Manhattan, the company has grown into a vital spot for contemporary performance and up-and-coming artists who call New York home.
