Organizations working in dance, music, musical theater, opera, and theater are eligible for consideration. Within these disciplines, the Program supports the following types of organizations: performing companies, presenting organizations, service organizations, arts councils, training and participation programs, and national and nonresident organizations that serve Bay Area artists and audiences. The Program also makes grants to film and media service organizations.
The focus of Foundation support is on long-term artistic development and managerial stability achieved primarily through a strategy of multiyear general operating support to organizations of programmatic merit that operate without incurring annual deficits.
The Foundation gives preference to independent nonprofit Bay Area organizations with an established record of artistic achievement, administrative capacity, audience support, and realistic planning and implementation for artistic and organizational development.
The Performing Arts Program does not typically fund:
- one-time events, such as fundraisers, festivals, or touring costs for performing companies
- individual artists (Though the Foundation does not fund individual artists directly, it does support several organizations that provide artist support. Please see our Resources for People and Organizations in the Performing Arts for links to these organizations.)
- visual or literary arts
- film or video production
- humanities
- elementary and secondary schools
- colleges and universities
- community art classes
- recreational, therapeutic, and social service arts programs
- cultural foreign exchange programs