Call to Serve U.S. Dance Field

The New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA) announces a call for presenters with extensive knowledge of the U.S. and international dance communities to serve as Hub Site representatives for the National Dance Project.

National Dance Project
NEFA’s National Dance Project (NDP) is a dynamic system of support that encourages the creation of new dance works and enables audiences in communities across the nation to experience the work of the most creative and compelling dance artists of our time. Through grantmaking and other initiatives, the program supports dance in ways that enhance partnerships between artists and presenters with the equally important goals of engaging and expanding audiences for dance. Since its inception in 1996, NDP has distributed more than $21 million in grants and has become one of the most significant sources for dance funding in the country.
  
NDP is generously supported with lead funding from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and additional funding from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the MetLife Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts, with funding for special initiatives from the Cultural Services of the French Embassy, the French American Cultural Exchange, and the McKnight Foundation.

Advisory Structure
NDP is guided by a rotating group of field experts comprised of Hub Site representatives and Advisors. Hub Site representatives are leaders of U.S.-based presenting organizations, have extensive knowledge of the dance community, and have been instrumental in developing new dance work and dance audiences within their communities. NDP Advisors are artists and organizational leaders from the dance field. Together, NDP Hub Site representatives and Advisors make funding recommendations and provide feedback on program development and policy. The composition of this group ideally reflects a balance of ethnic, aesthetic, and geographic diversity and a range of experience and perspectives including dance-only and multi-disciplinary presenters from urban, rural, and academic settings.  For more information and a list of current Hub Site representatives and Advisors, visit: /grants_programs/national_dance_project. 

Commitment and Role of Hub Site Representatives
NDP Hub Site representatives serve staggered three-year terms, with 10-12 individuals serving at a time. They meet with Advisors and NEFA staff three times a year to review applications, recommend grant awards, and guide program policy. Meetings take place at locations across (and sometimes outside) the U.S., typically in mid-April, the last week of June, and mid-November. Hub Site representatives receive an annual honorarium to support the related administrative and travel expenses and are expected to attend all meetings and functions and fully participate in discussions during their service. As part of their terms of service, Hub Site representatives will:

• advise applicants selected to submit full proposals for NDP Production Grants;
• advocate for NDP-supported artists to other presenters in their home region and nationally;
• serve as presenter partners (when appropriate) in the development of dance projects;
• assume roles in program evaluation as needed;
• meet all program deadlines promptly, and;
• present NDP-supported work, when possible.

Selection Criteria
In selecting Hub Site representatives, an advisory committee looks at an individual’s commitment to the creation and presentation of new dance work, strength in forming partnerships and alliances, and continuing dedication to dance as an important art form. Specifically, presenters interested in serving as a Hub Site representative will be considered according to their demonstrated and projected alignment with the following criteria:

• a multi-year commitment to the development and presentation of dance artists and/or multi-disciplinary artists’ projects of genuine imagination and originality by artists of recognized skill and accomplishment;
• demonstrated activity in local, regional, national, and international partnerships and alliances in dance development and presentation efforts;
• a successful record of and continuing commitment to secure public and private resources (funding, facilities, equipment, etc.) to realize these projects;
• a history of taking a leadership role in encouraging participation in dance projects among fellow presenters regionally and nationally;
• a demonstrated interest in the link between dance and other contemporary performance forms  including jazz, theater, and performance art, and;
• a commitment to supporting work and artists that push aesthetic boundaries and reflect the cultural and aesthetic diversity alive in dance today.

Application Process and Timeline
Interested presenters should submit a resume and letter of interest demonstrating how they meet the selection criteria, what they hope to achieve by being a Hub Site representative, and how it will impact their career, institution, and/or the community they serve. Decisions will be made in the fall for terms beginning January 2013. Applicants not selected for 2013 will be considered for service beginning in 2014 and 2015.

Send letter and resume for arrival by October 1, 2012 to:
Sara C. Nash
Manager, National Dance Project
snash@nefa.org

Direct questions to Sara Nash at snash@nefa.org or 617.951.0010 x512.

About NEFA
NEFA creatively supports the movement of people, ideas, and resources in the arts within New England and beyond, makes vital connections between artists and communities, and builds the strength, knowledge, and leadership of the creative sector.  NEFA is a 501(c)(3) that operates with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, the New England state arts agencies, and from corporations, foundations, and individuals.

NEFA administers grantmaking programs of regional, national, and international scope that support the performing arts, public art, and Native American artists. NEFA also leads projects and initiatives that range from the analysis of the impact of the creative economy to the creation of online tools which link and advance the cultural community. For more information on NEFA’s grant programs and services, please visit www.nefa.org or call 617.951.0010.