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NEFA recognizes that our current social climate continues to impact the ways that artists create and intend to share their work. We value your creative ingenuity during this time and the artistic experiences you still desire to share with communities and audiences, whether in-person, virtually, or some imaginative combination of both.
NDP is committed to disrupting the perpetual exclusion and erasure of artists representing forms, genres, practices, traditions, lineages, experiences, and/or identities through their projects. We value how artists are choosing to advance, enhance, or subvert various forms of dance, contributing to the ever-evolving landscape.
As you complete your NDP proposal, we encourage you to answer all questions to the best of your knowledge, including sharing aspects of your project and subsequent touring that are still in ideation. In addition to the narrative questions below, the NDP Production Inquiry application will require details on the applicant, the proposed new dance project, the organizational partner(s), and up to three minutes of a video work sample. We invite you to lean on the NDP team as a resource as you prepare to submit your preliminary application.
2025 NDP Production Grant Narrative Questions & Criteria
| NDP Production Narrative Questions | Narrative questions related to the following Criterion |
| 1. Please describe the proposed new dance project. (2,500 characters) | Support the creation/development and U.S.* touring/sharing [virtual or in-person] of new dance projects that demonstrate excellence in artists’ practice. Support new dance projects within a range of cultural and aesthetic diversities that bolsters today’s dance field. |
| 2. Please share the FULL timeline for the proposed new dance project, inclusive of an ideation phase, creation/development period, projected premiere date or window, and desired touring/sharing timeframes. (1,500 characters) | Support the creation/development and U.S.* touring/sharing [virtual or in-person] of new dance projects that demonstrate excellence in artists’ practice. |
| 3. What does success mean to you in respect to the proposed new dance project? What is your overall desired impact for the project? (1,500 characters) | Support the creation/development and U.S.* touring/sharing [virtual or in-person] of new dance projects that demonstrate excellence in artists’ practice. Support new dance projects within a range of cultural and aesthetic diversities that bolsters today’s dance field. |
| 4. Who are the communities and audiences this proposed new dance project is intended for? What are the engagement activities or strategies you plan to use to connect with them? (1,500 characters) | Demonstrate a commitment to an engagement process with/for communities and audiences because of the new dance project’s relevance, originality, and/or timeliness. |
| 5. With regard to the communities and audiences identified above in your response, how will access/accessibility be addressed in the proposed new dance project? (NEFA's value statement around Equity, Diversity, Intersectionality, and Accessibility) (1,500 characters) | Demonstrate a commitment to an engagement process with/for communities and audiences because of the new dance project’s relevance, originality, and/or timeliness. |
| 6. Who are the current organizational partners for the proposed new dance project? What are their contributions and why are they important to helping you reach your project goals? (learn more about organizational partnerships) (1,500 characters) | Reflect partnerships with organizations that are essential to the realization of the proposed new dance project. Applications must include at least one U.S.* based partner. |
| 7. Please describe your creative process/practice and how it supports achieving your project goals. For collaborative models of making, include how and why the collaborator(s) contributions are integral to the realization of the proposed new dance project? (1,500 characters). | Support new dance projects within a range of cultural and aesthetic diversities that bolsters today’s dance field. |
| 8. In addition to the performers and collaborators, how does this project contribute to the diversities of today’s dance field? (NEFA's value statement around Equity, Diversity, Intersectionality, and Accessibility) (1,500 characters) | Support new dance projects within a range of cultural and aesthetic diversities that bolsters today’s dance field. |
| 9. How do you imagine the proposed new dance project being toured/shared? How will your previous touring/sharing experience(s) inform these ideas? (1,500 characters) | Develop a viable plan for touring/sharing the supported dance project in multiple communities in the U.S. and its territories. |
- In addition to responding to narrative questions, as part of your preliminary application submission you will be required to provide a three (3) minute work sample. This can include up to two selections of at least one minute in length but should not be a promotional video. NDP staff can provide guidance on this.
- Work sample submissions cannot exceed three (3) minutes. Submissions over three (3) will be watched to the three (3) minute mark, and not longer.
- We will only accept work samples via the following platforms with downloadable capabilities: Dropbox, Google Drive, Vimeo, and YouTube. We DO NOT accept work samples via social media platforms.
*NEFA defines U.S. as all 50 of the United States including Hawaii, Alaska, and Washington, D.C., as well as Puerto Rico, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and American Samoa.
** Due to the impacts of COVID-19, NEFA understands that there are more opportunities and interest in artists/companies to share their work virtually, reaching a global audience. While we support the many ways artists/companies have been able to expand their reach, it is important to note that NDP tour subsidy can only be allocated to U.S. based organizations.