The Playroom Theatre
151 W. 46th Street, 8th floor

With panelists Lawrence E. McCullough, Ph.D., Arts & Media Specialist, Skye Consulting; Stacey McMath, director of Program Services at the Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA); Heather Woodfield, Executive Director of One Percent for Culture, a city-wide cultural advocacy organization, and a practicing artist specializing in interactive performance.

The arts have always had to grapple with economic vagaries. In 2017, we may have a new set of variables but the drive to succeed persists. Even in the best of times, funding represents a small portion of income for not-for-profits; and in spite of economic studies across the U.S. that have affirmed that the Arts represent the best possible investment of public tax dollars, the Arts struggle to maintain their footing in the waiting line for political support. We'll look at how government funding fits into a broader plan, whether funding is affected by the current political climate (at least we know the NEA is safe for at least six months), other sources of funding, as well as other sources of income for not-for-profits. We'll include the nuts-and-bolts basics an Artist/Arts group needs to have in place to do basic grant research, and what you need to have prepared to submit a funding request. The discussion will also look at funding interfaces like DataArts (formerly the Cultural Data Project), and the purpose and complexity of Grants Gateway pre-qualification for NY State funding.

Doors open at 7:00pm for networking and refreshments, roundtable introductions of everyone in the room will start at 7:30pm - come prepared with your best one-minute summary of who you are, and what you need. Free for TRU members; $15 for non-members  ($12.50 in advance). Please call at least a day in advance (or much sooner) for reservations: 212-714-7628; or e-mail TRUStaff1@gmail.com

• 

  L.E. McCULLOUGH

  Since receiving his first major grants in 1975 and 1976 from the National Endowment for the Arts, L.E. McCullough, Ph.D. has created hundreds of compelling grant and fundraising proposals in dozens of disciplines, devising unique and successful donor appeal strategies and serving as liaison and lobbying contact with government and philanthropic entities at local, state and national levels. He currently serves as Arts & Media Specialist for Skye Consulting (www.skyeconsultingnj.com); in his spare time he’s written and published 200 or so original plays performed around the world (www.educationalclassroomplays.com).
• 

  STACEY McMATH

  As director of Program Services at New York City Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA), McMath helps to support organizations in arts and culture across all disciplines. A graduate of the Theatre Producing and Management at Columbia, McMath is passionate about helping artists and arts organizations find a place in the city’s hectic and challenging landscape. During her undergraduate years at Barnard, she was active in the Theatre Department and the student theatre scene. After graduation she consulted with theatre companies and independent artist who needed assistance putting up their work. McMath began working at the DCLA as a program officer in 2008. Since then she has been moving up the ranks, finally assuming the director position.
• 

  HEATHER WOODFIELD

  is a creative strategist and transdisciplinary artist.  She is committed to fostering collaborations across the varied artistic and cultural fields.  Heather’s current artistic pursuits include wearable art, lens-based art, film editing, dramatic writing, and interactive performance.  She is a Founding Artist of the New York City based art collective, Calling All Parties. Heather has always been passionate about arts and culture as well as civic engagement and public policy.  She has served as the Executive Director of One Percent for Culture since early 2011.  The organization’s mission is to increase city funding for the NYC nonprofit cultural community, including artists of all disciplines, to a full one percent of the municipal expense budget.  At One Percent for Culture, she spearheads efforts to unify the cultural community, building a diverse coalition that includes organizations of all sizes and disciplines, businesses, and prominent NYC cultural advocates from a variety of sectors. Heather holds a BFA in Film and Television from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts and an MPA from Columbia University's School of International and Public Administration.  She is currently completing an MA in Transdisiplinary Arts, Culture and Practice at New York Universities’ Gallatin School of Individualized Study and a Millinery Certificate at the Fashion Institute of Technology.