News

necartz: help for arts entrepreneurs!

2011 Native American Film + Video FestivalNative Networks March 30-April 3 NMAI

New York City Nonprofits Project Links for Nonprofits

Foundation Center Common Applications

Foundation Center Common Application Link for NY and NJ Area Nonprofits

AGM Common Proposal Forms AGM Applications all in zip file

Rolling Deadline – Jerome Foundation General Grants: support the creation, development and production of new works. Support is for artists who take risks and embrace challenges; whose developing voices reveal significant potential; who are rigorous in their approach to creation and production; who have some evidence of professional achievement but not a substantial record of accomplishment; and who are not recognized as established artists by other artists, curators, producers, critics, and arts administrators.
The amounts of grants vary. Board meets four times a year. Visit www.jeromefdn.org

Rolling Deadline – Harkness Foundation for Dance: supports curriculum development, general/operating support, program development and scholarships. Initial approach is a letter. The amounts of grants vary. Call (212) 755-5540.
Rolling Deadline : Foundation for Contemporary Arts’ Emergency Grants: provide speedy funding for artists who have unanticipated, sudden opportunities to present their work to the public, or who incur unexpected or unbudgeted expenses for projects close to completion with committed exhibition or performance dates. The grants are intended to support the creation of innovative and experimental work. Grants are determined on a monthly basis. Grants range from $200 to $2,000; the average grant is $1,000. Visit www.foundationforcontemporaryarts.org

Youth, I.N.C Invites Applications for 2011 Service Grant Program
Cash grants plus fundraising assistance and networking opportunities will be provided to nonprofits that have worked to help New York City youth for at least three years….
Deadline: Rolling
Posted: October 5, 2010

Kresge Foundation Call for Applications for Arts and Culture Facility Investments and Building Reserves Grants
Grants of up to $1 million will be awarded to arts nonprofits working to strengthen their long-term financial health; a new grant program will support both project costs and the creation of a building reserve….
Deadline: March 1, 2011 (Preliminary Applications)
Posted: December 30, 2010

Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation ArtsCONNECT Grant Guidelines
Grants of up to $10,000 per presenting partner will be awarded to nonprofit presenter consortiums that are working collaboratively to present a single artist or touring company and that represent at least two mid-Atlantic states….
Deadline: March 21, 2011
Posted: December 30, 2010

American Educational Research Association Seeks Applications for Research Using Large Scale Data Sets
Grants of up to $35,000 will be awarded to academics from a variety of disciplines working on dissertations or research that use large-scale national and international data sets….
Deadline: Various
Posted: December 20, 2010

ArtsLink Helps Support U.S. Artists Working in Communities Abroad
In 2011, grants of up to $10,000 will be awarded to individual artists, arts managers, and nonprofit arts organizations working in visual and media arts in collaboration with an artist or organization outside the United States….
Deadline: January 15, 2011
Posted: December 16, 2010

First Nations Composer Initiative Seeks Applications for Common Ground Grants Program
Grants of up to $5,000 will be awarded to American Indian, Alaska Native, and Hawaiian Native composers, commissioners, or performing musicians working to create music and distribute it to a broader community….
Deadline: February 1, 2011
Posted: December 16, 2010

Creative Work Fund Invites San Francisco-Area Artists to Collaborate With Nonprofit Organizations
Grants of up to $40,000 will be awarded to San Francisco Bay Area artists and nonprofits working on projects with the potential to help strengthen their communities, draw attention to an important issue, or engage audiences in new ways….
Deadline: March 4, 2011 (Letters of Inquiry)
Posted: December 14, 2010

William T. Grant Foundation Invites Letters of Inquiry for Investigator Initiated Grants on Youth Settings
Grants of up to $1.5 million will be awarded for research that enhances understanding of how youth settings work, how they affect youth development, and how they can be improved, as well as the effects of such research on policy affecting youth….
Deadline: January 5, 2011 (Letters of Inquiry)
Posted: December 14, 2010

PeyBack Foundation Offers Funding for Programs Assisting At-Risk Youth in Indiana, Tennessee, and New Orleans
Grants of up to $15,000 will be awarded to nonprofits providing leadership and growth opportunities to economically disadvantaged children in Indiana, Tennessee, and the New Orleans metropolitan area….
Deadline: February 1, 2011
Posted: December 10, 2010

Etant donn?s: The French-American Fund for the Performing Arts Offers Funding for French and American Theater Programs
Grants of up to $25,000 will be awarded to American nonprofit institutions producing or presenting theater tours, residencies, or translations either of contemporary French playwrights or with French theater professionals….
Deadline: February 1, 2011
Posted: December 17, 2010

2010 Artists Summer Institute Workshop

2010 Artists Summer Institute Workshop

Promote Yourself! An Introduction to Public & Media Relations for Artists

Led by Heidi Riegler, PR consultant & founder of RIEGLER MEDIA | MARKETING

As an artist you create art, but if you want your art to be seen or heard, you have to think about how your work will reach its audience. Understanding public and media relations is an essential part of a successful communications campaign that will garner press coverage and visibility for your art project and for yourself.

In this three-part workshop, participants will learn how to develop targeted PR and media plans, craft written press materials, and reach out to the media:

Dates & Topics:

Session 1: Public & Media Relations Basics
January 26, 2011, 6:30 – 8PM

Session 2: PR/Media Plans, Press Releases & Pitches
February 16, 2011, 6:30 – 8:30PM

Session 3: Honing Your Message
March 2, 2011, 6:30 – 8:30PM

Location:

Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, 125 Maiden Lane, 2nd Floor

Workshop is free, but space is limited.
Click here for complete information and to register.

TNT: Training, Networking, and Talks is supported by New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, New York State Council on the Arts, and The Joan Mitchell Foundation.

Theatre Communications Group and Mellon Foundation Launch New Global Connections Program
The program will award travel grants and project development grants of up to $10,000 to U.S.-based theaters and individual artists interested in international collaboration….
Deadline: December 20, 2010 and February 28, 2011
Posted: December 9, 2010

Fellowships Available for Research at Woody Guthrie Archives
Individuals interested in non-commercial research of Guthrie’s life, work, and contribution to American music and world culture will receive help to defray travel and lodging costs related to visiting the archives in Mt. Kisco, New York….
Deadline: January 3, 2011
Posted: December 9, 2010

National Museum of the American Indian Invites Applications for Indigenous Contemporary Arts Programs
Grants of up to $15,000 will be awarded to teams of at least two Native American artists through the foundation’s Exhibitions and Publications program and its Expressive Arts program….
Deadline: January 14, 2011
Posted: December 9, 2010

Getty Foundation Offers Funding for Multicultural Undergraduate Internships at Los Angeles-Area Museums and Visual Arts Organizations
Nonprofit museums and visual arts groups in Los Angeles County will receive support for up to three full-time internships for undergrads and recent graduates of African American, Asian, Latino/Hispanic, Native American, and Pacific Islander descent….
Deadline: February 1, 2011
Posted: December 9, 2010

Meet The Composer Accepting Applications for Creative Connections
Grants of up to $3,500 will be awarded to U.S. composers and sponsoring organizations working to present original music of any style or genre in performances that include some form of public outreach….
Deadline: January 7, 2011
Posted: December 8, 2010

Center for Cultural Innovation Offers Grants for California Artists Working in Visual Arts, Craft, and Literary Arts
The foundation’s Round VII grants will provide awards of up to $10,000 to working artists in California who have exhibited, performed, presented, and/or published their work in a public context within the last three years….
Deadline: January 14, 2011
Posted: December 8, 2010

Aaron Copland Fund for Music Accepting Applications for Contemporary American Music Recording Program
Grants of up to $20,000 will be awarded to nonprofit performance ensembles and presenting institutions as well as nonprofit or commercial recording companies working to produce new or reissue contemporary American music recordings….
Deadline: January 15, 2011
Posted: December 8, 2010

Sundance Institute Native American and Indigenous Program Invites Submissions for Native Lab Fellowship
A workshop and networking opportunities at the Sundance Film Festival will be provided to emerging Native American, Native Hawaiian, and Alaskan Native film artists working in the United States….
Deadline: February 1, 2011
Posted: December 2, 2010

Bezos Scholars Program @ the Aspen Institute Seeks Applications From High School Juniors and Educators
Seven-day, all-expenses-paid scholarships to attend the Aspen Ideas Festival June 26 to July 2, 2011, in Aspen, Colorado will be awarded to twelve public high school student/educator teams….
Deadline: February 11, 2011
Posted: December 2, 2010

Open Society Institute Invites Applications for Latin American Security, Drugs, and Democracy Fellowship
The competition is open to dissertation-level graduate students and recent Ph.D. recipients worldwide conducting research on organized crime, drug policy, and related issues in Latin America; support will be provided for twelve months of research….
Deadline: January 20, 2011
Posted: November 29, 2010

Delaware Fund for Women Invites Grant Applications
Grants of up to $15,000 will be awarded to nonprofits looking to create or expand programs that support the needs and potential of women and girls in Delaware….
Deadline: January 28, 2011
Posted: December 27, 2010

Louisville Institute Invites Applications for First Book Grant Program for Minority Scholars
Grants of up to $40,000 will be awarded to junior, non-tenured religion scholars of color working on a major research and book project pertaining to American Christianity and related to the priorities of the institute….
Deadline: January 15, 2011
Posted: December 18, 2010

Applications for DeVos Institute Summer International Fellowship Program at the Kennedy Center
Twenty international arts managers will participate in an intensive arts management program designed to teach them practical skills that are readily transferable to the management of their organizations….
Deadline: December 1, 2010
Posted: October 1, 2010

New York Foundation for the Arts Invites Applications for Artists’ Fellowships
Fellowships of $7,000 will be awarded to New York artists working in the disciplines of poetry, printmaking/drawing/book arts, nonfiction literature, sculpture, crafts, digital/electronic arts, and film…..
Deadline: Various
Posted: October 1, 2010

Venture Philanthropy Partners New Funding Opportunity to Improve Education and Employment Outcomes for Youth in the National Capital Region
Grants totaling $2.7 million over a two-year period will be awarded to nonprofits working to improve opportunities for low-income youth between the ages of 14 and 24….
Deadline: October 12, 2010 (Preliminary Proposals)
Posted: September 24, 2010

Tribeca Film Institute Accepting Submissions for Gucci Tribeca Documentary Fund
Grants of up to $25,000 will be awarded to seasoned and first-time filmmakers in support of films that highlight and humanize issues of social importance from around the world through complete, thoughtful, and dynamic storytelling….
Deadline: December 8, 2010
Posted: September 24, 2010

US Artists International Program Gives Funding for U.S. Performing Artists to Participate in International Festivals
Grants will be awarded to American dance, music, and theater ensembles as well as solo performers that have been invited to perform at international festivals….
Deadline: December 13, 2010 ; and April 22, 2011
Posted: October 1, 2010

Check out Associate Membership available for $45/year + many other perks for artists through www.necartz.com “Get 3-in-1” page click “Donate”button, then go to 161 Sixth Avenue 14th Floor and speak to Patricia or Pele.

Poetry and Creative Writing Prizes and Grants

Rockefeller Foundation : Proposals for Residencies at the Bellagio Center
Scholars, scientists, journalists, writers, artists, non-governmental organization practitioners, and policy makers from anywhere in the world can apply to stay at the Bellagio Center for one month of uninterrupted work on a wide range of world issues….
Deadline: December 1, 2010
Posted: October 22, 2010

Guidelines for Native Arts New England and National Native Arts Exchange Grant Programs
Grants of up to $3,000 will be awarded to Native American artists and organizations in New England working to reach broader audiences, connect with new markets for their work, and gain access to additional financial resources….
Deadline: Various
Posted: October 21, 2010
Call for Nominations of Performing Arts Ensembles From Haiti, Indonesia, Mali, Pakistan, Senegal, Syria, and Turkey for U.S. Touring Program
The new program will work to foster cross-cultural understanding between citizens of the United States and other countries; ensembles will receive an honorarium plus financial and planning assistance for travel and tour expenses….
Deadline: November 1, 2010 (Online Nomination Form)
Posted: October 21, 2010

VSA Invites Applications for International Young Soloists Awards
Musicians with disabilities, or a musical ensemble with at least one disabled member, will be awarded $5,000 and an opportunity to perform at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts….
Deadline: November 15, 2010 and December 1, 2010
Posted: October 21, 2010

National Endowment for the Humanities Offers Digital Humanities Start-Up Grants for Innovative Projects
Grants of up to $50,000 will be awarded to U.S. individuals and organizations working on digital initiatives in any area of the humanities….
Deadline: November 15, 2010 and December 1, 2010
Posted: October 21, 2010

National Endowment for the Arts Invites Communities to Participate in 2011-12 Big Read Program
Grants of up to $20,000 will be awarded to nonprofits, state agencies, tribal governments, or tax-exempt public libraries to fund comprehensive resources that support their efforts to read and discuss a single book or the work of a poet….
Deadline: February 1, 2011
Posted: October 15, 2010

American-Scandinavian Foundation Announces Fellowship and Grant Competitions
Fellowship awards of up to $23,000 will be given to American and Scandinavian students, scholars, professionals, and artists for a year-long program that will work to broaden the link between the United States and Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sw
Deadline: Various
Posted: October 15, 2010

Shubert Foundation Accepting Grant Applications From U.S. Nonprofit Professional Theaters
Grants will be awarded to nonprofits with an established artistic and administrative track record, as well as a history of fiscal responsibility working to develop new works and other significant contributions to the field of professional theater….
Deadline: December 1, 2010
Posted: October 15, 2010

Theatre Communications Group Accepting Proposals for New Generations Program Future Leaders and Future Audiences Grants
Grants of up to $80,000 will be awarded to theaters expanding their reach to underserved communities and to talented theater professionals who show promise as leaders in the field….
Deadline: November 15, 2010
Posted: October 14, 2010

Edna McConnell Clark Foundation Launches National Competition for Social Innovation Fund Grants
A total of $20 million will be awarded to eight to ten high-performing nonprofits working to deliver transformative services to disadvantaged youth, primarily in philanthropically underserved communities….
Deadline: October 25, 2010 (Intent to Apply)
Posted: October 7, 2010

Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Accepting Applications for 2011 Institutional Grants
Grants will be awarded to nonprofit film organizations and to film programs within accredited schools, colleges, and universities that encourage the appreciation of motion pictures as an art form and a vocation….
Deadline: December 15, 2010
Posted: October 7, 2010

The Many Voices Project is the distinguished annual competition (since 1981) to find new and emerging writers. (An emerging writer has not published more than two books of creative writing with a commercial, university, or national small press.)
Our 2010 submission period is September 15 – November 1 (postmark), 2010. This year, there is a $20 entry fee to enter this book-length competition; there is also a required entry form, available HERE. Both the Prose Prize and the Poetry Prize this year are national prizes. The two winning manuscripts will be published in Fall 2012; each author receives a $1,000 honorarium and a standard book contract. All of our books are distributed nationally by Consortium Book Sales & Distribution.

Kleban Award: given annually to both a librettist and a lyricist, each receiving $100,000, payable in 2 annual installments of $50,000. Applicants must have had work previously produced on a stage or in a workshop performance OR be or have been a member or associate of a professional musical workshop or theater group. Visit www.newdramatists.org/kleban_award.htm
Deadline: September 15, 2010

John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowships for Scholars and Artists: who have demonstrated exceptional capacity for productive scholarship or exceptional creative ability in the arts. The amounts of grants vary and will be adjusted to the needs of Fellows, considering their other resources and the purpose and scope of their plans. Visit www.gf.org.
Deadline: September 15, 2010

The Fund for Creative Communities (The Fund): provides grants of up to $5,000 to Manhattan-based nonprofit organizations. Supported by the New York State Council on the Arts, these grants are available in all disciplines. The Fund also seeks to increase access to arts and cultural activities in neighborhoods throughout Manhattan and to encourage new arts activities in communities where the need exists. Visit www.lmcc.net
Deadline: September 21, 2010

The Multi-Arts Production Fund Bulletin: September 2010 News & Announcements | Calendar

News & Announcements


The 2010-2011 MAP Application Calendar is now posted on our website.
September 15, 2010:
Online Letter of Inquiry Application Open
October 15, 2010:
Online LOI Deadline

December 10, 2010:
Notification of Invitation for Full Proposal
January 10, 2011:
Deadline for Full Proposals (by invite only)

April, 2011:
Final Notification of Panel Results

Grant Activities Period
September 1, 2011 through August 31, 2013
For eligibility, requirements, and work sample information can be found on our website.
New York Public Library’s Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center for Scholars and Writers: supports projects that draw on the research collections at the NYPL Humanities and Social Sciences Library. Fellows receive a stipend of $60,000, an office, a computer, and full access to the library’s physical and electronic resources for 9-month term (September-May). Visit www.nypl.org/locations/tid/36/node/29202
Deadline: September 24, 2010
Bronx Council of the Art’s 2009-2010 NYSCA/BCA Community Arts Grants: provide direct support for arts and cultural projects developed and/or sponsored by Bronx Arts Organizations and Community-Based Organizations. Activities may include workshops/classes, performances, arts exhibitions, special one-day events, multi-discipline collaborations, and public access programming. Individual artists can apply through an organizational conduit based in the County. Matching funds are required. Visit www.bronxarts.org/cag.asp
Deadline: September 24, 2010

Creative Capacity Fund Offers Professional Development Grants for Artists and Arts Organizations in San Francisco and Los Angeles
Grants of up to $1,000 will be awarded to arts administrators and individual artists in the Bay Area and Los Angeles pursuing professional development activities….
Deadline: Monthly
Posted: May 20, 2010

STUDIO LLC – new professional artist development program
Jamaica Center for Arts & Learning
(Jamaica NY)
STUDIO LLC is Jamaica Center for Arts & Learning’s (JCAL) professional development program for emerging artists. With an emphasis on entrepreneurship, STUDIO LLC encourages artists to regard their studio as a small business. The course will help artists to identify their professional goals and create a long-term plan for their ever-flourishing studio practices and artistic endeavors. John L. Moore, Jackie Battenfield, and Martha Wilson have joined as mentors of the participating artists.MORE Elsevier Foundation Invites Proposals for Innovative Libraries in Developing Countries Program
One-, two-, and three-year awards of up to $50,000 will be given to libraries in the developing world working to improve access to scientific, technical, and medical information….
Deadline: September 15, 2010
Posted: June 4, 2010

NABJ Chapter Grants
NABJ bestows financial awards of up to $500 to student and professional chapters to encourage programs that will benefit local members and sustain NABJ’s mission of community outreach. The next deadlines are October 1 and February 15. Winners are announced within 60 days of the deadlines.
Download Chapter Grant Application » (29.7 KB PDF, requires the free Adobe Reader.)

More information about Professional Chapter Grants
Artist Opportunities/Competitions
Apply for 2010 DC Commission Grants SEE ALSO: www.dcarts.dc.gov/dcarts/site
www.thefield.org

Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago Announce Fellowships for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect
Annual stipends of $25,000 will be awarded to doctoral and dissertation students working with mentors over two years to improve programs and public policy targeting the prevention of child abuse….
Deadline: December 15, 2010
Posted: June 29, 2010

Lower Manhattan community Council:
Application Deadline: Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Each year LMCC awards grants for arts projects happening across Manhattan’s neighborhoods through The Fund for Creative Communities (The Fund) and the Manhattan Community Arts Fund (MCAF). Both programs provide grants of up to $5,000 to arts organizations and artists for quality arts projects in every discipline.
RSVP for an Information Session
During the months of July, August, and September LMCC will be traveling across Manhattan giving information sessions for these two grants programs. Attending an information session is required for first time applicants and returning applicants who have not attended a session since 2007.
Visit our website to see the complete schedule and RSVP for an Information Session.
Annenberg Foundation Invites Applications for Los Angeles Nonprofit Leadership Development Program
Graduates of the Alchemy Leadership Seminar and Alchemy+ can qualify for $10,000 capacity-building grants for their nonprofits located in and/or serving the Los Angeles County region….
Deadline: October 31, 2010
Posted: June 17, 2010

APAPl ASOC OF PERFORMING ARTS PRESENTERS SAVE THE DATE JAN 2011 WWW.CONFERENCE.COM

http://www.artspresenters.org/

AMS/Arts Presenters Economic Tracking Survey One of the ways Arts Presenters is leading the way in keeping our members updated on the latest economic trends affecting our field is by introducing new economic tracking surveys with AMS Research and Planning. These surveys gather crucial information from APAP members as well as from members of the Performing Arts Center Consortium and the League of Historic American Theaters. January 2009 Report

City of Atlanta Office of cultural Affairs Contracts for Arts Services (CAS) program awards contracts related to the production, creation, presentation, exhibition and managerial support of artistic cultural services in the city of Atlanta. The program recognizes that the presence of artists and non-profit organizations involved in the arts are critical to Atlanta’s cultural vitality. The arts enrich the creative development of the city’s diverse populations and contribute positively to the social and economic well being of Atlanta and the region. www.ocaatlanta.com/
New York State Council on the Arts Meetings: Public Meetings:
June 28, 2010 10:00am – 1:00pm Performing and Literary Arts Committee
2:00pm – 5:00pm Visual Arts Committee
June 29, 2010 10:00am – 1:00pm Multi-Disciplinary Arts Committee
June 30, 2010 1:00pm – 4:30pm Council Meeting (FY11 Grants)
All of NYSCA’s public meetings are available via webcast.
Grants http://www.uacgreensboro.org/grants/index.html
National Assembly of State Arts Agencies Invites Nominations for Leadership Awards
The Distinguished Public Service Award and the Gary Young Award recognize individuals who have displayed exemplary leadership of state arts agencies and regional arts organizations….
Deadline: July 16, 2010
Posted: May 20, 2010

Ruddie Memorial Youth Foundation Accepting Applications for Youth Program Evaluation Grants
Grants of up to $25,000 will be awarded to nonprofits working to promote scholastic, professional, athletic, and/or other excellence in youth and provide them with opportunities for success….
Deadline: July 28, 2010
Posted: June 23, 2010
Threadhead Record Foundation Offers Grants to Support Music of New Orleans
Three grants of up to $3,000 will be awarded to musicians in need of resources to produce and distribute their work and whose music promotes the cultural heritage of New Orleans….
Deadline: July 1, 2010
Posted: June 23, 2010
Nominations Invited for 2010 Mario Savio Young Activist Award
Awards of $6,000 will be divided equally between young people and the organizations they represent to honor their commitment to human rights and social justice and ability to transform their commitment into effective action….
Deadline: June 30, 2010
Posted: May 6, 2010

Tournees Festival Offers Grants to Bring Contemporary French Cinema to U.S. College Campuses
Grants of $2,300 will be awarded to individuals affiliated with an American university or college providing film festivals that reference French-American cultural and educational exchange….
Deadline: June 30, 2010 and October 1, 2010
Posted: June 10, 2010
Entries Invited for Council on Foundations’ 44th Annual Film & Video Festival
Films selected to participate at the festival must have received full or partial funding for production, distribution, and/or outreach from a private, community, operating, or corporate foundation; a corporate giving program; or a donor network….
Deadline: June 25, 2010
Posted: May 24, 2010
Links to artist residencies worldwide
More at The Foundation Center 79 Fifth Ave 2nd floor Plus on-line and on site seminars in Grant writing seewww.foundationcenter.org

Ford Foundation Launches $100 Million Initiative to Develop Arts …
PR Newswire
Through an open RFP process, grants of up to $100000 will go to …provided a $1 million grant to El Museo del Barrio, New York City’s leading Latino arts …
Entertainment Software Association Foundation Invites Grant and Scholarship Applications
Grants of up to $50,000 will be awarded to nonprofits working to support programs and opportunities that use technology and/or computer and video games to make a positive difference in the lives of America’s youth….
Deadline: Various
Posted: April 16, 2010
Women Helping Others Foundation Invites Grant Applications
The WHO (Women Helping Others) Foundation supports community-focused charities that serve the overlooked needs of women, children, and families in the United States and Puerto Rico.
Funding will be considered for tax-exempt 501(c)(3) charities that have been incorporated for at least three years and have total organizational budgets of $3 million or less. Preference will be given to organizations with an operating budget of $3 million or less, those not dependent upon government grants, and those with greater organizational program costs than personnel costs. Organizations that have previously received a WHO Foundation grant should wait three years before applying again.
Funding will be considered for grant requests from $1,000 to $40,000 each.
Posted on April 12, 2010
Deadline: September 7, 2010
Click for more info and RFP
Writers, actors or producers, Disney│ABC Television Group’s Talent Development & Diversity programs play an integral part in launching successful careers in the entertainment industry. These programs are designed to attract, develop and staff individuals with diverse backgrounds and life experiences in either creative or production positions.
Those accepted into our talent development programs have the opportunity to hone their skills and perfect their craft under the supervision of network and studio executives, producers, writers and/or episodic directors.
The submission period for the 2011 Television Writing Program opens June 1st, 2010 and will close on July 1st, 2010
Click here for more info
American Institute of Indian Studies opportunities click here
Career Development Program Fellowship
The mission of CFEVA’s two-year Career Development Program is to advance the professional development and promote the careers of a selected group of highly talented emerging visual artists, while encouraging their participation in the local arts community and beyond. Artists selected for particip…

OPEN AUDITIONS The Negro Ensemble Company Training Program

Marie McKinney presents playwright, Laurence Holder, with plaque; cast of The NEC Education Dept's: Lost and Found: Classic Plays and Emerging Playwrights

Auditions for The Negro Ensemble Training Program are on

Sat 4/17 9am-12noon, Sun 4/18 3pm-8pm & Mon4/19 10-2pm

Send your request, picture and resume to necartz@gmail.com and give us 2 day/time audition optionsor fill out application at The NEC offices 303 W 42 St Suite 501 NYC, NY 10036
See website for more info

There are 2 ten week workshops:

Mondays March 29 7:00pm-10pm is The Actor’s Intensive is unique because it offers a solid character actor’s training from the point of view of Afro-Latin living arts, culture and history. A safe, physical approach to Monologue and Scene Work, Improvisation, Script Analysis, Michael Chekhov Character and Atmosphere Work, Voice Production and Articulation, Accents and comparative styles of Afro/Latin dance and music for the black actor, will make you a more versatile and confident performer. This 10 week workshop culminates in a show for casting professionals and invited guests on July 9.                                                                              MONEY FOR THE ARTS NY 5 BOROUGHS AT DCA

Wednesdays April 21 7:00-10pm Beyond Shakespeare: Classical Acting in Living Color African history and theatre started long before The Revolutionary War in the 1770′s. Alexander Dumas and Alexander Pushkin were writers of African descent, and Beetoven was a brown-skinned composer. 1 in 3 cowboys were black. Yet, we don’t see African-Americans cast in The Three Musketeers or Les Miserables! Do you know enough to debate your right to be cast in these roles? Get training in a variety of old world acting styles. Learn about Black writers and arts from around the world. Learn to decipher and play Shakespeare with conversational ease, classical techniques used at The National Shakespeare Conservatory and voice techniques used at NYU and Royal Shakespeare, London. Learn to compare the texts of classic mainstream writers to multi-cultural traditional arts, techniques and writers. Find out how African theatre history and literature relate to your approach to classic texts. The 10 week course can culminate in participation in the show for invited casting professionals and guests.
If you are interested in taking either of these courses please email: necartz@gmail.com with your request, picture, resume, name, phone number, email, address and 2 auditions day/time choices.

Auditions will be held at The Negro Ensemble Company Offices 303 W 42nd St Suite 501 New York, NY 10036 212 582-5860 or 347 560 3312
For Union discounts see AEA Members Benefits “Discount Page”

See NYFA for Artist as Entrepreneurs BootCamp Free

Our participants have gone on to do these speaking roles on

Film & TV: Misunderstood, directed by The Wire’s Clark Johnson; Law & Order; One Life to Live; and “Red Lobster” commercial, Commercials: Gilla Roos: Toys R Us, film:CRYSALIS, He Said, She Said: A Romantic Comedy at Times Square Theatre Center Producer’sClub, HBO TV, the UN , Movie “One Hit Wonder”                                           NYFA SOURCE LISTINGS

Many are leaders in their fields:
Dara Hosted TV shows on Comcast Cable and ABC’s Black Family Channel,
Kimberlyn Crawford produced “SHHH!! Sex Play” Readings and is KAVON Producer of The MisAdventures of Olive Sukin

Theater:

Mid-Summer Nights Dream at the Pulse Ensemble Theatre, Manhattan Rep Theatre, Susan Lori Parks Top Dog Underdog, Sonya Sanchez’s, first play The Bronx is Next at Riverside Church NEC’s Savannah Black & Blue and Zooman and the Sign,Hamletmachine at Castillio Thr, Wild About Harry, History of the Word(tour), OHIO Thr, Film & Roots of Rap, written by Marie McKinney; and Michael Rockefeller with Dog Run Repertory. The limited run of the NewYork Premiere of Caligula with Horizon Repertory at the Kirk Theatre on Theatre Row, “Passing” was produced by NEC in March 2008. wrote “Shades Of War.” Jim Jones: Hip Hop Monologues, artist’s latest 2009 album, 3 particpants were invited to Advanced Training Pogram at Harvard: Moscow

NEC Training Program participants have played at a variety of theatres:
New Federal Theatre, Washington Shakespeare, LA MAMA THEATRE/ TOURING, IRT, TARGET MARGIN THEATER,THE THEATER OF TOMORROW, Ridge Repertory Co, Sassy’s Variety Show at Broadway Comedy Club, The Living Theater, Theatreworks, North Shore Music Theater, Riverside Church Theatres, Paul Robeson Theatre, Negro Ensemble Company,…

“It was a great honor to work with Marie McKinney – she is a well of information: historical facts. literature, theater, grants, voice, movement… like coming across a “rare groove” when that groove hits you for the first time, it stays with you a long time. Really powerful stuff, with a lot of layers drama/comedy/accents! She is very in touch with how to develop strong characters .I gained a lot of knowledge and confidence in her class, and I had it inside of me the whole time, but she helped bring it out.I was a little green to the whole classical theater that the NEC is famous for. Marie is a very strong actress herself so there are a lot of gems you get just by listening when she speaks.” Kymbali Craig in Film Low Low, Bailey’s Cafe, The Passage: Stories of the MAAFA
KYMBALI CRAIG on location film LowLow
More see www.necartz.com/nec-rep-program
Training Program Alums: www.necartz.com/members

Marie McKinney
Director of Education
Negro Ensemble Company
necartz@gmail.com                                                    THE BRITISH LIBRARY’S BLACK EUROPEANS

Artists News: Computers, Editing, Full Grants Database…

News from NEC Artists!

www.necartz.com

for 3-in-1 membership click here or DONATE button below:

Next meet dates Apr 3, May 1, June 5, NO July, Aug 7, Sept 4, Oct 2, Nov 6, Dec 4, 2010

Thanks to The Field and Patricia Burgess who spoke to artists at our last meeting.

Now we are offering artists an associate membership to The Field. Every Associate membership to The Field through NEC Artists Monthly Meet will contribute $20 for The NEC Monthly Meet  operating and program expenses. As you know, the monthly NEC  meets at Riverside Church are free, while artists get resources to forward their projects and arts careers!

Here are some features and benefits you get with your tax deductible, $45/year membership:


Access to: ————————- The Benefits

The Resource Center at the Field Laptops, Printer, Fax and Seated Work area Use of office: printer, fax, laptops and arts library, see winning proposals, mentors help you book your venue or tour US or abroad, lists of festivals and organizations that help artists
Full Foundation Center Grants Database ($1295.00 value) lists of those who give artists and organizations grant money, access to grants with your specifications, info on grant makers and grant winners, free lessons on grant writing and seeking are available  (at The Field’s Resource Center)
Mac and PC  Editing and other arts software Edit videos, Adobe Photoshop for creating professional postcards, flyers and websites, Questia-online library 70,000 books 2 mill. articles
Materials for the Arts Materials donated from companies to artists, like: equipment,curtains, clothes, costumes, food, household furnishings, etc
The Costume Collection 75,000 professionally designed costumes and accessories
Participation to FAR Residencies program Weekly and Bi-weekly Field work sessions to get feedback on your writing, choreography and music, Low cost rehearsal space, show your work
Automatic Donation to support NEC Rep Every $45/yr associate membership to The Field through NEC yields a $20 to help bring resources and free services to artists and arts professionals through the NEC Rep meetings, programs and www.necartz.com
Non-Profit Organization Rates and Discounts
Free Membership to Fractured Atlas
liability insurance, job center, PR services, subsidized consulting services, career workshops, and an online support forum.
Donate now and get your associate membership to The Field through NEC (Available through February 14, 2010)

Click “Continue” on bottom of page to Donate

All memberships last one year from approval allow 3-7days for activation
The Field is located at 161 Sixth Ave 14 th floor  www.thefield.org
Lotteries for Artward Bound not included in associate membership

Next NEC Rep Meeting Dates:
Feb 6, Mar 6, April , May 1, Jun 5, No July, Aug 7, Sept 4, Oct 2, Nov 6, Dec 4

More information and links about associate membership to The Field and Fractured Atlas in the email below.

New NEC Training Program Acting Workshops Start:

10 weeks  Actor’s Intensive on Mondays March 29 or

Beyond Shakespeare:Classical Acting in Living Color on Wednesdays April 14   7:00pm-10:00pm

Note from The Field about the 3-in-1 membership…

Here are Membership Benefits.  The only thing an affiliate is not allowed to participate in are lotteries for artward bound.  At this time you do not have to be a member to participate in FAR Residencies.   Member News   The Resource Center provides a place for artists to gather and work in an encouraging and focused environment equipped to meet their professional needs.  View current drop-in hours and learn more. Letters Confirming the Donation of Goods help to make it possible for donors to receive a tax-deduction on materials contributed towards your creative and professional activities. To request that a letter acknowledging the donation of goods, email audra@thefield.org and allow five business days notice for The Field to process your request. You will need to provide:

  • Donor’s name and address
  • Detailed information about the item donated (i.e. One Dell Inspiron 5100 Lap Top Computer)
  • Please note that donations of services are not tax-deductible.

Non-profit Affiliation Letters confirm your affiliation with The Field, making you eligible for certain non-profit rates and discounts including access to subsidized rental rates with venues, organizations, and companies that offer discounts to nonprofit organizations. As a member of The Field you are eligible to receive this discount. To request a letter confirming your relationship with The Field, email patricia@thefield.org and allow five business days notice for The Field to process your request. You will need to provide:

  • Name of the person to whom the letter should be addressed
  • Company/venue/organization address, fax and phone numbers
  • The purpose (i.e. rehearsal space rental)
  • Please note that Field Members are not exempt from state sales tax.

Materials for the Arts helps arts organizations (and you as a member of The Field!) realize their visions by providing free materials to support creative programs and productions. Supplies are gathered from companies and individuals that no longer need them and redistributed to artists that do. In the process, hundreds of tons are removed from the waste stream every year and kept out of landfills, helping to sustain our environment and promote reuse and waste reduction while enhancing the cultural life of their city. To register for MFTA:

  • Visit www.mfta.org and click on Recipients, and then Apply Now to submit an online application to MFTA.
  • After you have completed the online application form, you will receive an email with a list of supporting documents that are required for processing, which includes documentation of your professional performance activities (i.e. programs and/or flyers). In response to this email from MFTA, you will send a formal request letter to use their services. In the letter include your mission statement or bio. The letter should also include a list of materials you are interested in obtaining from MFTA. You will send the formal request letter to MFTA along with supporting documents from recent events.
  • After you have completed both steps of the MFTA application process, email patricia@thefield.org. The Field will confirm your application within the next four business days.
  • Upon The Field’s confirmation MFTA then takes up to two weeks to process requests.
  • Once you receive a contract from MFTA, you will be able to make an appointment to begin using their services.

The Costume Collection houses more than 75,000 professionally designed costumes and accessories. Nonprofit performing arts companies (and you as a member of The Field!) can rent these items at low cost. Most of the inventory is contributed by Broadway and Off Broadway productions and costume designers, which means that high quality, and sometimes even award-winning, designs are available. To access the Costume Collection:

  • Email patricia@thefield.org with information on your event, including (1) the name of your production, (2) the size of your house/number of seats, (3) your performance dates, and (4) the names of up to three people authorized to sign out costumes under your membership.
  • Allow up to four business days for The Field to set up a contract with the Costume Collection on your behalf.
  • You will be responsible for dry-cleaning all costumes and returning them within 10 days of the close of the production.

Free Associate Membership at Fractured Atlas provides Field Members with access to low-cost health insurance and event liability insurance. Associate Membership also includes access to Fractured Atlas’ job center, PR services, subsidized consulting services, career workshops, and an online support forum. To activate your free Fractured Atlas Associate Membership please log-in to the Members Only area and click the featured Fractured Atlas link.   Best, Patricia



Marie McKinney
Negro Ensemble Co. Repertory
P.O. Box 521
New York, New York
347 560 3312
www.necartz.com

NECARTZ.COM resources for artist entrepreneurs: grants, events, artist service organizations. NEC Rep Monthly meet 1 Saturday 10a-1pm at Riverside Church multi-purpose room. Classes available in Acting, Script Analysis, Character Development, Dialects and Folk Arts for Audition contact necartz@gmail.com

Grants supporting Negro Ensemble Company from Foundation, Government and Corporate Supporters :

  • The New York City Department of Cultural Affairs
  • The New York State Council for the Arts
  • Con Edison
  • The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust

NEC Rep’s: Lost and Found 2

Lost and Found 2 flyer(2) 12 10 09

December 7, 2009.  An over-capacity crowd bombarded Negro Ensemble Company Repertory’s last production Lost and Found.  On December 10-11th Lost and Found 2 exposes more of the brilliant plays from the NEC archives! From 1967 to the 90’s, Negro Ensemble Company, the second oldest black theater company in the world, was the best place for black playwrights to sent their plays for production. When the company closed temporarily, in the 80’s, boxes of scripts and memorabilia unaccounted for. Excerpts from six of the hundreds of archived works re-discovered at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture are returning to the stage.

Alysia Joy Powell, emerging playwright/actress/singer and new NEC Rep member, will debute her play, NANA B’S CONDO BLDG, as part of NEC Repertory’s: Lost and Found 2 is on December 10 and 11th at 8pm Where Eagles Dare Theatre 347 W 36 St 13fl in New York,

NY. Featured Artists include: Callistus Oniyuke, Kubbi, Chrystal Asbury, Omar Bah, Charles Pernell Simpson, Jackie Lowe, Teresa Lasley Alysia Joy Powell and Malikia Causey

Astounding work!says NEC Training Program Instructor and Facilitator and NEC Alum, ..”I see  a young Denzel, Sam Jackson, L Scott Caldwell, Frances Foster on this stage. Negro Ensemble Company’s Savannah Black & Blue

Negro Ensemble Co : Clinton Lowe held by Ciera Payton and Jamie Patton in Savannah Black & Blue by Raymond Jones to Sold Out Performances at Shetler Theatre NYC Theatre

by Raymond Jones, which played to several weeks of SOLD OUT audiences was developed in Leslie Lee’s Play Writing Workshop at NEC Rep. NEC is extending the play in the next few weeks. NEC is giving unpresidented opportunities to new artists. Stellar performances by NEC Training Program participants: Ciera Payton, Kimberlyn Crawford, Ohene Cornelius, Tomike Ogugua and Clinton Lowe insured Savannah Black & Blue’s huge box office success. NEC’s new partnership with Riverside Church’s Theatre of the Oppressed began with monthly meets. The meets offer free information and resources to artists and an opportunity to share in a fiscal sponsorship with NEC, while having access to low cost space and artist discounts. The group meets 10am -1pm every first Saturday at Manhattan’s Riverside Church’s Multi-Purpose Room in partnership with Jeremiah Drake’s Theatre of the Oppressed. In August 10 NEC Rep members were invited to meet one-to-one with CBS VP Fern Orenstein, Josie J. Thomas CBS SVP Diversity Casting and and CBS NY’s Manager, Diversity, Barbara Matos.

These artists give us hope for Black Theatre’s future.”says The NEC Actor’s Training Program instructor, Marie McKinney. “And now audiences will witness an important historic find! Audiences and actors get access to this extraordinary, unknown material.” In addition, emerging playwright Alysia Joy Powell will premiere scenes from her original works for veteran writers like Laurence Holder and Leslie Lee and directors like NEC’s Artistic Director and NEC alum, Charles Weldon.

NEC Rep: l to r Quester Hannah, Charles Weldon, Leslie Lee, Jeanette Bookhard, Douglas O. Walker, Laurence Holder

Emerging actor/playwright Quester Hannah, honored at Lost and Found in July 2009, went on to star in Susan Lori-Park’s Top Dog Underdog in Pittsburgh and Barbara Asare Bediako is producing her one-woman show.

The forty-two year tradition of The NEC’s Training Program’s, LOST AND FOUND 2 continues to  support emerging actors who have completed NEC’s rigorous training program. NEC’s training  combines solid groundwork in character technique, script analysis and voice production with ethnic culture.  “We use the time-honored work of masters such as Michael Chekhov and Stella Adler as a foundation and bring it into an African American cultural context,” says McKinney.”  According to Charles Weldon, NEC’s Artistic Director, “We get calls all the times from actors who have graduated from big schools who are hungry for information about their own culture.” Auditions are held by appt.  Contact necartz@gmail.com.

LOST AND FOUND boasts scenes from brilliant vintage plays by unknown playwrights, and famed writers like Alice Childress and Derek Walcott, representing a unique portfolio of African American life  The program features pieces from the NEC archives and Music: Alice Childress’ String, Derek Walcott’s Upon This Rock or The Isle of Noises, Charles Fuller’s In the Deepest Part of Sleep, Laurence Holder’s Monk ‘n’ Bud, Ron Milner’s Don’t Get God Started

About Negro Ensemble Company:

The Negro Ensemble Company and NEC Training Program were first started by Robert Hooks, Douglas Turner Ward and Gerald Krone in 1967. Robert Hooks broke down the walls of his apartment and taught acting to a young Hattie Winston. Rosalind Cash, Frances Foster, Graham Brown and Bill Jay, among the original company members. This Pultizer Prize-winning company, with 200 productions on its roster, boasts a long list of notable alumni, such Negro Ensemble Company's Savannah Black & Blue by Raymond Jonesas Laurence Fishburne, Angela Bassett, Adolf Caesar,  Phylicia Rashad, Samuel L Jackson, Roscoe Lee Brown, and many more. NEC  looks forward to another extended run of Savannah Black & Blue by Raymond Jones with hilarious writing and brilliant ensemble work.   NEC received 11 Audelco Award Nominations for its plays last year. The company awarded $1000 to emerging playwright, Antoinette Nwandu, this spring at Tisch NYU.  The current NEC REP program is successfully fostering a new generation of performing artists and writers, who have, in the last year, played on HBO’s The Wire, Law and Order, NEC’s Zooman, Manhattan Theatre Club, Theatre Row, NY Comedy Club, New Federal Theatre, Washington Square Shakespeare Theatre, Gala Hispanic Theatre, Atlantic Theatre, Targit Margin Theatre, Sonya Sanchez’s The Bronx is Next, Susan Lori-Parks Top Dog Underdog,, Theatre of the Oppressed,, Wooly mm  New Heritage Theater, La Mama, Hip Hop Monologues, Commercials and 3 NEC members are invited participants of Harvard’s  Advanced Training Program: Moscow.

Award winning, NEC resident playwright, Leslie Lee continues momentum with The Emerging and Classic Playwrights Series in the fall ,also at Where Eagles Dare Theatre. Charles Weldon became the current Artistic Director 5 years ago and stars in August Wilson’s Radio Golf. Charles started performing with NEC in 1970 and now returns as an alumnus of The Negro Ensemble Company and active board member, expanding its fiscal standing and ushering the company into the new millennium.

NEC’s Monthly Meets  now offers $45/yr associate memberships to The Field, Fractured Atlas and Materials for the Arts  (a $100/yr value) www.thefield.org . NEC offers information, resources and opportunities to produce arts projects and outreach programs with NEC  team support.

NEC’s Actor’s Training Program  is holding auditions and interviews for its ongoing classes for professional actor’s and playwrights. Email picture and resume to necartz@gmail.com for audition appointment, and semi-private ongoing classes. more about The Negro Ensemble Company’s Training  Program

Lost and Found 2 Reservations  necartz@gmail.com 347 560 3312 tickets $10 leave your name, phone and number of tickets.

NEC’s Monthly Meet December 5 10am-1pm at Riverside Church

MORE ABOUT NEC REP

Negro Ensemble Company and www.necartz.com provides grant information, resources, small business and arts training and mentoring opportunities to artists and arts organizations..

Negro Ensemble Company’s Actors Training Program allows artists the opportunity to:

  • share in the benefits of fiscal sponsorship
  • work in teams to fulfill their artistic and quality of life goals
  • get low cost rehearsal space.
  • find out about artist service organizations through the website and meets
  • find out about tools that small businesses use for little or no money
  • come out of isolation, partner, and find out what’s available to them
Thank you for all the work you do as artists and community leaders!
Marie McKinney
NEC Repertory Facilitator
The NEC  Monthly Meet at Riverside Church

Saturday December 5th, 10 am- 1p Multi-Purpose Room 1st fl with Special Guest Patricia Burgess from The Field and Special Guests

NEC Monthly Meet at Riverside Church Multi-Purpose Room every 1st Saturday of the month. Upcoming Dates: Dec 5, (no Jan), Feb 6 , Mar 6 Apr 3 , May 1…on going and free

Get resources and information for artist services, tools for producing your art projects, low cost rehearsal space. Find out how you can team up with one of the oldest most respected Theatre Companies in the World to do your art.    NEC Rep www.necartz.com for more

The Negro Ensemble Co 303 W 42 St Suite 501 New York, NY 10030         Info on NEC Rep Program Union Actors benefits see Members Benefits Page of Actor’s Equity Assoc website

The NEC Monthly Meet at Riverside Church Multi-Purpose Room every 1st Saturday of the month. Upcoming Dates: Dec 5, (no Jan), Feb 6 , Mar 6 Apr 3 , May 1…on going and free!!

Get resources and information for artist services, tools for producing your art projects. Find out how you can team up with one of the oldest most respected Theatre Companies in the World to do your art.    NEC Monthly Meet and Training Programs www.necartz.com for more info

NEC Rep Meets VP of CBS Diversity Institute NY

  • HEAR NEC REP Interview Re: CBS TV Diversity Institute w/ Barbara Asare-Bediako and Marie McKinney on: WHCR Soul Lounge 90.3 FM with “The Night Watchman” 1am – 2am tonight Fri 9/4-5/09

    CONGRATS TO CLINTON LOWE!! Clinton Lowe called in to audition for CBS TV show: The Good Wife by CBS VP of casting after being one of 10 NEC Rep members selected for CBS Diversity Institute!!

  • August 27, 2009. 10 members from the NEC Repertory and….cbs diversity 9 09 Marie McKinney, program coordinator and instructor at Negro Ensemble Company, were invited to meet with CBS-TV, Casting Vice President,  Fern Orenstein to participate in The CBS Diversity Institute’s one-on-one coaching on: best practices for marketing the actor’s talent, presentation, and landing roles on “episodic” TV.  VP of CBS Diversity, Ms. Orenstein, Manager of CBS Diversity,Barbara Matos, >SVP of Diversity at CBS, Josie Thomas and other Casting Executives from CBS Hollywood and CBS NY are responsible for casting TV shows like, C.S.I, N.C.I.S, The Unit, Peace Maker, among others. 10 NEC Rep actors met with 60 other selected actors from NY Actor’s Unions and African, Latin and Asian American NY organizations.  The CBS Institute took place in 2 sessions on August 26th and 27th at the CBS Offices in New York at 51 West 52nd Street. The program has five components designed to provide participants with access to the decision making process in network television both in front of and behind the camera. Actor’s Career workshops and Talent Showcases; and Director’s and Writer’s Mentoring Programs are part of the initiative. CBS provided  Soap Opera diversity, casting events earlier this spring.
  • —-

    This Institute comes on the heels of much criticism from the NAACP and periodicals like Black Enterprises magazine and the Huffington Post:

  • The Huffington Post  explains:
  • “The number of minority actors in prime-time shows has remained flat or even dipped in recent years, decreasing from 333 in the 2002-03 season to 307 in 2006-07, according to the report. The number of minority writers working during the 2006-07 season was 173, a drop from the 206 employed during the previous season, the report said.”
  • —-

    The CBS Diversity Institute was launched by  Barbara Matos, director of Diversity at CBS and CBS NY and LA Casting Executives.  The workshops provided an opportunity for each Actor to get personal, career coaching from CBS’s VP of Casting, Fern Orenstein. Her coaching provided  actors with marketing techiques and presentation coaching to help them gain access to TV auditions so that they can consistently land TV roles.

    —-NAACP Diversity Report—-

    Ms Orenstein stressed that most episodic TV programs cast 2 or 3 lead roles, while the bulk of the work goes to 15 to 20 actors in supporting roles. Characters who help tell the story are cast most frequently. Specific roles like mechanics, teachers, doctors, social workers detectives, the neighborhood girl , etc.  Most actors submit cookie-cutter, glamour, head-shots, which often show little or no acting, in hopes of getting a role. Lead roles are few and far between. 80% of the roles on episodic TV are those of blue-collar workers, service people, health and banking professionals and executives. Why not determine which of these roles you are most likely to land at the audition? Then, gear your picture, colors and photo backgrounds to look like that profession or way of life.

    —-NABJ Special Reports:

    Network Television Station O&O Management Diversity Census—

  • A great shot shows an actor, acting the part! When casting staff look at pictures, they wade through hundreds of little thumbnails,  Ms Orenstein explained.  If your head shot wins a click to enlarge it, if it is clear in the thumbnail size first. If your picture has the same color background as the foreground or if your picture is dark or worse, black and white or unprofessional looking, it hasn’t got much of a chance. Keep in mind, casting people must look through hundreds of tiny pictures for one role. Then multiply that times 20 for one show. Add the stress of a 1-2 day deadline.
  • This explains why some actor’s are not getting called in. Have  2 or 3 pictures, that portray different professions.  Choose professions you can easily land faster than the actor next to you. Choose colors and backgrounds that suggest the role you are going for, without literally having the badge, stethoscope or wrench in hand. Perhaps your friends say you look like a teacher AND a banker.  Get 2 or 3 shots with the facial expression, colors, clothing and background to match each walk of life. If you are the yacht owning, socialite type, spare no expense on the suit. And yes, color photos with the definition and clarity of a professional photographer are a given. Perhaps start with a special skill you have. Let’s say, you speak Farsi. Could you play a believable  terrorist? Feels like borderline stereotyping? Perhaps. Remember, these characters have a few seconds to establish who they are and forward the storyline. Like in any business, branding is what gets you in the door.

    Mondo Times covers 23,000 news media outlets in 212 countries.

  • You may be thinking: “I’ve spent thousands of dollars to learn to play different characters .  That’s what acting is. Isn’t it?” I heard once that the highest compliment to an actor is: “I didn’t recognize you at all in that show!” Has the art of acting degraded to a color scheme? Have deadlines become more pressing than creative intuition and historical innovation? Where does this leave the die-hard, “artist-first “ actor? “I guess that’s where theatre comes in”: she confesses. “This is TV. Save the creative latitude for the stage. AND act the part in your head shots, so that casting knows what you feel comfortable playing. Then, use the TV paycheck to master your art.
  • “Real” diversity will emerge when we reintegrate all faces back into history where they belong. I’d like to see some of my Afro-Native American, farm owning, ancestors in a Western, along side their Asian neighbors, who built the railroads. Yes, it is so important to tell our own stories.
    Clad in jeans and a 70′s, East Indian top, Ms Orenstein casually coached with each participant answering each of their questions and concerns. Some good news!Casting, like most other business processes is now internet driven. This is good news for us, because whether your picture is submitted by your agent, manager or through Actor’s Access. It’s first come first served. This gives the diligent actor a chance to be seen, even without formal representation.

    *

    Asian, Native American and Latin American organizations were invited to send representatives to the CBS Offices at 51 West 52 St in NYC. Among the NEC Rep members chosen to represent NEC were: Sam Encarnacion, Edward K. Robinson, Ryan Johnson, Barbara Asare-Bediako, Tanya Everett, Jillian Walker, Kimberlyn Craword, Jamil Mangan, Clinton Lowe and Quester Hannah. ABOUT NEC REPERTORY

    Article Continued Below…

    ADD YOUR COMMENTS BELOW:

    DO YOU THINK TV SHOWS ARE DIVERSE IN THEIR CASTING OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT NATIONALITIES? COMMENT BELOW…

    WHICH NETWORKS AND CABLE STATIONS SHOW THE MOST DIVERSITY ON IT’S SHOWS

    *
    NEC Rep was re-launched by Negro Ensemble Company’s Award Winning Instructors, Marie McKinney, Erik Kilpatrick, Leslie Lee and NEC’s Artistic Director, in honor of Robert Hooks, Douglas Turner Ward and Gerald Krone, who started the NEC Training Program in 1967.
    The NEC’s original Training Program included Acting, Comedia del Arte, Ballet and African Dance, Mask Work training.  It fostered the careers of Frances Foster, Rosalind Cash, Arthur French, Hattie Winston, Graham Brown, Ester Rolle, William Jay, Theodore Wilson, Clarice Taylor, Damon Brazwell, Glen Turman, Norman Bush, Julius W Harris.

    CBS ENTERTAINMENT RELEASE: TALENT SHOWCASE

    Others who were involved with The NEC, in the late 60′s were, writers: Richard Wright,  Alice Childress, Derek Walcott, Wole Soyinka and Lonnie ElderIII, Ray McIver, Ted Shine, Errol Hill, Louis Sapin, Peter Weiss also Lloyd Richards and dancer/costume designer, Judy Dearing and project coordinator, Edmund Cambridge. The NEC’s training program instructors were: John Blair, Lonnie Elder,III,  Ron Mack, Margaret Harris, Luther James, Louis Johnson, Michael Schultz, Charles Vincent, Steve Carter, Cleo Quitman, Gloria Schultz, Robert McCauley, Lloyd Richards,Kristin Linklater.

    ABOUT NEC REPERTORY PROGRAM

    The NEC Repertory Program offers a solid training program to professional actors. They receive training as a prerequisite for the program, which helps to advance their careers and promote partnerships and self-reliance. The NEC Rep Intensive training is  based in Stanislavski, Michael Chekov, Cicely Berry, Bea Richards techniques, and  are infused with comparative studies of  literature and history including Shakespeare, classic African and Latin American playwrights and folk arts. The actor can step into classic and contemporary works for stage and in media, while having a strong sense of self and their specific place in history.

    Character development, atmosphere, dramaturgy, voice production and articulation, history of the diaspora, dance and movement, classical styles of singing versus traditional Native American and African placement are some of the topics covered in the workshops.  Private and semi-private coaching for beginners is available by request. Meanwhile, NEC Rep professionals must audition and be accepted to the program.
    Some Negro Ensemble Company’s Alumni include: Laurence Fishburne, Adolf Caesar, Lynn Whitfield, Angela Bassett,  Samuel L Jackson, Phylicia Rashad, Keith Davis, Ruben Santiago Hudson,  Giancarlo Esposito, Ching Valdez, Carole Maillard, Alvin Alexis, Michelle Shay, it’s current Artistic Director, Charles Weldon…the list goes on..
    PBS American Masters features The Negro Ensemble Co.
    Email Audition Requests: for NEC Rep to: necartz@gmail.com——————————————————————————————

    “The Bold and the Beautiful” and “The Young and the Restless” are casting actors of color who are 18 years and older.
    Eligible candidates are asked to submit resumes and photos online at www.breakdownexpress.com/. Hard copies can also be mailed to Fern Orenstein, CBS Daytime Diversity Initiative, Cole Ave Studios, 1006 N. Cole, Hollywood, CA 90038.
    Deadline for submissions is Nov. 28.
    Candidates will be pre-screened by the network casting department in December, and the casting directors of these CBS daytime dramas will read actors on a regular basis starting in January.
    For information regarding the CBS Diversity Institute and Casting, go to www.cbsdiversity.com/.
    –Penny TV

    The CBS Diversity Institute http://www.cbscorporation.com/diversity/cbs_network/institute/index.php

    RESOURCES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR ARTISTS

    Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are chronic digestive disorders of the intestines. These illnesses are collectively known as inflammatory bowel diseases, or IBD
    It is estimated that some 1.4 million Americans suffer from IBD, with approximately 30,000 new cases diagnosed each year.(Ten to 20 percent of those afflicted develop symptoms before the age of 18.) The cause of IBD is unknown. There is no medical cure for these conditions

    In honor of my Mother who suffers from IBD, I am raising money for this very important cause and I’m asking you to help by making a contribution!  Please use the link in this email to donate online quickly & securely.  You will receive email confirmation of your donation I thank you in advance for your support, and really appreciate your generosity!!

    http://www.active.com/donate/lv09dcvirginia/vegas09BAsare-   Barbara

    NECARTZ. COM is a free service rendered on completely volunteer basis. We need your help! Please Send Donations for necartz.com to NECARTZ c/o Marie McKinney P.O. Box 521 New York, NY 10030