Why Impact Creativity?
Over the past decades, America’s leading not for profit theatres and their school partners have created signature programs serving over 500,000 children and youth, most of them disadvantaged. Government and arts education groups, as well as the theatres themselves, have documented a nationwide decline in arts education programs of 15-25% over the last ten years; in minority communities, the decline approaches 40%. Impact Creativity, a project of NCTF, will raise additional corporate, foundation and individual funds to preserve and sustain these programs.
Studies show that arts education is a particularly powerful tool in reaching students who are otherwise turned off by standard school subjects. A recent National Endowment for the Arts study documents that low income students who are highly exposed to arts education are nearly twice as likely to complete college as those at their income level who had very low exposure to the arts.
All our distinguished theatres, offer the following broad program areas:
- Student theatre experiences tailored for K-12 students, supported by curriculum enrichment related to the play or musical seen. These programs largely target disadvantaged communities.
- Teaching artists who work with students in school and at theatres on a variety of initiatives to enrich literacy, communications, social, decision making and a wide variety of key skills. Many of these programs utilize arts integration techniques to bring theatre skills and experiences to other school subjects.
- Family programs, often around the holidays, which are especially designed to delight and inspire families together.
At the same time, CEO’s from around the world recently expressed their strong concern about the creativity and viability of the American workforce, citing creativity as the #1 most important leadership quality. Conference Board and other studies emphasize the key role arts study plays in assuring a creative workforce, which is deemed by the corporate sector to be critical to America’s viability in the 21st century workplace. *
All our theatres work in close collaboration with a variety of local schools and districts, and ensure their programs meet relevant accreditation, testing and other academic standards. However, the current economic and philanthropic environment threatens these programs with dramatic cutbacks or even closures. As described above, schools are no longer able to fund their share of programs, and theatres are facing tremendous challenges in their own fundraising. In fact, the eighteen theatres combined are subsidizing their education programs at a rate of $1.5 million a year! Our goal is to ensure that no child is denied access to arts education, and that our workforce remains creative.
What is NCTF and who are Impact Creativity theatres?
NCTF was founded 35 years ago by major regional theatres to create partnerships between companies and theatres as an association of leading theatres and corporations united to support America’s cultural institutions. It has raised millions of dollars in corporate philanthropy over those years primarily through its acclaimed theatre engagement program for employees, Save My Seat. Especially in the last several years, it has raised several hundred thousand dollars dedicated specifically to theatre education programs. NCTF is uniquely positioned to address the need for extra support to ensure the survival and restore continued innovation in theatre education.
NCTF theatres now comprise 19 not-for-profit resident theatres located in the top markets of the US and serving an audience of over 5 million each year. These distinguished theatres, nearly all of which have received the Regional Theatre Tony® Award, all with budgets of $5 million and over, are all committed to ensuring their Education programs stay vital and continue to enrich the lives of the children, youths, and teachers they engage.
How Will We Achieve This Goal?
We can only achieve it with your help. Please join us! Engage your company, become a Patron, make an Impact!
*Impact Creativity is inspired and guided by the President’s Committee on Arts and Humanities report, “Reinvesting in Arts Education”. Please contact us and we’ll be happy to send you a copy.