The NYC Dance Program encourages the creation and presentation of dance embedding the Foundation’s core values of justice and equity to:
prize differences as a source of creativity,
expand the variety of styles and venues available to New Yorkers, and
enhance the function of dance as an expressive vehicle to illuminate social issues.
Photo credits (left to right): Marc Millman; Ken Browar/Works & Process at the Guggenheim. Alexander Calder, Red Lily Pads, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York. © 2017 Calder Foundation, New York/Artists Rights Society (ARS); LEIMAY; Shige Moriya.
Goals
Our principal goals are to make the program responsive to and reflective of the city’s demographic makeup, champion artistic excellence in places where it has not been recognized before, and draw on inclusivity to promote resilience and sustainability throughout the dance sector.
strategies
For our purpose, contemporary dance suggests a pluralistic aesthetic that encompasses a wide range of movement styles and techniques acknowledging that dance is constantly morphing through usage.
Going forward, priority will be given to presenters based outside of Manhattan. The focus is on developing choreographers at early stages in their careers and bringing quality performances to communities not typically reached by conventional arts organizations.
We recognize the significant ongoing contributions of small dance organizations, and do not have a minimum budget requirement for applicants. Lower budget groups add texture to the artistic landscape - serving as laboratories for new styles and fostering creative expressions.
Funding Guidance
At this time the program is making grants by invitation only.
