The Big Opt-Out
Reflecting on the challenges of balancing theatre and commerce, arts and funding, etc.
I think it's safe to say that those of us in the nonprofit corner of theatre have entertainment on our list of to-dos, but it's most likely parked in our mission statement (if it's in there at all) under verbs like "change," "provoke," or the always-serviceable-though-peripatetic "educate."
In our best work we're aiming to provoke our audience, cajole it, encourage it to scrutinize its cherished status quo ("educate" is sort of a pre-masticated version of those better verbs).
How and when did we get it into our head that government funders (and many individuals - whose deep pockets are often triple-stitched and deeply lined with business-as-usual) would be eager to jump into bed with agitators? Why do we want to be in bed with them?
It seems inevitable that there is an inverse relationship between the ability of the art to challenge, and the willingness of the establishment to fund it. If you want to hang around the periphery like a rebellious suburbanite teen taking gas money from his parents, you can only gyrate so far from the norm before the funds stop flowing.
If you want to shake things up a lot, you have to opt out.
I think it's safe to say that those of us in the nonprofit corner of theatre have entertainment on our list of to-dos, but it's most likely parked in our mission statement (if it's in there at all) under verbs like "change," "provoke," or the always-serviceable-though-peripatetic "educate."
In our best work we're aiming to provoke our audience, cajole it, encourage it to scrutinize its cherished status quo ("educate" is sort of a pre-masticated version of those better verbs).
How and when did we get it into our head that government funders (and many individuals - whose deep pockets are often triple-stitched and deeply lined with business-as-usual) would be eager to jump into bed with agitators? Why do we want to be in bed with them?
It seems inevitable that there is an inverse relationship between the ability of the art to challenge, and the willingness of the establishment to fund it. If you want to hang around the periphery like a rebellious suburbanite teen taking gas money from his parents, you can only gyrate so far from the norm before the funds stop flowing.
If you want to shake things up a lot, you have to opt out.
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