2/13/2023 – Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national organization for theatre, is pleased to announce the launch of the eighth iteration of its Rising Leaders of Color (RLC) Program. In 2023, RLC will form a national cohort of 3 highly talented early-career BIPOC theatre journalists who demonstrate the potential to impact the field in a positive way. The application deadline is Tuesday, March 7th, 2023 at 11.59pm ET and the guidelines can be found here. An info session webinar will be held on Monday, February 13, at 5pm ET on Zoom. Funding for Rising Leaders of Color activities is supported in part by Howard Gilman Foundation and Walt Disney Imagineering.
“Evolving from TCG’s Young Leaders of Color program that launched in 2008 and the SPARK Leadership Program founded in 2013, the Rising Leaders of Color Program reflects TCG’s deep commitment to BIPOC theatre-makers and aligns with our mission to lead for a just and thriving theatre ecology,” said Teresa Eyring, executive director and CEO, TCG. “We’re especially excited to work with a cohort of BIPOC theatre journalists. There is a widely recognized underrepresentation of BIPOC voices in arts journalism, which in turn affects the full flourishing of BIPOC theatre making. When these journalists are fully supported, their craft, cultural knowledge, and unique visions will transform our field. We look forward to working with this next cohort to continue building an ever-growing intergenerational network of BIPOC leaders.”
“We are thrilled to launch the eighth round of the Rising Leaders of Color program.” said Emilya Cachapero, director of grantmaking programs, TCG. “BIPOC journalists and critics are the key to unlocking meaning in work created by BIPOC theatre makers that may not be seen otherwise. A robust dialogue between BIPOC critics and BIPOC theatre makers generates a more vibrant theatre ecosystem where BIPOC audiences can see their truths, complexities and questions voiced. Equally valuable is the role BIPOC journalists and critics play to uncover aesthetic, cultural and political meaning in work created by non-BIPOC cultures.”
The 2023 RLC Program will combine practical skills building with professional connections and opportunities to develop empowering relationships, as well as tools and resources to navigate a career in the theatre field as a BIPOC theatre journalist. Activities include:
- Early May 2023 (Online): Two-Part orientation meeting. The exact meeting dates will be announced at the time of notification. A detailed agenda will be provided in advance of each event.
- Early June 2023 (In-person): Professional development workshops and events during TCG’s THRIVE! Convening. The exact meeting dates will be announced.
- July 5 – 16 (In-person): A two-week workshop for arts writers and critics at the National Critics Institute.
- July – October 2023 and February – June 2024: Individual coaching, full cohort meetings, and professional development webinars on topics selected specifically for the needs of the cohort.
RLC builds on the learnings and momentum of the Young Leaders of Color Program (YLC) and the SPARK Leadership Programs. From 2008-2013, YLC brought 79 leaders of color to TCG National Conferences. RLC expands and re-envisions that community as part of an ongoing national network of leaders of color. During 2014-15, the SPARK Leadership Program assembled a cohort of ten leaders of color for a focused, year-long professional development curriculum. Through RLC and SPARK and its other professional development programs, TCG has supported a variety of learning opportunities and networking programs to meet the diverse needs of BIPOC theatre leaders at various stages of their career.
To learn more about the program, please visit: https://circle.tcg.org/resources/grant-professional-development-programs/rising-leaders-of-color.
