HomeMy WebLinkAboutApplications_San Luis Obispo Repertory Theatre (1)Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
2022-2023 GRANT FUNDING FOR HIGH IMPACT DE&I PROJECTS
Pl e ase provi de al l re que ste d i nformati on be f ore submi tti ng your appl i cati on. Please be as spe cific as possible !
I f accommoda on or assistance is n eed ed in co mple ng this A pplica on, or if a paper ve rsion is prefe rre d, ple ase
contact (805) 781-7100 or D EI@slocity.org
Organization Name :*
Y e ar Establishe d:*
Fiscal Age nt, if diffe re nt than abov e :*
Tax ID #:*
Docume nt Ce rtifying Fe de ral Tax-Exe mpt status, if applicable
Name of Exe cutiv e Dire ctor (or highe st le ade rship position)
Approximate Annual Budge t:
M ajor Source s of Funding:
M ission State me nt:
Numbe r of paid staff (full- or part-time ):
Numbe r of v olunte e rs:
Name of Board Pre side nt or Chair:
Organizational Le ade rship Chart *
Name of Pe rson comple ting this Application:
PART 1: APPLICANT INFORMATION
San Luis Obispo Repertory Theatre
1947
n/a
952556678
IRS EXEMPTION LETTER SLO REP.pdf 51.62KB
Kevin Harris
850,000
Ticket Sales, Individual Donations, Tuition
SLO REP strengthens theatre’s cultural influence and enriches the Central Coast by producing
professional theatre, nurturing artists and providing theatre education for children and adults.
16
100
Pat Nichter
SLO REP BOARD OF DIRECTORS-22-23.pdf 143.09KB
Chris McBride
Organization M ailing Addre ss:*
Phone :*
E-mail:*
Brie fly de scribe your organization’s mission, primary activ itie s, and ope rating structure s.
De scribe the community(ie s) your organization supports.
City
San Luis Obispo
State / Province / Region
CA
Postal / Zip Code
93401
Country
USA
Street Address
888 Morro Street
Address Line 2
805-781-3889
chris@slorep.org
San Luis Obispo Repertory Theatre (SLO REP) is one of the oldest continuously running nonprofit theatre
companies in the country and has been presenting live theatre in San Luis Obispo County for over 75
years. To date, over 1,000 productions have been staged in 25+ locations around the county. Since 1993,
our home has been the former library at 888 Morro Street in downtown San Luis Obispo.
At SLO REP, we believe live theatre’s powerful storytelling connects people in ways that open the mind,
nourish the soul and illuminate our shared humanity. Our vision is to become a nationally-recognized
regional theatre that encourages new and diverse voices, enhances the cultural vitality of the Central
Coast and creates a strong and sustainable economic impact; attracting residents and visitors to
downtown San Luis Obispo and becoming a vital cultural component to the region.
In addition to stage productions, SLO REP also manages the Academy of Creative Theatre (ACT), an
educational program established in 1997 which includes a year-round schedule of stage productions,
camps and classes for children aged 5-18. ACT’s programs, offered in a group setting at the SLO REP
playhouse has historically served 250-300 students annually.
Governed by a volunteer board of directors and managed by a full and part-time staff of 16 theatre
professionals (when operating at full capacity), SLO REP had been presenting an annual season of 16-20
shows, 200+ performances for 42 weeks per year for 12 years prior to the 2019-20 season. As we emerge
from overtwo years of pandemic restrictions and uncertainty, we have returned to a nearly full season
schedule this year, presenting 14 shows, 150+ performances over 34 weeks. We hope to bring back more
than 15,000 patrons to live, local theatre.
In December 2021, the SLO REP Board of Directors approved a “Two Site” plan toward the goal of
building a new venue in downtown San Luis Obispo. Site one of the plan is a new, state-of-the-art,
purpose-built theatre, located on the corners of Monterey and Nipomo Streets. The new venue is slated to
open in 2027 and will be part of the City’s Arts and Culture District.. Along with a $3.9 million challenge
grant from the City of SLO, SLO REP has raised nearly 50% of the amount needed to break ground. The
second site is the SLO REP administrative headquarters, a 10,000 square-foot office building, located at
3533 Empleo, that was purchased in June 2022, and is now the home of the ACT educational program.
Eventually, the Empleo headquarters will house all administrative staff, set-construction facilities, costume
storage and mainstage rehearsals.
Name of DE&I Proje ct *
Est. numbe r of pe ople se rv e d through this proje ct:*
Est. numbe r of SLO CITY RESIDENTS se rv e d through this proje ct *
Total Proje ct Cost:*
AM OUNT OF CITY FUNDING REQUESTED:*
De scribe your propose d proje ct or program.
Please be specif ic in the population and geographic area.
Our patrons for SLO REP performances, based on the most recent full season (2018-19), consist of 22%
City of San Luis Obispo residents, 63% in-county (non City of SLO) residents, and 15% from outside of
SLO County (4% from out of state).
ACT’s theatre arts training and performance opportunities have annually served 250-300 students from
throughout San Luis Obispo County every year. Currently, approximately 60% of students and families
served are residents of the City of San Luis Obispo. Beginning in June 2022, ACT activities and classes
moved to SLO REP’s new headquarters, which allowed for immediate expansion of the program . Based on
past enrollment, extensive waiting lists and the additional capacity of the new headquarters, we anticipate
serving 390-496 students during the 2022-23 fiscal year. ACT enrollment and capacity is projected to
increase three times pre-pandemic levels to 1,000 students annually by 2024.
Our artists and audiences include people of all ages, but our core fans, our season subscribers, are
predominantly made up of adults over the age of 55. ACT family shows bring local families (ages 5-50) to
the theatre and our “gala musicals” are very popular with young professionals who enjoy our martini
nights. Our educational program serves children ages 5-18.
In past surveys, we have not included any questions about race, but observational data confirms that our
audiences are in line with SLO County’s demographics, which means they are mostly white. The majority of
students in our ACT educational program are white as well, but recent efforts to promote tuition
scholarships up to 100% have had some success in attracting LatinX children and families. In addition,
complimentary and discounted tickets offered through our partners at CAPSLO, People’s Self-Help
Housing, Big Brothers, Big Sisters and the Child Development Resource Center have brought in new and
more diverse audiences.
PART 2: PROJECT INFORMATION
Expanding Diverse Voices at SLO REP
10000
Approximately 8,000 City Residents, based on audience members at shows, ACT participants and
Actors/Artistic Team members.
25,700
16,000
De scribe the community the proje ct will support.
Specify w hat the requested f unds w ill be used f or, the need for this project, the number of people impacted. Include a project plan, if available.
SLO REP's program is a continuation and an expansion of our diversity, equity and inclusion plan
launched in 2020.This program evolved from our efforts to take action as a company to become a more
diverse, inclusive, equitable and actively anti-racist organization. We want to be a model in the SLO
community as well as for other regional theatres for the actions that we take. Through the past few years,
we have distilled our efforts and program into three core initiatives that have direct and indirect impacts on
our organization and the community.
Our program consists of the following initiatives:
Academy of Creative Theatre (ACT) Diversification and Outreach
As our overall program grows, our goal is to align that growth with our diversity goals. This is more than
growing participation in a theatre training program, but an investment in our local youth. Numerous studies
have shown that students who participate in theatre education reap gains in academic and intellectual
skills and in measures of psychological well being, i.e. regulation of emotions, positive self-concept,
empathy, and the ability to take others’ perspectives. To grow and diversify the ACT program, we are
committed to:
- Actively seek native Spanish speakers to fill administrative and teaching roles.
- Continue to translate ACT outreach/marketing materials into Spanish.
- Reserve places in each class for scholarship students.
- Ensure tuition scholarships are accessible and comprehensive for potential students and families.
- Expand outreach to local schools, particularly those nearby such as Pacheco and Hawthorne --
Elementary Schools and Laguna Middle School.
Allocate marketing funds to ACT, in order to specifically reach out to underrepresented communities.
Cast and Director/Artistic Team Outreach/Diversification
As we move through our first full season of performances since 2019, we have made progress toward
more diverse casting and artistic team roles. In the past 8 months since we’ve returned to in-person
performances we are thrilled to report that we have been able to successfully meet our outreach goals and
hire more diverse casts and creative teams for our productions. However – as we already knew – the
outreach to and hiring of actors from outside San Luis Obispo County is costly. Therefore, we continue to
commit to:
- Organize in-person auditions in areas, such as Los Angeles and San Francisco, with more diverse actor
and artistic talent pools. This effort incurs travel costs for our team and off-site (i.e. space rentals) costs.
- Continue to seek talent through virtual auditions, in order to provide more equitable access for actors
and artistic professionals from out of the area.
- Contract with performers from underrepresented communities for at least 25% of available mainstage
contracts.
- Produce at least one play written by a BIPOC playwright in our 5 play mainstage season.
- Contract BIPOC directors/core artistic team members for at least 20% of available mainstage contracts.
Staff and Board DEI Training
In addition to ongoing staff meetings to share and discuss diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, research
and discoveries, SLO REP commits to providing DEI seminars and training for all staff members (working
more than 25 hours per week), all Board Members and all ACT instructors. This will include in-person
training as well as virtual theatre industry-focused trainings.
*Please note that for brevity, the acronym BIPOC (Black, Indegenous, and people of color) has been used
in several places in the narrative.
De scribe the e quity gaps and community ne e ds this proje ct will addre ss.
In the table below briefly list 2-3 methods of evaluation and indicators of success or
measurable outcomes.
M e thods of Ev aluation Indicators of Succe ss / M e asurable Outcome s
Specify the population, location of services provided, and any other identif iers your proposed project w ill support.
Diversifying our casts, artistic teams, play selection and leadership will impact not only those professional
artists hired and the staff trained in our staff training sessions (50+), but will affect our entire community of
arts patrons. Having the opportunity to experience and enjoy a more diverse, equitable and inclusive
season of shows performed on our stage will challenge, educate and inspire our entire audience. Prior to
2020, more than 18,000 people came through our doors to enjoy live theatre every year. This year, we
estimate we will reach more than 15,000. Accounting for repeat-attenders, that is a total of nearly 4,000
community members and tourists who will experience and be impacted by our shows.
This project will also directly impact the actors, directors, designers and playwrights hired who bring their
art to SLO REP. Because San Luis Obispo is a primarily white community, we must seek artists from
outside our county. Holding auditions virtually as well as traveling to urban areas such as Los Angeles and
the Bay Area provides better access to qualified actors, directors and designers. But as SLO REP grows,
and continues to hire artists of color for our performances, our intention is that these artists, assured of
work on our stage, will relocate to our region. Recently, we were able to contract with Etasha Caston, a
black actor, for two productions (The Niceties and Around the World in 80 Days). Estasha expressed that
at SLO REP she “felt more welcome and at home” than she ever has at any other theatre. As Estasha had
a contract with SLO REP for two productions, she committed to making SLO a more permanent home and
secured a day job in San Luis Obispo that does not interfere with her SLO REP work.
Over our 75 years as a community and now a professional theatre company, we have often found it
difficult to diversify our casting or to effectively represent underrepresented voices and their important
stories on our stage. San Luis Obispo is a predominantly white community (85%) and that means that our
actors and our artistic teams have also been mostly white, particularly when we were a community theatre
casting only local actors. Presenting a play written by a BIPOC* playwright is virtually impossible without
BIPOC actors to inhabit the roles and BIPOC directors to lead and inspire the action. As theatre artists, we
are keenly aware of the stories we have been missing. It is also incredibly important for our community to
hear those voices and consider those perspectives that have been lacking. This grant will help SLO REP
begin to fill that gap and bring these voices, stories and perspectives to our community in an immediate,
direct and meaningful way. Live theatre brings together audience and actors in a shared space to
experience a unique interaction. That interaction can be entertaining, affecting, inspiring, soul-stirring and
transformative. Live theatre is a powerful communication tool. We look forward to bringing a wide range of
inspiring stories from more diverse perspectives to our community in the future.
Additionally, public schools continue to struggle to provide adequate arts programs and education, and
SLO REP is positioned to help fill that gap in our community. One parent of an ACT student recently
described the impact of her child participating in ACT: “During her most formative years as an openly
queer teenager, navigating where she fit, Maggie found a welcoming home at SLO REP at a time when
high school fell disappointingly short. ACT gave her a uniquely supportive and highly skilled community of
mentors and friends that not only cultivated her love and curiosity of theatre, but also helped her grow in
how she viewed herself.”
Example : # of BIPOC serving on public boards, committees
BIPOC actors contracted for our shows
Example: 10% increase by end of 2021
At least 25% of BIPOC actors hired throughout a
season
Example : # of BIPOC serving on public boards, committees
BIPOC Directors/designers contracted
Example: 10% increase by end of 2021
20% of all contracts available
Example : # of BIPOC serving on public boards, committees
Plays written by BIPOC playwrights
Example: 10% increase by end of 2021
at least one out of five mainstage shows
Example : # of BIPOC serving on public boards, committees
# of ACT students from marginalized communities
Example: 10% increase by end of 2021
10 new students from marginalized communities
In the chart below, identify any partnerships/collaborations that are supporting this
project, and their roles.
Name of Partne r Activ ity/Se rv ice The y Prov ide for This Proje ct
Prov ide the time line for this propose d proje ct.
De scribe your plan for sustainability be yond the City’s one -ye ar award funding, if applicable .
Using the table below, please provide a broadly-itemized budget for your project,
including the source of any matching funds.
Ite m De scription *Total Cost *Amount Prov ide d by
City Funds *
Amount of Othe r
Funds and Source of
Funding *
1
2
3
4
*During application review , you may be asked for f urther f inancial information or f or proof of any matching f unds
Example : # of BIPOC serving on public boards, committees
Continuing Education of staff
Example: 10% increase by end of 2021
DEI training for all staff (over 25 hours) and
instructors
Example: ABC Business
PCPA and Great American Melodrama
Example: Free Use of Space f or Weekend Classes
Sharing casting resources and actor databases
Example: ABC Business
Cal Poly and Cuesta College
Example: Free Use of Space f or Weekend Classes
Sharing casting resources and actor databases
Example: ABC Business
CAPSLO, Big Brothers, Big Sisters, People’s Self-
Help Housing
Example: Free Use of Space f or Weekend Classes
Assistance in reaching families for ACT programs
Example: ABC Business
RACE Matters SLO
Example: Free Use of Space f or Weekend Classes
Partnering in audience outreach
The project itself is ongoing through the future of SLO REP as we look to open a new theatre space and
be a cornerstone of the downtown Arts and Culture district. The funding request is expected to support two
seasons. It will support our efforts as we finalize casting for the remainder of the current season of shows
(2022-23) and for planning the following season (2023-24) as we select and plan for that season
beginning in February 2023.
We expect to continue to support our efforts in the long-run through building our audiences and through
funds provided through the non-scholarship growth in our ACT program will provide. Additionally, we will
continue to seek out grants and individual donors that support our work.
PART 3: PROJECT COST / BUDGET
ACT Diversity - Outreach &
Educators
5,000.00$2,750.00$2,250.00$
Mainstage Cast Outreach/
Diversification (off-site
auditions, marketing and actor
fees)
14,500.00$9,650.00$4,850.00$
Director / Artistic Team
Diversification
5,000.00$3,000.00$2,000.00$
Staff DEI Training 1,200.00$600.00$600.00$
PART 4: AWARENESS AND VISIBILITY
De scribe the plan for promoting this proje ct within the City of San Luis Obispo.
How will you highlight the City's support of your proje ct?
By signi ng thi s applicaon, I ce rfy that the i nformaon containe d w i thin is true and corre ct to the be st of my
know l e dge . I agre e to comply w i th the re quire me nts of the Ci ty of the San Lui s Obispo.
Name of Pe rson comple ting this Application:*
Signature *
Title :*
Date :*
SLO REP will initially highlight the grant award in a press release distributed to all local and regional media,
as well as in a post on SLO REP’s blog and social media platforms. When casting our shows both within
and outside the area, all actor and artistic team contracts will include an acknowledgement of the goals of
the DEI Task Force and the City’s contributions to our efforts in this regard.
As far as getting audiences to our shows, SLO REP has an extensive media outreach plan for all
productions, including posters, flyers, emails, social media, PR to local media for reviews and stories and
finally, there will be targeted promotions and partnerships with specific groups related to the topic or the
theme of the play. A recent example is the staged reading of The Niceties, where SLO REP partnered with
R.A.C.E. Matters SLO. Half of the audience members at The Niceties attended as a result of R.A.C.E.
Matters SLO promotions.
The City of San Luis Obispo will be acknowledged as Diamond Sponsors for the San Luis Obispo
Repertory Theatre with several individualized benefits including:
• City logo featured in SLO REP season brochure
• City logo featured on marquee sign outside the theatre
• City logo featured in all advertising (when space allows) and in all playbills
• City logo featured in prominent lobby signage and in the sponsor reel on lobby video monitors
• City logo featured on every page at slorep.org
• Invitation to the Major Donor Reception
PART 5: CERTIFICATION
Chris McBride
Marketing and Annual Giving Director
8/31/2022
Updated 08/15/2022
SAN LUIS OBISPO REPERTORY THEATRE
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
2022-2023 SEASON
OFFICERS
Pam Nichter, President
Harmony, CA
Retired Investment Services Professional
Ellie Washington, Vice President
San Luis Obispo, CA
Realtor® with COMPASS
Deborah Stewart, Treasurer
San Luis Obispo, CA
Tax Manager at Glenn Burdette, Certified
Public Accountants, Tax & Business Advisors
Michael Simkins, Past President
Los Osos, CA
Interim CEO, SPOKES-Resources for Nonprofits
Educational & Nonprofit Organization Consultant
DIRECTORS
Jay Beck, Director
San Luis Obispo, CA
Regional Commercial Banking Manager,
American Riviera Bank
Jerry Chirpich, Director
San Luis Obispo, CA
Retired Executive Deluxe Corporation
Community Volunteer
Diane Dekker Clausen, Director
San Luis Obispo, CA
Retired Development Professional
University of California Schools
J. Keith George, Director
Morro Bay, CA
Retired Attorney
Dianne N. Long, Director
San Luis Obispo, CA
Retired Cal Poly Professor & Adminstrator
Community Volunteer
Richard Luckett, Director
San Luis Obispo, CA
Retired Engineer & PG&E Executive
Susan Minker, Director
Los Osos, CA
Physician / Radiologist
Jeff Olds, Secretary
Arroyo Grande, CA
CEO at SLO Life Co./ Owner Jamba Juice
Central Coast Franchises
Wilda Rosene, Director
San Luis Obispo, CA
Retired Business Owner / Community Volunteer
Chip Visci, Director
Shell Beach, CA
Retired Editor / Publisher Knight Ridder
Public Relations Executive
Marcia Scott, Director
San Luis Obispo, CA
Director of Nursing & Allied Health,
Cuesta Community College