New Data, Evolving Practice
Aligning Support for Dancemakers with Field Research from the National Dance Project
Monday, October 17, 2:00pm – 3:15pm
Organized by Jane Preston, Deputy Director, New England Foundation for the Arts.
Moderated by Cathy Edwards, Executive Director, New England Foundation for the Arts. Presented by Philip Bither, Senior Curator for Performing Arts, Walker Art Center; and Emily Johnson (Yup’ik), Artistic Director, Emily Johnson/Catalyst.
With support from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, National Dance Project of the New England Foundation for the Arts commissioned Metris Arts Consulting to study how dance artists make, tour, and sustain their work. The study includes results from national surveys of dancemakers and cultural organizations, quantitative data from the American Community Survey and other sources, and focus groups. The data reveals dance as an art form with the most racially diverse practitioners, and Metris findings point to the unique potential of dance to engage the public with diverse cultures and art forms. In addition, analysis of 20 years of historic data from National Dance Project grantmaking reveals critical trends and their implications for designing and reimagining grant programs and services. Presenters will discuss data from the study’s findings and correlate it to their own experience with the evolution of practices in dance making and dance touring, and the impact of dance in communities.