Childsplay, a Tempe-based nonprofit theater company of professional, adult artists who perform for and teach young audiences and their families, has received a $155,000 grant to plan and implement a residency program to create programs for young audiences a vital part of Latino families’ cultural experience.
The Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, which announced the funding said Childsplay is one of the first participants in a non-traditional residency program.
Unlike most artist residency programs, this one supports partnerships between an artist and an organization to collaborate in ways to reach the public and develop their interest in and access to the performing arts.
Childsplay will use the grant to plan and implement “El Puente,” a residency program in partnership with local artist Zarco Guerrero.
As an artist with ties to both Childsplay and the Latino community, Zarco will work with the organization to create programming that successfully builds bridges between the theater and Latino families in the Valley.
“We believe that efforts to engage new audiences must begin in the community and work to provide a welcoming environment at the theater,” said Childsplay Artistic Director David Saar.
“We will work with Zarco to create a series of experiences, beginning with mask and theatre making at sites around the community and building to communal art sharing at outdoor festivals.
“Our hope is that these efforts will eventually generate a tradition of theatergoing for Latino families.”
Childsplay is among 10 teams of U.S. performing arts organizations and artists to receive the combined total of $1.475 million in grants for this unique program.
A foundation spokesman said the non profit hopes the partnerships will promote deeper, longer relationships as well as new kinds of conversation and cooperation between organizations and artists.
At the same time, the grants provide substantial resources to artists and afford organizations the opportunity to embark on new kinds of behavior.
This is the second grant Childsplay has received from DDCF.
Information: Samantha Johnstone, 480-921-5703 or sjohnstone@childsplayaz.org.
Grant to fund new residency program for young Latino audiences
