SMALL CHANGE-BIG HELP FOR INDIE ARTS IN DFW

WHY HELP?
Our stories and how we tell them are essential to our American cultural identity. They are the threads of what weaves us together, made up of the fibers of our common experiences and of the understanding of our differences, uniting us all as reminders of the human condition.  

WHY SMALL INDEPENDENT ARTS GROUPS?
Independent performing arts groups are the frontline of making this tapestry accessible to all. In this unprecedented time of uncertainty in the arts, these smaller organizations are at greater risk of collapse and often at a disadvantage when it comes to large scale COVID 19 relief programs and emergency grant processes. FORTUNATELY, THEY ARE ALSO THE EASIEST TO HELP.  

HOW MUCH TO GIVE AND THE IMPACT?
Without a lot of overhead, facility concerns or layers of infrastructure, even the smallest donations can go directly to the very core of the missions of these groups: to share our stories with our community. Your donation makes a noticeable impact! It is also these organizations that will get a large number of DFW’s artists back to work right when the all clear sounds. Your contribution, no matter the size, will in large part go to getting our local creatives back to doing what they do, with a variety of places to do it at and audiences to do it for. 

WHO ARE YOU HELPING?
This fundraiser benefits 16 independent performing arts organizations in the Dallas/Fort Worth Area. They represent a range of disciplines, types of content and reach. Classic theatre, dance, classical music, Black theatre, cabaret entertainment, LQBTQ theatre, movement theatre, youth theatre/arts education, devised work and even circus arts are all included based on a simple idea and a simple premise:

·         The specific niches these organizations serve, combined, make up a larger base to reach out to for funding than they could reach on their own.

·         Through their spirit of community in joining a collective campaign, and that same sense of community among DFW audiences and arts supporters, the very best of crowdfunding can combine and benefit us all.   

THIS FUNDING CAMPAIGN LASTS ONLY 30 DAYS SO THE ORGANIZATIONS GET THE FUNDS THEY NEED NOW.  FUNDS WILL BE DISTRIBUTED EQUALLY AMONG ALL ORGANIZATIONS. 

THE BASELINE GOAL
$24,000=$1500 for each organization
 (This amount could get them in the race for space when things get back to normal, pay core creatives now who are working on their postponed offerings, allow them to put time and effort into getting more needed relief funding or even aid them in bringing you streaming arts offerings, now).

Below is the list of the benefiting groups from this campaign, created and run by producer Bren Rapp, who is not passing on any costs/fees associated with this effort to the organizations. The amounts donated go to them, in full.  Each organization meets the qualifications of: an operating budget under 6 figures, 0-5 actual full-time employees, they do not operate performance spaces and keep their work accessible through an average ticket price of no greater than $25 (usually much less). Some are newer, some run as nonprofits, some do not:

THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY!
These organizations and the rest of your community will see you at the theater (or elsewhere) soon!

*Feeling extra generous? For those donating $1,000 or over, 60% of your donation can be designated for a single organization with 40% distributed among the rest of the collective. You can show some love to the organization that you “clicked” for and do something great for this entire group of folks dedicated to bringing the performing arts to DFW and your community!

*Do you run a business or work for a company wanting to impact their community? Contact Bren Rapp through GoFundMe to learn how to get involved with various donation matching options and how you can let people know your company cares about Arts & Culture through this effort.



Altered Shakespeare  is a brand new theatre troupe dedicated to bringing you Shakespeare the way it was meant to be performed: loosely rehearsed, drunk, and with a rowdy audience.

Danielle Georgiou Dance Group has a three-fold mission: to create and perform innovative and excellent works of contemporary dance theatre; to craft and curate inspiring and accessible works of dance and theatre, and to participate in community conversations about the power of movement in storytelling and performance. Their hope is that audiences appreciate and delight in their work and leave the theatre engaged in a conversation with themselves, with others, and with the performers. Their goal is to explore the depths of our humanity while reflecting on the many ways in which we connect, interact, and react with one another.

Dead White Zombies are malcontent theatre, performance, visual, sound, and installation artists, ironic and fun loving agent provocateurs in an age of intellectual and cultural leveling, conformity, franchise, and mass marketing to the lowest and most banal common denominator. They do things the way they want to do it, where, and how, because they don’t know what else to do. Their emphasis is on new, experimental, site-specific and collectively created performance work that defies categories and conventions.

Denise Lee Onstage Cabaret Series 
Denise Lee is the founder and Executive Producer of the Denise Lee Onstage Cabaret Series and the Dallas Cabaret Festival which is entering its 6th year. Denise Lee Onstage is dedicated to bringing cabaret style entertainment to the forefront of the Dallas Arts Community by producing a one of a kind cabaret series featuring premier talent from the DFW area and. DLO also created and produces an annual Dallas Cabaret Festival. Denise is an award-winning Dallas based actress/singer who has performed in all genres of entertainment for more than three decades. She has performed on stages in almost every theater in the Metroplex. 

Flexible Grey Theatre Company is a safe haven for emerging artists to stand together and create art which reflects voices that are often cast aside. With a focus on LGBTQ+ issues, minorities, and women, they strive to present accessible theatre in unconventional spaces and provide entertainment geared towards the millennial generation.

Giant Entertainment  is queer art that is daringly entertaining, compassionately aggressive, charmingly deviant. and as big, beautiful, and diverse as Texas. They create vibrantly daring art through the integration of theater, cabaret, film, music, and education.

IMPRINT Theatreworks  is an ensemble-driven company dedicating each of their seasons to providing unique and thought-provoking theatre while uniting and engaging the community.

Laughter League , under the name New York Goofs, presents large-scale theatrical presentations which take audiences on a journey through the Golden Age of Comedy by combining the dazzling daring of Cirque du Soleil with the madcap mirth of Saturday Night Live. Laughter League also produces hundreds of shows annually throughout Texas and beyond, offering four different programs aimed at helping students understand critical STEM subjects by presenting them in a fun and interactive way that they remember long after the show has ended.

LIP Service is a full service production company, theatrical company, and artistic alliance. ​L.I.P. Service has continuously offered alternatives for the main stream of creative endeavors and strives to maintain artistic excellence while doing so, producing a season of shows in the area and as partners with other companies to bring inventive theater to the community.

Open Classical
With a comfortable and welcoming spirit, Open Classical produces highly entertaining music events that combine classical artistry with innovative concepts of audience engagement and sometimes comedic antics for enjoyment by audiences of all ages and backgrounds. This enables the organization to fulfill its mission of putting classical music into the heart of everyday popular culture.

Outcry Youth Theatre draws youth and young adults to the theatre as both audience and participants. Outcry Theatre utilizes bold artistic vision, highly physical staging, and an energetic and visceral performance style. With rigorous rehearsals, tenacious attention to detail, and unwavering dedication to excellence, they focus on developing stellar performances and exceptional storytelling.

Prism Movement Theater aims to provide quality movement theater born of ensemble-based work; emphasizing community outreach, education, and diversity in their work. They strive to make inclusive affordable theater for all.Jeff Colangelo and Katy Tye founded Prism Movement Theatre after collaborating together while both students at Southern Methodist University. Jeff, a fight choreographer, and Katy, an acrobat and dancer, found that their particular movement aesthetics could be combined to create entire narratives without using any words.

Proper Hijinx Productions  has been stirring up the best kind of trouble through producing relatable works on contemporary issues - shedding light on kernels of personal truths we often keep hidden. Their mission is still focused around this core goal, but they are now committed to producing only original works by local DFW playwrights in festival settings to better connect and align with community needs and reach a larger audience. They aim to become a diplomat for DFW Artists - connecting the hard work of our writers, performers and designers, with the rest of the world, showing them what DFW is creating. Proper Hijinx strives to produce good work to be seen by audiences here in town, across the state, the country, and hopefully the world - all with a big arrow pointing right back here to our wonderful theatre community.

Shakespeare Everywhere  is a minimally rehearsed Shakespearean production company that strives to bring fresh and accessible Shakespearean storytelling to audiences everywhere. They feature a wide pool of Dallas' finest professional theatrical talent, use imaginative rudimentary storytelling mechanics, live music, and their passion for the spoken word to transform any non- traditional performance space into an atmosphere that will have feeling like you are seeing Shakespeare as it was meant to be seen in its golden days. Whether you see them at a bar, hosting a private event or party, or even at one of their school performances, they invite you to come out and join in celebration on their journey to help bring Shakespeare Everywhere. 

Soul Rep Theatre Company exists to provide quality transformative Black theater that enlightens the imagination, the spirit, and the soul.  Their vision is to shift the paradigm of how the Black experience is valued by the world. Soul Rep believes in a collective of artists who use their craft to create sustainable cultural and economic opportunities to ultimately, build better selves and communities. 

The Classics Theatre Project produces socially relevant classic works to enrich the culture of the North Texas Community.