The Lost Garden: Support NYC Immersive Workers
Donation protected
What is a year without theater?
For arts lovers, it’s been nearly impossible to feel the thrill of live performing arts.
For arts workers, it’s been nearly impossible to pay the rent and keep the lights on.
It’s time, once again, for immersive theater fans to give back.
It’s been over a year since NYC theaters closed and immersive theater workers lost their entire livelihoods. As expected, the arts sector is the last to rebound. The very nature of what makes immersive theater poignant—intimate performances in shared spaces—makes it particularly difficult to reopen performance spaces even as other art spaces slowly return.
Last October, theater fans like you raised over $45,000 to help immersive arts workers through our epic fundraising production, The Lost Halloween. Together, we distributed emergency funds to 87 immersive professionals that collectively represent over two dozen immersive shows. Of those who requested funds, 42 are performers and 45 work in various roles including costume and makeup artists, lighting designers, music directors, stage managers, stewards, bartenders, front-of-house staff, carpenters, electricians, and more. The love and care of theater fans reached all corners of the immersive arts worker community.
The magnetic draw of immersive theater is surely in the person-to-person connection that transcends the fourth wall. The Lost Halloween proved beyond doubt that these connections are real and that fans will step up to give back—to help the immersive professionals who create the shows we love so much. We can’t attend full-scale live immersive events right now, but we can support the cast, crew, and staff of immersive shows who need our help.
Please give generously, whatever that means for you. If you’re receiving a tax refund or are fortunate enough to have extra income, please consider making a generous gift to arts workers who are struggling to make ends meet. We suggest adding up the money you would have spent on tickets, parties, and travel for immersive theater over the past year and giving that amount (or more) if you can. Of course, any amount truly helps. About half of our donations to The Lost Halloween fund were $50 or less, with the smallest donation coming in at $4.
If you can't make a gift right now because of your own financial hardship, please join us at The Lost Garden! Join our email list, follow us on Instagram, and get your tickets now! We’re creating this spectacular free show for all our community members, including you.
Thank you for being a part of a special, historic moment of true solidarity between the audience members and the makers of immersive works. The frost will be thawing soon and we look forward to meeting you in the garden.
-------------------------------------
FAQs ABOUT THE LOST GARDEN EVENT AND GOFUNDME CAMPAIGN
What is The Lost Garden?
The Lost Garden is an emergency fundraiser for immersive arts workers, a free online show celebrating immersive artists to bring our whole community together, an online auction run on Instagram, and a GoFundMe page to raise funds. 100% of the funds raised through The Lost Garden will go to arts workers who are in need because of the pandemic.
Is this event Sleep No More related or affiliated?
No. Like last fall’s Lost Halloween event and this winter’s Lost New Year’s, the idea to gather the immersive community together is inspired by the infamous McKittrick Hotel where Sleep No More ran for ten years before COVID paused the show. That said, this event is not affiliated with, produced by, funded by, in collaboration with, or related to any Sleep No More, Punchdrunk, or Emursive venture. We’re a group of immersive fans creating their own alternative events that are a celebration of NYC immersive and an opportunity to give back to the people who worked in this particular niche of the mostly off-off-Broadway immersive theater industry.
Who is hosting this event? Are you the same group that hosted The Lost Halloween/The Lost New Year’s?
Yes! The Lost Garden is being hosted by the same group that hosted The Lost Halloween and The Lost New Year’s. We’re now called Lost Immersive . We’re a small group of people who have seen dozens of immersive shows around the world, and who met and became friends through attending NYC-based immersive theater. We are based all around the U.S. and come from a variety of backgrounds, including professional theater, fundraising, event management, arts administration, journalism and writing arts, the tech industry, education, and the visual arts. Specifically, we are Dee Anne Anderson, Desiree Smith, Frost, Natalie Wood, KaeLyn Rich, Kayleigh Laymon, Lauren Bonanno, Lisa Springle, Mike Springle, Morgan Levinson, Philippe Levesque, Richard Butner, and Zack Waffle. We are excited to give back to the community that changed our lives.
Is The Lost Garden a fundraiser like The Lost Halloween?
Yes! We hope you’ll donate and support immersive arts workers.
How can I come to the party?
Tickets are free and available now . We look forward to seeing you there!
How will you raise funds/How Can I Donate?
Three ways:
- This GoFundMe to raise funds for the immersive community (one of our team, KaeLyn Rich, will personally hold the funds raised and pass 100% of your gift directly to immersive staff and workers). Every dollar will go to arts workers.
- An art auction running before and during the May 1st event--follow our Instagram for more info on the auction items!
- A free, virtual show on Saturday May 1st, 8 PM EDT to come together as a community of artists and audience, to celebrate keeping art alive during the pandemic, and to encourage folks to give to support NYC immersive arts workers.
Are donations tax-deductible?
Any gift made to the GoFundMe is legally considered a personal gift and is NOT tax deductible. One of our team members is handling the GoFundMe fund and will disperse the donations directly to individual folks in need, also as a personal gift. We are a group of immersive fans who have volunteered to create and self-fund this event and fundraiser, with every dollar raised going directly to immersive artists and workers. We are not affiliated with or sponsored by any arts organization, charitable organization, or theatre company. All gifts, both cash gifts to the GoFundMe or in-kind gifts for the art auction, are given purely out of compassion and are NOT tax deductible. Thank you so much for your support!
How do I apply for funds?
If you are a NYC-based immersive arts worker who has lost income because of the Covid-19 pandemic, no matter whether you were working the door, the bar, the sound board, or performing, you can apply for funds through this simple, brief form.
How will the funds you raise be dispersed?
We’re committed to equity and fairness in how the funds are dispersed. We will request all people with an interest in receiving funds raised through this event to fill out a very short, very simple request form . We will not require anyone to prove need. If you need it, we believe you.
Our goal is to raise enough money to give everyone a substantial gift of at least $250 based on our fundraising goals. If we are unable to do that, we will give preference to those experiencing housing and/or food instability, medical need, or BIPOC. If we make more than we anticipate, we will divide the amount equally between all who have requested funds. We hope to raise enough to support everyone who expresses need.
If I can’t donate, how else can I help?
- Reserve your free ticket to The Lost Garden when they become available and help us celebrate the immersive community!
- Follow us on Instagram to get updates on all that we’re up to.
- Share our posts to spread the word!
- Tell us about your year without the arts through our website.
- Participate in the Instagram art auction!
- Help us connect with other fans and immersive audience members around the world.
- Help us connect with immersive creators, crew, performers, and staff who may want to apply to the fund .
For arts lovers, it’s been nearly impossible to feel the thrill of live performing arts.
For arts workers, it’s been nearly impossible to pay the rent and keep the lights on.
It’s time, once again, for immersive theater fans to give back.
It’s been over a year since NYC theaters closed and immersive theater workers lost their entire livelihoods. As expected, the arts sector is the last to rebound. The very nature of what makes immersive theater poignant—intimate performances in shared spaces—makes it particularly difficult to reopen performance spaces even as other art spaces slowly return.
Last October, theater fans like you raised over $45,000 to help immersive arts workers through our epic fundraising production, The Lost Halloween. Together, we distributed emergency funds to 87 immersive professionals that collectively represent over two dozen immersive shows. Of those who requested funds, 42 are performers and 45 work in various roles including costume and makeup artists, lighting designers, music directors, stage managers, stewards, bartenders, front-of-house staff, carpenters, electricians, and more. The love and care of theater fans reached all corners of the immersive arts worker community.
The magnetic draw of immersive theater is surely in the person-to-person connection that transcends the fourth wall. The Lost Halloween proved beyond doubt that these connections are real and that fans will step up to give back—to help the immersive professionals who create the shows we love so much. We can’t attend full-scale live immersive events right now, but we can support the cast, crew, and staff of immersive shows who need our help.
Please give generously, whatever that means for you. If you’re receiving a tax refund or are fortunate enough to have extra income, please consider making a generous gift to arts workers who are struggling to make ends meet. We suggest adding up the money you would have spent on tickets, parties, and travel for immersive theater over the past year and giving that amount (or more) if you can. Of course, any amount truly helps. About half of our donations to The Lost Halloween fund were $50 or less, with the smallest donation coming in at $4.
If you can't make a gift right now because of your own financial hardship, please join us at The Lost Garden! Join our email list, follow us on Instagram, and get your tickets now! We’re creating this spectacular free show for all our community members, including you.
Thank you for being a part of a special, historic moment of true solidarity between the audience members and the makers of immersive works. The frost will be thawing soon and we look forward to meeting you in the garden.
-------------------------------------
FAQs ABOUT THE LOST GARDEN EVENT AND GOFUNDME CAMPAIGN
What is The Lost Garden?
The Lost Garden is an emergency fundraiser for immersive arts workers, a free online show celebrating immersive artists to bring our whole community together, an online auction run on Instagram, and a GoFundMe page to raise funds. 100% of the funds raised through The Lost Garden will go to arts workers who are in need because of the pandemic.
Is this event Sleep No More related or affiliated?
No. Like last fall’s Lost Halloween event and this winter’s Lost New Year’s, the idea to gather the immersive community together is inspired by the infamous McKittrick Hotel where Sleep No More ran for ten years before COVID paused the show. That said, this event is not affiliated with, produced by, funded by, in collaboration with, or related to any Sleep No More, Punchdrunk, or Emursive venture. We’re a group of immersive fans creating their own alternative events that are a celebration of NYC immersive and an opportunity to give back to the people who worked in this particular niche of the mostly off-off-Broadway immersive theater industry.
Who is hosting this event? Are you the same group that hosted The Lost Halloween/The Lost New Year’s?
Yes! The Lost Garden is being hosted by the same group that hosted The Lost Halloween and The Lost New Year’s. We’re now called Lost Immersive . We’re a small group of people who have seen dozens of immersive shows around the world, and who met and became friends through attending NYC-based immersive theater. We are based all around the U.S. and come from a variety of backgrounds, including professional theater, fundraising, event management, arts administration, journalism and writing arts, the tech industry, education, and the visual arts. Specifically, we are Dee Anne Anderson, Desiree Smith, Frost, Natalie Wood, KaeLyn Rich, Kayleigh Laymon, Lauren Bonanno, Lisa Springle, Mike Springle, Morgan Levinson, Philippe Levesque, Richard Butner, and Zack Waffle. We are excited to give back to the community that changed our lives.
Is The Lost Garden a fundraiser like The Lost Halloween?
Yes! We hope you’ll donate and support immersive arts workers.
How can I come to the party?
Tickets are free and available now . We look forward to seeing you there!
How will you raise funds/How Can I Donate?
Three ways:
- This GoFundMe to raise funds for the immersive community (one of our team, KaeLyn Rich, will personally hold the funds raised and pass 100% of your gift directly to immersive staff and workers). Every dollar will go to arts workers.
- An art auction running before and during the May 1st event--follow our Instagram for more info on the auction items!
- A free, virtual show on Saturday May 1st, 8 PM EDT to come together as a community of artists and audience, to celebrate keeping art alive during the pandemic, and to encourage folks to give to support NYC immersive arts workers.
Are donations tax-deductible?
Any gift made to the GoFundMe is legally considered a personal gift and is NOT tax deductible. One of our team members is handling the GoFundMe fund and will disperse the donations directly to individual folks in need, also as a personal gift. We are a group of immersive fans who have volunteered to create and self-fund this event and fundraiser, with every dollar raised going directly to immersive artists and workers. We are not affiliated with or sponsored by any arts organization, charitable organization, or theatre company. All gifts, both cash gifts to the GoFundMe or in-kind gifts for the art auction, are given purely out of compassion and are NOT tax deductible. Thank you so much for your support!
How do I apply for funds?
If you are a NYC-based immersive arts worker who has lost income because of the Covid-19 pandemic, no matter whether you were working the door, the bar, the sound board, or performing, you can apply for funds through this simple, brief form.
How will the funds you raise be dispersed?
We’re committed to equity and fairness in how the funds are dispersed. We will request all people with an interest in receiving funds raised through this event to fill out a very short, very simple request form . We will not require anyone to prove need. If you need it, we believe you.
Our goal is to raise enough money to give everyone a substantial gift of at least $250 based on our fundraising goals. If we are unable to do that, we will give preference to those experiencing housing and/or food instability, medical need, or BIPOC. If we make more than we anticipate, we will divide the amount equally between all who have requested funds. We hope to raise enough to support everyone who expresses need.
If I can’t donate, how else can I help?
- Reserve your free ticket to The Lost Garden when they become available and help us celebrate the immersive community!
- Follow us on Instagram to get updates on all that we’re up to.
- Share our posts to spread the word!
- Tell us about your year without the arts through our website.
- Participate in the Instagram art auction!
- Help us connect with other fans and immersive audience members around the world.
- Help us connect with immersive creators, crew, performers, and staff who may want to apply to the fund .
Organizer
KaeLyn Rich
Organizer
Rochester, NY