named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
Commissioning Program
Supports visionary artists in developing new theatrical works through financial backing, creative guidance, and production resources
Convention of Cartography
Obie Award-winning production by W. David Hancock that blurred lines between reality and fiction, presented as an immersive event exploring memory and storytelling
Master
Final commissioned production by W. David Hancock, continuing the Foundry's legacy of presenting complex, research-driven theatrical investigations
The Provenance of Beauty
Site-specific performance that engaged audiences in a mobile, immersive journey through urban landscapes
activities · 6 groups
What they do
-
New Play Development Programs 1 activity
- Commissions and develops original theatrical worksCommissions playwrights, poets, performance artists, and composers to create new theatrical works through a collaborative development process, producing original pieces that have received 14 OBIE Awards and 7 Drama Desk nominations.
-
-
Curated Art Exhibitions and Public Displays 1 activity
- Hosts public dialogue events on social and political issuesOrganizes panels, roundtables, and town meetings that bring artists into conversation with professionals and community members to discuss pressing social and political topics.
-
-
Professional Theatrical Production 1 activity
- Produces theatrical performances in traditional and non-traditional venuesCreates and stages theatrical works across New York City and beyond, including in traditional theaters, private homes, flea markets, restaurants, the Brooklyn Bridge Anchorage, and mobile settings such as a bus touring the South Bronx. The organization also toured productions nationally and internationally to venues such as The Abbey Theatre in Dublin, the Sydney Opera House, and The Barbican Centre in London.
-
-
Performing Arts Ticket Access Programs 1 activity
- Provides access and orientation to theatre for low-income communitiesStipends community organizers to bring low-income New Yorkers to performances, provides free tickets, and facilitates post-show discussions with artists over meals. For example, secured 300 tickets for low-income audiences to attend 17 performances of "Good Person" at The Public Theater, each followed by a meal and artist talkback. Also offers educational orientation on navigating the NYC theatre ecology and accessing free or low-cost tickets.
-
-
Artist and Curatorial Publications 1 activity
- Publishes anthologies documenting artistic and social engagement workPublished the anthology "A Moment on the Clock of the World," featuring contributions from artists, community organizers, cultural critics, and public intellectuals, as a culmination of its 25-year history of producing work at the intersection of art and social engagement.
-
-
Community-Engaged Public Art Projects 1 activity
- Runs community engagement programs linking artists and activistsOperates programs such as the Legacies Series, Free Range Thanksgivings, and the Audience Ambassadors Program to connect artists with activists and community organizers, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and civic dialogue.
-
financials · form 990EZ · fy2019
revenue
Total revenue$25K
Contributions & grants$20K80%
Program service revenue——
Investment income$4K14%
Other revenue$1K
expenses
Total expenses$98K
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits$63K
Grants paid out—
balance sheet
Total assets$56K
Cash—
Investments—
Liabilities—
Net assets$55K
1 years on record · 2019–2019
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2019
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Melanie Joseph | Artistic Producer | 20 | $70K |
board members · 1
- Morgan Jenness — Board member
relationships · 24
Who they work with
- Ars Nova Partner — Provided free tickets to support the Audience Ambassadors program.
- Audre Lorde Project Partner — Community partner whose members participated as Audience Ambassadors.
- Domestic Workers United Partner — Community partner whose members served as Audience Ambassadors and attended theatre events.
- FUREE Partner — Community organization whose members served as Audience Ambassadors and brought groups to theatre events.
- HERE Arts Center Partner — Hosted Audience Ambassadors for performances including "Luther" with post-show discussions.
- Haymarket Books Partner — Distributes and sells "A Moment on the Clock of the World," offering discounts for direct purchases.
- La Mama Partner — Co-presented performances in Manhattan's East Village.
- Picture the Homeless Partner — Partner organization whose members participated as Audience Ambassadors and attended theatre performances.
- Rockefeller Brothers Fund Funder — Provided grant funding to support the founding and early operations of The Foundry Theatre.
- Signature Theatre Partner — Hosted Audience Ambassadors for performances including "Hurt Village" with post-show discussions.
- Soho Rep Partner — Hosted Audience Ambassadors for performances including "Futurity" with post-show discussions.
- Spoleto Festival Partner — Toured theatrical works to Charleston.
- St Ann's Warehouse Partner — Co-presented performances in Brooklyn.
- Sydney Opera House Partner — Co-presented or toured theatrical works to Sydney.
- The Abbey Theatre Partner — Co-presented or toured theatrical works to Dublin.
- The Barbican Centre Partner — Co-presented or toured theatrical works to London.
- The Irondale Theatre Center Partner — Co-presented the production "MASTER" at its venue in Brooklyn, NY.
- The New York Times Partner — Reviewed O, Earth in The New York Times.
- The Public Theater Partner — Provided free tickets and meeting space for Audience Ambassadors’ talkbacks during the run of "Good Person".
- The Village Voice Partner — Reviewed O, Earth in The Village Voice.
- TimeOut NY Partner — Featured in TimeOut NY with critical review of O, Earth.
- Ukrainian National Hall Partner — Hosted The Foundry Theatre's final event on November 4, 2019.
- Urban Justice Center Partner — Organization whose members participated in the Audience Ambassadors program.
- Walker Arts Center Partner — Toured theatrical works to Minneapolis.
strategies · 4
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Commissioning with Guaranteed Production 15 orgsmethodology: commission_with_guaranteed_productionBy commissioning artists with guaranteed production and full creative and financial support, The Foundry Theatre enables sustained artistic inquiry and risk-taking, because security and trust produce more innovative and conceptually bold work.shared approach: Participatory Co-Creation →
- Participatory Audience Engagement 15 orgsmethodology: participatory_audience_engagementBy integrating audiences as active participants in the performance, The Foundry Theatre deepens engagement and expands the theatrical experience into a shared conceptual dialogue, because involvement fosters deeper connection and critical reflection.shared approach: Participatory Co-Creation →
- Art as World-Making and Social Transformationmethodology: art-as-world-makingBy convening artists, activists, and public thinkers in collaborative practice, The Foundry Theatre uses art to imagine and construct alternative social realities, because collective creative inquiry can generate transformative cultural narratives.
- Decentralized Performance Spacesmethodology: decentralized_performance_spacesBy staging performances in non-traditional venues such as private residences and mobile locations, The Foundry Theatre increases access and engagement among diverse NYC communities, because proximity and context reduce traditional barriers to participation.