This research examined in-depth the employment experiences of autistic performing arts professionals and the attitudes and adjustments of performing arts employers. We interviewed 18 autistic performing arts professionals and 19 performing arts employers. Autistic performing arts professionals described facing challenges in the workplace. Some autistic professionals had access to support, but the majority felt that there was not enough available and highlighted many ways in which they could be better supported. Performing arts employers varied in their experiences of working with autistic people, many had limited knowledge about autism-specific support or relied on other professionals to provide it. These findings shed light on current unmet support needs of autistic performing arts professionals, and provide key recommendations for research and practice.
Theater
Theatre Coronavirus Preparedness and Impact Report — March 2020
On March 13, 2020, one week after TCG conducted a “Coronavirus Preparedness for Theatres” webinar and one day after Broadway theatres went dark as a result of the growing COVID-19 pandemic, TCG launched a snapshot survey of our professional, not-for-profit member theatres to capture information about their preparedness for and early impact of the pandemic. The COVID-19 situation is rapidly developing, and much has changed even in the short time since this survey closed. TCG plans to survey our members regularly over the coming months, as part of our efforts to provide support and resources to our constituents and to advocate with the federal government, funders, and other stakeholders on behalf of the institutions, administrators, technicians, and artists who comprise the diverse theatre field that contributes so much to our country.
Envisioning the Future of Theater for Young Audiences
Recognizing the benefits of theater experiences in developing creative, adept, and resilient young people, the National Endowment for the Arts is releasing Envisioning the Future of Theater for Young Audiences. While the country copes with the ravages of COVID-19 and begins to think about what a post-pandemic world might look like, it is worth considering how best to shape a sustainable future for the field of theater for young audiences (TYA).
This report was prepared in partnership with the national association Theatre for Young Audiences/USA (TYA/USA). It follows a June 2019 meeting convened by the Arts Endowment, TYA/USA, and Theatre Communications Group to tackle some of the structural and societal challenges facing the field and consider ways to overcome those challenges.
TCG Impact Report: 58 Years of Advancing the Theatre Field
The Theatre Communications Group (TCG) has published a report celebrating its 58 years representing the theatre field. TCG Impact Report: 58 Years Of Advancing The Theatre Field, documents TCG’s accomplishments in leadership, grant making, advocacy, equity, publishing and research. Learning and education are also areas where TCG has made an impact through its conferences and distance learning programs. TCG is a valuable resource for more than 500 theatres, 10,000 individuals and 247 affiliates.
The Play’s the Thing: Experimentally Examining the Social and Cognitive Effects of School Field Trips to Live Theater Performances
Field trips to see theater performances are a long-standing educational practice; however, there is little systematic evidence demonstrating educational benefits. This article describes the results of five random assignment experiments spanning 2 years where school groups were assigned by lottery to attend a live theater performance or, for some groups, watch a movie version of the same story. We find significant educational benefits from seeing live theater, including higher levels of tolerance, social perspective taking, and stronger command of the plot and vocabulary of those plays. Students randomly assigned to watch a movie did not experience these benefits. Our findings also suggest that theater field trips may cultivate the desire among students to frequent the theater in the future.
Beyond the Building: Performing Arts and Transforming Place
On November 3, 2014, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), with support from ArtPlace America, convened 26 representatives from performing arts organizations, industry associations, and funders around the country. The convening focused on developing a better understanding of how performance-based organizations, and the artists they engage, transform places through their artistic practices.
