Grants are unreliable. We need - you.
Over my ten years of running the PJTE, I’ve invested 100% of my time in creating high-quality work that employs the best people and gives you, the audience, the best programming results. I have relied on grant organizations, event sales and the occasional corporate sponsorship to fund our work. This is a model that can work through pure muscle and grit, but grants are unreliable and so are the trends and agendas of foundations. Donation drives and the ‘ask’ really come down to what is important to you, and I’m guessing if you’ve come to a show or supported a program, that having tap dance available in your world means something to you. Today, I’m reaching out to see if the connection is meaningful enough to support the wide variety of programs we have coming up for the rest of the year.
- We have a new residency at the Ryerss Museum in Northeast Philadelphia, through which we will be offering FREE public tap and jazz performances “on the porch” in April and October;
- We have partnered with Fringe Arts to present ‘Evenings of Jazz Funk and Fusion,’ starting in April;
- The Barnes Foundation has commissioned us to create a new premiere alongside the Mickalene Thomas exhibit;
- We are creating a new ‘jazz story’ about Beryl Booker that will premiere at the Philadelphia Fringe Festival this Fall, (Will we win another “Fringie”? That’s our goal!);
- We are starting a new jazz series at Bob and Barbara’s;
- We have partnered with the Athletic Recreation Center to house our tuition-free tap dance youth program are initiating the first ever Philadelphia Youth Tap Summit at the Center on May 23;
- We are creating a documentary to celebrate Germaine Ingram and the 30th anniversary of “Plenty of Good Women Dancers.”
Can you help the company - and tap dance - grow today? Your tax-deductible donation of any size can be earmarked to support our artists, our programming or our youth initiatives. You tell me what is important to you, and I will make sure your gift is put to good use. Thank you!
