Parent Artist Advocacy League Awards First National Childcare Grants For All Disciplines In The Performing Arts

The first national, all-discipline childcare grant awards from Parent Artist Advocacy League for the Performing Arts have been awarded to five recipients, including four individual childcare grants and one institutional childcare match grant. The institution match grant has multiplied and more institution sponsorships and grants will be awarded for this year as well. In just this first year offering the grants designated for 2018-2019, PAAL received over 100 applications, and the PAAL reviewing committee would like to publicly acknowledge the humbling clarity of need and profound work achieved by each parent artist exhibited in every application received.

In a statement from PAAL Founder, Rachel Spencer Hewitt, PAAL reviewed every submission and expresses gratitude to every applicant who submitted: "As an organization, it was an honor to review and read the work of so many devoted, gifted, and deserving parent artists, and PAAL aims to make these childcare grants expand and multiply every year to create more opportunities for support of parent artists across the country, as well as encourage institutions to curate their own funds to continue supporting parent artists and caregivers as an intentional contribution to diversity, parity, and artist sustainability in the performing arts." The profile of individual and institutional recipients may vary each year by discipline and determining factors according to need in the applications received within the respective application time frame. PAAL hopes to create bilingual grant application opportunities for the next round of applications as well for additional points of access.

The four individual grants in the 2018-2019 awards consist of one childcare grant for a Mother Artist of Color, two Mother Artist Grants, and one Parent Artist Grant. The Mother Artist Grant received a generous donation prior to the grant announcements, which allowed the award to double. The fifth PAAL childcare grant is a match grant for an institution that commits to matching the grant amount to create a budget line item for providing childcare for an artist or group of artists they have employed or will employ. The grants awarded include multiple regions, diverse disciplines, and were subject to a cross-assessment for individual need, including medical, socioeconomic, and structural, and reverberating impact on the field. Applicants who applied this year are eligible and encouraged to re-apply at the opening of the next round, which will focus on freelance and contract performing artist support.

Garlia Cornelia Jones is the first recipient of the Mother Artist of Color PAAL Childcare Grant. She is the founder and artistic director of Blackboard Plays in New York City, an organization devoted to presenting the work of black playwrights for over a decade, including the first presentation of School Girls; Or The African Mean Girls Play by Jocelyn Bioh. Garlia is also one of the founding members of the OBIE-award-winning collaborative Harlem9, producers of "48Hours in ... Harlem," and her writing can be found in The Washington Post, The New York Times, Brain, Child and Howlround. Garlia's dedication as a mother, artist, and artistic director to creating space and opportunity for underrepresented artists of color is generous, profound, and has long-reaching impact. In reading of her decade of work defined by commitment, development, and continued resolve throughout motherhood and other major life events, she is exemplary of the artistry that this PAAL award aims to support.

Trista Duval is one of the first recipients of the Mother Artist PAAL Childcare Grant. She serves as Artistic Director of Centerstage Theatre in Federal Way, WA. In the midst of motherhood, she shows commitment to diversifying and elevating her company as a new artistic director onstage, off-stage, and in her community. She has exhibited dedication to building and supporting the careers of local artists, professionals, and young practitioners. As she navigates the first years of leadership, PAAL is proud to support Trista's commitment through this childcare award.

Chelsea Rose is also one of the first recipients of the Mother Artist PAAL Childcare Grant. She is a lead dancer with COLLIDE theatrical dance company in Minneapolis, MN and has performed multiple shows with them. She is a teacher and choreographer at Stage Left Dance Company. Chelsea applied as an individual in support of her company to encourage ensemble building of new work while children remain on site throughout the development process. PAAL is proud to support Chelsea's dedication to motherhood as well as her art and contribution as a lead and ensemble artist creating new work for theatrical dance performance on stage.

Jasmine Joshua is the first recipient of the Parent Artist PAAL Childcare Grant. Jasmine is a playwright and founder of Reboot Theatre Company in Seattle, WA. As a parent of twins, Jasmine hopes to explore their original solo piece exploring identity, discovery, and redefinition. By sharing how motherhood serves as a vehicle for social and self imposed expectation, Jasmine's work promises to illuminate the revelatory nature of parenthood. PAAL is proud to provide childcare support to Jasmine's promising new work and its contribution to the conversation of parenthood, artistry, and expression.

Southern Repertory Theatre is the first recipient of the PAAL Childcare Institutional Match Grant. Southern Rep's dedication to intersectional opportunities exhibits a commitment to supportive culture for new inclusion initiatives. Southern Rep, located in New Orleans, LA, also demonstrated history of commitment to a mother scenic designer as a frequent hire and received this match grant as an opportunity to expand the professional opportunity, presence, and contribution to one of their mainstage productions. PAAL is proud to support Southern Rep Theatre in sustaining and elevating the opportunity for a mother scenic designer as a significant contribution toward parity in the discipline.

Parent Artist Advocacy League is a Fractured Atlas-sponsored organization that accepts tax-deductible donations. To donate and support the childcare grant and similar initiatives, visit the donation profile. To get involved with a local PAAL community, learn about other parent artist resources, including the National Handbook of Best Practices for supporting Parent Artists and the National List of Family Friendly Theatres, visit the website or contact PAAL directly. PAAL soon will also be announcing the PAAL Summit for Institutions for Parent and Caregiver support for late 2019.