Dear friends,
TPS needs your help. After 27 years in operation, Theatre Puget Sound and the community programs you love will end in May of this year.
What Does This Mean?
It is no great surprise that theatre organizations all over the world are suffering in the wake of the COVID-19 epidemic. Theatre Puget Sound has worked hard to resurrect the programs and resources that help to support and sustain the performing arts in our community. We are working to bring our cultural economy back to health, but we cannot do it alone.
Who Will This Affect?
While this will most directly affect the individuals and organizations currently partnered with or participating in TPS activities, the closing of Theatre Puget Sound would have a far reaching negative impact on the performing arts community as a whole.
Theatre Puget Sound will continue doing everything we can to sustain the valuable and important services and programming as long as we can. But time is running out. Without your support, our next communication will be a final “goodbye.”
Please take a look at this recent article in the Seattle Times for more information about the current state of Theatre Puget Sound.
Without immediate financial support, here are the programs that we risk losing:
- The Gregory Awards
- The Unified General Auditions
- Space4Arts: 13 low-cost rental spaces including 3 theaters would no longer be available
- Company Residencies
- The region’s most comprehensive Jobs & Auditions Postings (including the weekly auditions email)
- State, County, and City Advocacy for the Performing Arts
- Professional Development Workshops including OSHA 10 Authorized Trainings
- Online Membership Directory
- Community Calendar of Events
- TPS-hosted Community Events (Holiday Parties, Town Hall Events, Headshot Days, Etc)
- Local Playwrights’ Monologue Library
- Marketing your events through TPS Channels
- The upcoming Theatre Online Resource and Community Hub (TORCH), which had been scheduled to launch in May
We understand that artists and organizations are struggling. We hope that as a lover of performing arts, now or in the past, you will select an option below, take action and help us keep TPS alive.
GIVE
Your generous gift of any amount will make a difference!
A one time donation of $100 from every recipient of this email keeps TPS open and actively supporting Puget Sound Performing Arts for an entire year!
A donation of $25 from every recipient of this email would bring the TPS Staff back full-time to continue driving programming and support forward.
A donation of $1 from every recipient of this email would be enough to keep Space4Arts running for a month.
SHOW UP
Join the #SAVETPS Task Force!
Established by the Board of Directors at their special emergency meeting on April 4th, the Task Force wants to see TPS continue to support affordable rehearsal spaces, equitable programming, employment opportunities and community engagement.
No matter what happens at the upcoming Board vote on April 30th, this task force will become a working, temporary committee dedicated to getting TPS back on its feet.
If you would like to join us in bimonthly meetings, we would love to have you– email membership@tpsonline.org to join!
JOIN US
Upgrade your current membership or Become a Member
If you are not yet a member of TPS, learn more about the valuable services and benefits and find the right membership level for you or your organization here. Members are available for Patrons, Industry members, Arts organizations and Business alongside our popular memberships for performers and technicians.
If you have taken advantage of the sliding scale membership options in the past, but find yourself in a different financial position now – please consider increasing your membership level.
Join the Board
TPS is always looking for energetic and engaged board members, especially during this difficult time. The board currently meets monthly for a goal-focused working group and quarterly for Board Meetings in January, April, August, and October. Additional volunteer committee work is also available. This is a great opportunity to offer your expertise to set the future direction of the organization. Apply HERE
Join the Member Advisory Council
Not ready for Board Service, but still want to be of service? The MAC is a fantastic place to set and keep the pulse of TPS to best serve our members. Apply HERE
FROM HOME
Record a video of what TPS means to you! TPS is working hard to communicate our value and impact to the local legislature in the hopes of receiving much-needed financial support from the City of Seattle. You can help us tell our story.
Here’s how!
Record a video of yourself answering the following question:
How has Theatre Puget Sound impacted your experience of the performing arts?
Helpful hints:
- Please make your video no longer than 90 seconds.
- Please vertically orient your phone (tall not wide)
- Be Specific! We want to hear what programs, events, or support you have taken advantage of
Share your video with TPS by either sending it directly to tps@tpsonline.org or by posting it to your social media accounts using the hashtag #SaveTPS.
*By sending TPS this video you are giving permission for the use of that video in all future potential marketing campaigns and grant-seeking activities.
And finally…
Write to the Seattle City Council
Making your voice heard at the city council level is a cost-free way to help support legislation that can help us to save Theatre Puget Sound. Unfortunately we need IMMEDIATE financial support to keep our doors open, but the current budget has already been set. You are welcome to use the following language in your email to any or all of the current City Council Members.
follow this link to ways you can specifically help support TPS at this time.