The Opera Fund, in conjunction with Opera.ca's Canadian Opera Creation Fund, provides technical and financial support to OPERA America Professional Company Members and others as part of a North American effort to enhance the quality, quantity and creativity of new opera and music-theater.

Goals
The goals of the program are to:

• Enhance the vitality of opera and music-theater in North America through the creation and production of new works
• Develop a deeper and broader appreciation on the part of the general public for opera and music-theater companies
• Encourage creative artists who will write and interpret new works

Award Categories
1. Repertoire Development
Repertoire Development assists OPERA America Professional Company Members (PCMs) and their partners in meeting the special costs incurred by developing and producing new North American opera and music-theater. There is a strong emphasis on consortia though sole applicant support is also available.

Development Awards allow the creators and/or producers to assess and refine a work in progress. The primary intent of this award is to provide financial assistance for the development of the work and the creative process, although some proposed projects may also serve an audience development purpose. The award may be used to offset creative fees or other costs associated with the development of a new work, including but not limited to, a lab production, a workshop, a reading or a revision.

Award range: Up to $50,000 for Consortium support; up to $25,000 for Sole Applicant support

2. Audience Development
Audience Development offers financial assistance to OPERA America Professional Company Members (PCMs) and their partners for planning and implementing specific activities that strengthen relationships between audiences, the art form and the company. Proposed activities must be undertaken in conjunction with the creation and/or production of a new work or existing American work. Two types of Audience Development Awards are available. Design Awards offer support for the planning of a project and Project Awards assist in the implementation of the proposed projects.

Award range: Up to $5,000 for Design Awards; and Up to $25,000 for Project Awards.

3. Director-Designer Showcase
As part of a continuing effort to foster emerging opera artists, OPERA America is launching a bi-annual Director-Designer Showcase under the auspices of The Opera Fund. The Showcase will offer direct benefits to promising stage directors and designers seeking to break into the world of opera. It is intended to bring new talent to the forefront and connect promising directors and designers with those who are in a position to hire them.

Funders
The Opera Fund, launched by The National Endowment for the Arts, is funded by:

• The Helen F. Whitaker Fund
• Lee Day Gillespie
• Lloyd and Mary Ann Gerlach
• The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
• The Canada Council for the Arts
• The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation
• The James S. and John L. Knight Foundation
• The George Cedric Metcalf Charitable Foundation

Staff Contact Information
For more information, please contact Megan Young at 212-796-8620, ext. 203 or MYoung@operaamerica.org.

Tips for Preparing Your Application
In addition to providing financial support through The Opera Fund and Canadian Opera Creation Program, OPERA America and Opera.ca, respectively, offer technical support to companies as they prepare their applications. Below you will find articles which address characteristics of successful application materials, as identified by award adjudicators.

Articles that are in PDF format can be viewed with Adobe Acrobat Reader, a free software download available from www.adobe.com.

• Considering Consortia
• Passion for the Project — Bringing Your Application to Life (PDF)
• Create a Sound Sampler that is Irresistible (PDF)
• Thoughts on Evaluating Opera (September 2003 - PDF)
• The Guiding Principles of Audience Development

To learn more about the Canadian Opera Creation Fund, please visit Opera.ca