Artistic & Professional Development Resources
The Opera Fund: Audience Development
Audience Development grants help OPERA America Professional Company Members (PCM) and their partners to implement community engagement efforts that:

  • Develop new audiences for American opera and music-theater
  • Create more diverse audiences for opera and music-theater
  • Deepen current audiences’ understanding and appreciation of new and existing American works
  • Increase the participation of audiences in a company’s activities

Audience Development grants support community engagement activities undertaken in conjunction with the creation and/or production of a new or existing American work, and are intended for productions that will receive professional presentation for general audiences (adult and/or family audiences, not productions in school settings solely for young audiences). Two categories are available: Design (up to $7,500) and Project (up to $30,000).
Intent to apply deadline: August 26, 2011 | Application deadline: October 14, 2011



New Works Exploration Grants
New Works Exploration Grants provide support to representatives of OPERA America Professional Company Members who wish to travel to another city to attend a performance or workshop of a new American work and meet with the creative artists and administrators who are responsible for the piece’s creation. The goals of the program are to broaden awareness of new North American opera and music-theater works across the field and create relationships among opera companies interested in pursuing the creation and production of new works. Grants cover the cost of transportation and lodging. There is no limit to the number of grants a company may receive during FY2012 (July 1, 2011 to June 30, 2012); however, the total amount granted to a single company cannot exceed $2,000 over the two-year granting period from FY2011 through FY2012 (July 1, 2010 to June 30, 2012).
Application deadline: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until June 1, 2012.



Forum Travel Stipends
OPERA America’s new Strategic Plan, New Challenges, New Opportunities, New Capacities: 2010 – 2015, calls for the establishment of a more dynamic partnership with members to identify broad trends and generate ideas that respond to challenges and opportunities. Forums have been established in critical artistic and administrative areas to increase the breadth and depth of member involvement in discussion of critical issues and actions OPERA America can take to respond to them. OPERA America is pleased to offer a limited number of travel subsidies to members attending this year’s meetings of the Electronic Media Forum, Education Forum, Singer Training Forum and Technical/Production Forum.
Application deadline: Applications are addressed on a first-come, first-served basis in advance of each respective forum meeting.



Grant categories available in future seasons:
The Opera Fund: Repertoire Development
The Robert L.B. Tobin Director-Designer Showcase
MetLife Foundation Music! Words! Opera! Teacher Training Program

OPERA America’s grant opportunities are made possible through the generosity of Opera Fund donors and 40th Anniversary Annual Fund donors, The Tobin Theatre Arts Fund, The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and MetLife Foundation.
Thursday, May 17, 2012
      

Spring 2012 Magazine Issue
  • Letter from the President/CEO
  • Opera Conference 2012: Creative Resurgence
  • Operatic Evolution and Natural Selection
  • The National Opera Center: Countdown
  • Developing New Work
Contact Us
330 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001
P 212-796-8620 • F 212-796-8631
Info@operaamerica.org • Directions
From Airport:
The easiest way to reach the OPERA America offices is to get a cab at the airport. Cost is $40-45
(not including tip).
  • JFK - Take the AirTrain ($5 - approx. 15 minutes) to the Jamaica Street Station and transfer to the Long Island Railroad (LIRR). Take the LIRR to Penn Station ($12 - approx. 35 minutes). See Penn Station directions below.
  • LaGuardia - Take the M60 Bus to the Hoyt Ave/31st Street. Get on the or Train and take that to 42nd/Times Square Station. Follow the Times Square Station directions below.
  • Newark - Take the New Jersey Transit train to Penn Station ($15 - approx. 45 min). See the Penn Station Directions below.

From Penn Station/Madison Square Garden:
Leave the station through the 7th Avenue/33rd Street exit and walk south for four blocks. The building is on
the right hand side.

From Grand Central Station:
Take the Train to the 42nd/Times Square station and transfer to the Train.
Take the Train to the 28th Street stop and walk north on 7th Avenue.
The building is on the same block as the train stop.

From 42nd Street/Times Square:
Take the Train to the 28th Street stop and walk north on 7th Avenue.
The building is on the same block as the train stop.

For more detailed directions, most up-to-date pricing or to specify a different starting location, please visit the
MTA Web site.