Spring Conference 2019

FREE! Just let us know if you plan to attend when you register.

Through exercises, discussions and presentations, participants will strengthen their knowledge of strategies and tools to achieve equity.  We will explore a framework for racial justice efforts that moves beyond merely valuing racial diversity to achieving racial equity. We will explore how leading with a racial equity lens is an essential component of a strategy for structural transformation to create equity for all.

Goals and Objectives

• We will explore our own positions of advantage and disadvantage, how these impact our lived experiences (and communities we serve), and the importance of an intersectionality lens.
• We will explore the differing ways to relate to differences — comparing colorblindness, diversity, cultural competency, and anti-oppression/equity lenses.
• Understand the difference between equality and equity lenses.
• Introduction of the difference between transactional and transformational approaches to create equity for all.
• Introduction of Racial Equity Impact Assessment Tools to analyze and transform policies and practices to support the achievement of racial equity.
• Explore differing roles for individuals to enact to achieve equity.

Please join us for this intensive pre-conference workshop. We look forward to beginning a dialogue together, and approaching each other with compassion and insight.

Scott Winn is a racial equity consultant who supports a variety of entities, from grassroots organizations to governmental institutions, in addressing racial and other inequities and transforming policies and practices to achieve equity for all. He provides training, facilitation, assessment, coaching and strategic development. He is a faculty member at the University of Washington, School of Social Work. For eight years he was a Policy and Development Lead for the City of Seattle’s Race and Social Justice Initiative (RSJI). For the past 25 years he has been active with grassroots organizations engaged in racial, gender and economic transformation.

Join us for a gorgeous sunset cruise on the Olympic Star between Lake Union and Lake Washington, taking in points of interest such as Gasworks Park, the Ship Canal, Montlake Cut, Husky Stadium, Mount Rainier and the spectacular Seattle skyline. With hors d’oeuvres and drinks and lots of time for networking with colleagues while you take in the sites! 

Transportation will be provided from the W Hotel (1112 4th Avenue; buses will park on Seneca Street) from 5:45 to 6:30 pm. If you prefer to drive on your own, free parking is available at the Waterways site.

The boat will depart the dock at 7:00 and return at approximately 8:30. Return transportation to the W will be provided from 8:30 to 9:00.

Sponsored by Theatrical Rights Worldwide

Busses will depart promptly at 9:30.

The Seattle Symphony’s Jane Hargraft will share a dynamic presentation on breaking down silos and furthering the culture of philanthropy within your organization.

A from-the-trenches look at how our fundraising is affected by the current political and media climate. How do we position the arts as “important” and worthy of donations when so many causes and campaigns are vying for attention? How do you cut through the noise of a constant news cycle? How can arts organizations work with other types of non-profits instead of fighting against them for dollars?

Moderated by Keith Cromwell (Red Mountain Theatre Company), with Bernie Griffin (The 5th Avenue Theatre), Hillary Hart (Theatre Under The Stars), and Anthony Rodriguez (Aurora Theatre Company).

Lunch sponsored by Concord Theatricals.

Concurrent presentations and small group discussions on various topics:

Loyalty-Driven Fundraising
Presentation and discussion led by Lindsay Anderson (TRG Arts)

In the ever-changing landscape of philanthropy, are you making data-informed decisions to stay in front of the opportunities? For this break-out session, TRG Arts will collect and analyze topline individual giving data from participating organizations, inspiring new ideas for your 2019 Annual Fund. [To get the most out of this session, TRG asks that you provide some data for a hands-on workshop. Please click here if you’re interested in attending and TRG will send you a short data collection worksheet.]

Pehrson Studio

Getting Started with Planned Giving
Presentation and discussion led by Charlie Frasier (ZACH Theatre)

Don’t Put Off to Tomorrow, What You Must Do Today. In this presentation and roundtable discussion we will explore the importance of ensuring your organization’s future into perpetuity through the development of planned giving and bequests. We’ll discuss the steps to setting up a dedicated program, benefits of membership and the fiduciary responsibility we each have to the health of the organization long after our time there has passed.

First Stage Studio

Increasing and Sustaining Board Engagement
Roundtable discussion led by Donna Lynn Hilton (Goodspeed Musicals)

How do we most effectively engage our boards to tell our stories? Share your board recruitment and engagement success stories (or learn from your colleagues’).What tools do you use to engage your board — in new initiatives? in creating exciting solutions to new or continuing challenges? to reach into new communities and constituencies?

Waters Studio

Special Events and Milestones
Roundtable discussion led by Dani Franich (Village Theatre)

Special Events not only create an opportunity to raise funds for your organization, but they also build relationships, increase awareness, and can provide a sense of connection for your guests. What tools, event planning skills and successful approaches can allow the true spirit of your event to shine through? Join the discussion as we share effective strategies and learning opportunities.

Tompkins Studio

Changes to Federal Tax Law and Their Impact on Non-Profits
Presentation by Jennifer Becker Harris (Clark Nuber)

2017 Tax Reform made the charitable deduction the most valuable itemized deduction to high income taxpayers. As such the IRS has been issuing guidance that affects how non-profits raise funds now and in the future. This includes how the preliminary guidance on use of donor advised funds (DAFs) is impacting donors and the organizations they fund. We will also discuss whether there really is less “drive by philanthropy” as some claim, or if giving is just shifting to a different platform? If it is just a shift, how do charities tap the well safely and effectively? And last, if there is time, we’ll look at trends in alternative revenue sources for charitable organizations.

First Stage

NAMT members will present from the trenches on various stages of capital and endowment campaigns. What’s working? What isn’t? How can theatres invest in their futures and campaign to fund programs that may seem less tangible than buildings to donors.

Moderated by Charlie Frasier (ZACH Theatre) with Wynne Fedele (Pittsburgh CLO), Janell Johnson (Village Theatre), Sharon Maroney (The Broadway Rose Theatre Company), Catherine Merlo (Seattle Opera) and Marc Robin (Fulton Theatre).

You have relationships with your corporate sponsors just like any other donor. How do you nurture those to make sure everyone is happy? We’ll look at big companies and small, national and local, giving cash support and in-kind. 

Moderated by Frank Stilwagner (Village Theatre), with Sarah Bednar (Seattle Rep), Kent Bridges (Ogunquit Playhouse), Ryan Hicks (Seattle Symphony), Daniel Thomas (42nd Street Moon) and Lori White (The 5th Avenue Theatre).

Village Theatre’s Artistic Director, Jerry Dixon and Associate Artistic Director, Brandon Ivie will host a showcase of songs from musicals in development. This will be a fun-filled evening of cocktails, food and performances by Iris Elton (In the Heights, Cubamor), Nathaniel Tenenbaum (Dreamgirls, String), Sarah Russell (Dreamgirls), and Hannah Schuerman (…Howard Barnes); as well as a performance by members of Village Theatre’s KIDSTAGE Originals program.

For those not attending Curious Incident.

Winner of five Tony Awards and seven Olivier Awards, this compelling sensory drama is based on the award-winning book of the same name.

Hosted by The 5th Avenue Theatre

Teams from our Conference host theatres will share how they work together to raise money and make the case for their organizations.

Moderated by Betsy King Militello (NAMT), with teams from The 5th Avenue Theatre (Jill Big Eagle, Chris Marcacci, Orlando Morales), Seattle Rep (Jeffrey Herrmann, Jamie Herlich) and Village Theatre (Jerry Dixon, Robb Hunt, Frank Stilwagner).

How are NAMT members using data for both donor identification and engagement (data on donors) and better storytelling to donors (data on the theatre and its impact)? How can theatres with different budgets and levels of technical interest apply these techniques in ways that work for them?

Moderated by Jill Big Eagle (The 5th Avenue Theatre), with Naomi Beeman (The 5th Avenue Theatre), Wayne Bryan (Music Theatre Wichita), Alex Harris (Tessitura), Jennifer Jaquess (Red Mountain Theatre Company), and Amy Lampi (Theatre Under The Stars).

Although long-time songwriting teams have become a rarity, Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty have proved the exception. In 1988, they burst onto the New York theatre scene with the comic musical Lucky Stiff, and their partnership in words and music has flourished ever since.

Ahrens and Flaherty have received theatre, film and music’s highest honors — the Tony Award, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, Olivier Award and Gold Record; as well as nominations for two Academy Awards, two Golden Globes and three Grammys. They serve on the Council of the Dramatists Guild of America and founded the Dramatists Guild Fellows Program. In 2014 they received the Oscar Hammerstein Award for Lifetime Achievement and in 2015 they were inducted into the Theatre Hall of Fame.

Lunch sponsored by Music Theatre International and The Hollywood Pantages

What are foundations looking for in the organizations and projects they support in 2019? How is this critical piece of our fundraising landscape moving forward in uncertain financial times? We’ll hear from grant-writers and the foundations themselves about what they expect from each other.

Moderated by Elisbeth Challener (ZACH Theatre), with Amy Chasanov (The 5th Avenue Theatre), Mark Dederer (Biller Family Foundation), Lorin Dunlop (M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust) and Alix Wilber (UW World Series).

How are you telling your theatre’s stories to funders? What new tools and technology works for you? What tried-and-true methods do you keep going back to? What takeaways from this Conference will you start using next week?

Moderated by Orlando Morales (The 5th Avenue Theatre), with Nancy Altschuler (Goodspeed Musicals), Chantry Banks (Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma), Nick Keenan (Gameflow Interactive), Michelle Moga (The 5th Avenue Theatre) and Stephanie Rhoads-Bickham (42nd Street Moon).

Adam Grosswirth and Betsy King Militello (NAMT)

Before you head to the theatre or leave town, join the NAMT staff for a drink at the W bar. Don’t leave without saying goodbye! (Cash bar.)

An exquisite new musical by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, directed and choreographed by Susan Stroman, based on a famed masterpiece by Edgar Degas and the unknown dancer who inspired it.

A five block walk from the W, the Seattle Center Monorail is the nation’s first full-scale commercial monorail system and a beloved Seattle landmark. The Monorail departs approximately every 10 minutes, so you can meet us at the Center if you miss the group.

Join us for a tour of Seattle Opera’s new building, which was just completed late last year.

The Museum of Pop Culture (MoPop) houses some of the world’s most legendary pop culture artifacts, aiming to make creative expression a life-change force through their offered experiences. In addition to receiving an admission ticket, NAMT members will receive spotlight tours of the Fantasy: Worlds of Myth and Magic and Infinite Worlds of Science Fiction galleries. The first tour will begin at 11:30am and the second will follow at 12:30pm. Following the tours, you’ll be free to explore the museum for as long as you’d like before it closes at 5pm.

Grab lunch on your own at the Armory, a newly updated food court featuring fresh, local foods and beverages.

Nora Helmer’s unexpected homecoming is met with recriminations and the family drama unfolds in this explosively entertaining continuation of Henrik Ibsen’s acclaimed A Doll’s House.