The Democracy Cycle

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Short Description

The Perelman Performing Arts Center (PAC NYC) and Civis Foundation (a Galvan Initiatives affiliate) are calling for applications for the second round of the The Democracy Cycle, a commissioning programme designed to support new works that illuminate the promise, practice, imperfection, and opportunity of democracy.

Over a five-year period, The Democracy Cycle will commission and develop 25 new performing arts works across the fields of theater, dance, music, opera, and multi-disciplinary performance. The commissioned works, to be selected over the course of three annual Rounds of Open Calls (2024, 2025, and 2026) will explore themes relating to the nature, practice, and experience of democracy.

 

Eligibility

To be eligible to apply for a commission from The Democracy Cycle, lead applicants must

  • Be generative artists who are currently creating new work in theater, dance, music, opera, and multi-disciplinary performance
  • Have created 2 or more completed and presented works
  • Not be currently enrolled as a full-time student in a degree-granting program. PhD candidates need to have completed their course/work by the application deadline to be eligible
  • Be eighteen years of age or older
  • Propose a new project that is not a remount, has not yet been premiered, and is not planned to premiere before May 1, 2026
  • Propose a new performance project meant to be developed and performed live, and planned to be completed in 2026, 2027, or 2028. Works may be interdisciplinary and can include collaborators in other artistic forms. At the time of application, a work may be in an early, mid, or later stage of development so long as it is not planned to premiere before May 1, 2026
  • Artists may either be U.S. citizens, or citizens of other countries, this is a national and international open call. Note: all artists commissioned are responsible for any tax implications involved in accepting a monetary award from a U.S.-based arts organization

 

Submission Requirements

Artist statement, project description, project development schedule and budget, work samples, and artist resume/CV and bio.

 

How to Apply

Online Application

 

Program Benefits & Awards:

Commissions will be awarded over the course of three annual Rounds of Open Calls which began in January 2024. At least eight commissions will be awarded in each Open Call.

Each commissioned artist will be provided a total of $60,000 in support to create a new performance work in theater, dance, music, opera, and multidisciplinary performance based on the promise, practice, imperfection, and opportunity of democracy.

The $60,000 award consists of a $30,000 commission and a further $30,000 to support each commissioned project’s development process (research, readings, workshops, etc.).

 

Entry Fee:

None

 

Location:

New York, US

 

Timeline:

  • Application Deadline: 1 April 2025

 

Website Link: https://pacnyc.org/the-democracy-cycle/#the-democracy-cycle

 

Artist FeeAward/PrizeCompetitionProduction budget