The dance industry must work across stakeholders to advance its vision for the future through a series of actions that address its obstacles and create the future we hope for—one that is focused on tenets of thrivability, sustainability, equity, and justice.
Impact Areas
There are seven key impact areas where actions should be focused to support, thrivability, sustainability, justice, and equity in Our New York City Dance.
Legislation & Policy
Financial Inclusion
Models & Frameworks
Well-Being & Quality of Life
Education
Knowledge & Resource Sharing
Systems Change
Strategies & Action Items
Specific strategies and related actions have been identified within each impact area. Some actions are unique to this study, identified by the initials “DIC.” Others were initially identified in previous research studies and have remained relevant today, identified by abbreviations. These previously identified actions were not advanced due to lack of funding, stakeholder inaction, and/or pandemic-related pauses or otherwise.
Each action cites at least one Dance/NYC research study in which the action was first named.
Dance/NYC Studies and Their Corresponding Abbreviations
- SOD 2016: State of NYC Dance & Workforce Demographics 2016
- FSP: 2017 Advancing Fiscally Sponsored Artists & Arts Projects
- FSD: 2017 Advancing Fiscally Sponsored Dance Artists & Projects
- SBDM: 2020 Defining “Small-Budget” Dance Makers in a Changing Dance Ecology
- CDI: 2021 Coronavirus Dance Impact Information Brief: A Dance Sector in Peril
- DIC: State of New York City Dance 2023: Findings from the Dance Industry Census
Stakeholders
Regardless of role, everyone who touches the dance industry must contribute and take action to advance the future of Our New York City Dance. However, a series of key stakeholders are best positioned to advance specific actions given their values, power, resources, communications infrastructure, and/or community accountability practices.
Individuals
- Dance Makers
- Artistic Leads & Entity Leadership
- Educators & Educational Leadership
- Government Policymakers
- Elected Officials
- Program Officers, Donor Advised Fund Managers & Donors
Entities
- Small Dance Entities
- Mid-sized Dance Entities
- Large Dance Entities
- Educational Institutions
- Dance Service Providers
- Public Agencies
- Private Philanthropies
How to Use
This “Take Action” page has been set up with a very simple filtering method, to make finding appropriate actions easy for all users. Actions can be filtered by Impact Area, Strategy and Stakeholder. You can use one, two, or all of them, and in any combination.
Filter Actions…
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Legislation & Policy
Continue to conduct research and analysis to estimate the economic impacts of dance in New York City, including the valuation of dance as cultural production.
Strategy: Advocacy: Public Understanding
Study: DIC
Stakeholders
Artistic Leads & Entity LeadershipDance Service ProvidersPrivate PhilanthropiesPublic Agencies -
Legislation & Policy
Engage in cross-sectoral advocacy at local, state, and federal levels for the acceptance and use of alternative business structures for dance (e,g., existing alternative legal business structures, tax law changes, the establishment of new legal structures and organizational frameworks, etc.).
Strategy: Advocacy: Public Understanding
Study: SBDM
Stakeholders
Artistic Leads & Entity LeadershipDance MakersDance Service ProvidersElected OfficialsGovernment PolicymakersPrivate PhilanthropiesPublic Agencies -
Legislation & Policy
Design and implement a broad communications campaign, including the development and dissemination of publicly available advocacy tools that effectively illustrate the role and value of dance in society and the benefits it provides to all.
Strategy: Advocacy: Public Understanding
Study: DIC
Stakeholders
Artistic Leads & Entity LeadershipDance MakersDance Service ProvidersLarge Dance EntitiesPrivate PhilanthropiesProgram Officers Donor Advised Fund Managers & DonorsPublic Agencies -
Legislation & Policy
Engage in intentional cross-sectoral advocacy at the neighborhood, city, state, and federal levels for increased wages, wage standards, and clear and transparent employment policies and practices (employment status, wages, benefits, contract terms) to position dance as dignified work and artists as necessary workers.
Strategy: Cross-Sectoral Advocacy
Study: SBDM
Stakeholders
Artistic Leads & Entity LeadershipDance MakersDance Service ProvidersElected OfficialsGovernment PolicymakersPublic Agencies -
Legislation & Policy
Develop and advance explicit social and racial justice, disability justice, and immigrant rights agendas to inspire policy shifts within the dance industry, including policy, funding, and programs that increase racial justice in dance and culture to government, foundation, and nonprofit sectors.
Strategy: Cross-Sectoral Advocacy
Study: DIC
Stakeholders
Artistic Leads & Entity LeadershipDance MakersDance Service ProvidersElected OfficialsGovernment PolicymakersLarge Dance EntitiesPrivate PhilanthropiesProgram Officers Donor Advised Fund Managers & DonorsPublic Agencies -
Legislation & Policy
Ensure that the application, selection, and work process on government contract, certification, and granting programs is not overly laborious, and thus exclusionary, through support of the Streamlining Federal Grants: House Companion Bill and other measures.
Strategy: Lobbying: Reformed Legislation and Programs
Study: DIC
Stakeholders
Dance Service ProvidersElected OfficialsGovernment PolicymakersPublic Agencies -
Legislation & Policy
Ensure eligibility of dance entities in Women and Minority Owned Businesses (WMOB) and small business administration programs regardless of business structure. Nonprofit organizations and B-Corps are currently ineligible for these programs.
Strategy: Lobbying: Reformed Legislation and Programs
Study: DIC
Stakeholders
Dance Service ProvidersElected OfficialsGovernment PolicymakersPublic Agencies -
Legislation & Policy
Require city, state, and federal governments to guarantee timely payment of contracts and labor to mitigate cash- flow issues.
Strategy: Lobbying: Reformed Legislation and Programs
Study: DIC
Stakeholders
Dance Service ProvidersElected OfficialsGovernment PolicymakersPublic Agencies -
Legislation & Policy
Support bills in development and approval processes that stand to benefit dance workers and entities on the local, state, and federal levels, including the Performing Arts Parity Act and the Creative Economy Revitalization Act.
Strategy: Lobbying: Reformed Legislation and Programs
Study: DIC
Stakeholders
Dance Service ProvidersElected OfficialsGovernment PolicymakersPublic Agencies -
Legislation & Policy
Create new laws that encourage use of new and existing space for dance, such as tax incentives and/or programs where new developments prioritize and highly subsidize space for dance making.
Strategy: Lobbying: New Legislation
Study: DIC
Stakeholders
Elected OfficialsGovernment Policymakers -
Legislation & Policy
Ensure government funding and contracts include proper cost-of-living increases to workers and vet for the payment of living wages.
Strategy: Lobbying: New Legislation
Study: DIC
Stakeholders
Elected OfficialsGovernment Policymakers -
Legislation & Policy
Ensure that arts workers who working within city government are paid living wages and receive proper cost-of-living increases to stay in step with inflation.
Strategy: Lobbying: New Legislation
Study: DIC
Stakeholders
Elected OfficialsGovernment Policymakers