CounterPulse

CounterPulse supports emerging artists and cultural innovators engaged in the creation of cutting-edge and contemporary performance artists. This organizational effectiveness grant supports internal capacity building to deepen the organization’s awareness, knowledge, skill, policies and practices around equity, inclusion, and diversity. Strengthening an organizations’ equity-focused competencies supports its practices and outcomes and contributes to a Bay Area arts ecosystem that has examined and reflects an understanding of equity in the arts. Support for CounterPulse advances the Performing Arts Program’s Communities Strategy.

CounterPulse supports emerging artists and cultural innovators engaged in the creation of cutting-edge and contemporary performance artists. The organization commissions and produces new work, provides fiscal sponsorship services, and subsidizes rehearsal and performance space for a community of 1,000 artists that largely identify as part of BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and/or disabled communities. In a typical year, CounterPulse performances and classes engage more than 15,000 audience and community members at its 10,000-square-foot facility in San Francisco’s Tenderloin neighborhood. This grant advances the Performing Arts Program’s Communities strategy.

CounterPulse had been a long time grantee of the Performing Arts Program, with strong programs and leadership, and diverse audiences and participants. After 14 years, Executive & Artistic Director, Jessica Robinson-Love, announced her resignation, with a thoughtful six-month transition plan. Because the organization is in the midst of a major capital fundraising plan for its new facility, this transition is a critical opportunity to build its capacity. The board convened a transition committee and has appointed an experienced Interim Executive Director, Julie Phelps, who will become Artistic Director once the new ED is hired in early 2015. In addition, CounterPulse hired Kegan Marling (formerly of Dances Group) to serve an Interim Managing Director. Finally, the board is hiring a executive search consulting firm with experience in the arts to recruit a new qualified leader. Hewlett support is requested for this entire transition plan and staffing.