Zaccho Dance Theatre’s Black Futures Artist in Residence Program is open to diverse voices, emerging and established, called to express the Black experience through an arts practice that inspires dialogue and builds community. Our goal is to support artists at all points of their process and to give them an opportunity to conduct in depth research without the pressure of presenting a completed work by the end of the residency.
Black Futures is proudly funded by the City of San Francisco’s Dream Keeper Initiative and administered by the Mayor’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development.
Call for Applications 2023-2024
All Bay Area Black theater, dance, and interdisciplinary artists, as well as collaborative teams are eligible to apply. Residencies will take place from October 2023 to June 2024. Four residencies will be awarded.
IMPORTANT DATES
Information Session: July 27, 2023 at 5:00 pm PT (ADVISED) Registration Link (Zoom)
Application Deadline: August 18, 2023 at midnight
Selected Artists’ Announcement: September 18, 2023
Black Futures Orientation: October 2, 2023 at 5:00 pm PT (MANDATORY)
Program Duration: 9 Months (October 2023 - June 2024)
Individuals and collaborative teams selected for the Black Futures residency program will receive:
- A $6,000 stipend which can be used how the resident sees fit.
- $2,500 to support the production of your work during the residency or to host an in-person engagement event for the Bayview community (eg, work-in-progress presentation, artist Q&A with talkback).
- Up to 100 hours of free rehearsal space at Zaccho Studio in San Francisco.
- A $1,000 stipend to a mentor of your choice to support you during your residency.
- Social media and marketing support.
- Additional professional development workshops to assist you with the creation of your required community engagement event, budgeting, grant writing, and brand asset creation.
- Additional resident gatherings geared towards sharing artistic practice, ideas around collaboration, and holistic approaches to well-being.
Eligibility and requirements of the Black Futures residency program:
- All participating artists identify as Black, African, African American, or of African descent and have at least three years of professional work in their artistic field.
- Applicants must live in the Bay Area with preference given to residents of San Francisco.
- Attend the mandatory virtual orientation on October 2, 2023 at 5:00 pm PT
- Attend a monthly check-in meeting during your residency with the Black Futures Program Manager. This will be scheduled the week of orientation.
- Attend the photoshoot opportunity.
- This residency includes up to 100 hours of Zaccho Studio time. You are expected to use the Zaccho Studio as part of your residency.
- Meaningfully engage with our Bayview Community in conversation about your work (i.e. workshop, showing, screening, story circle, and/or discussion) designed by the artist in collaboration with Zaccho staff.
- Attend at least ONE resident gathering and ONE professional development workshop. (ex. grant-writing workshop, budgeting workshop, meal with a fellow resident, attendance of other residents’ community engagement events.)
HOW TO APPLY
Application Deadline: August 18, 2023 at midnight PT
Eligibility: Theater, dance, and interdisciplinary artists, as well as collaborative teams who identify as Black, African, African American, or of African descent. Both emerging and established artists are welcome to apply. Artists should have at least three years of professional work in their field. Applicants must live in the Bay Area and preference will be given to residents of San Francisco.
Selection Process: An interdisciplinary selection committee will consider applications for the residencies. There will be careful consideration when selecting artists who represent a diverse set of disciplines, experiences, and ideas. Artists will be notified of their acceptance into this program by no later than September 18, 2023.
Application Process: Submit all materials requested in the Google Form linked to on this webpage by no later than August 18, 2023 at midnight PT. If you have any questions about the application process or want guidance on the completion of your application, please join us at the application information session on July 27, 2023 at 5:00 pm PT. Alternatively, you can read our document “What Makes a Successful Black Futures Application?” for assistance.
Inspired by Langston Hughes’ poem of the same name, the Dream Keeper Initiative is a new, citywide effort to reinvest $120 million over the next two years from law enforcement into San Francisco’s Black and African American community. This initiative is part of Mayor London N. Breed’s roadmap for reforming public safety and addressing structural inequities in San Francisco.
The Dream Keeper by Langston Hughes
“Bring me all of your dreams,
You dreamers,
Bring me all of your
Heart melodies
That I may wrap them
In a blue cloud-cloth
Away from the too-rough fingers
Of the world.”
