BTU was proud to host this remarkable and historic collaboration. It was an important first step to reopening our industry with a bright spotlight focused on diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, and belonging for Black professionals in the arts. Though one of many initiatives created by Black, BIPOC and allied organizations since the death of George Floyd, BTU’s Summit was the first to bring together all areas of our industry from theatre owners, producers, creatives, casting and unions. After working diligently with our partners and collaborators we were able to finalize the New Deal, which now has over 100 signatories. The continued implementation of the New Deal is overseen by BTU, Kenji Yoshino and David Glasgow from the Center for Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging at NYU School of Law and a committee of New Deal signatories. A summit is held every year for signatories to discuss progress made over the year and challenges faced.
Black Theatre United’s Broadway Marketing Internship Program is an initiative dedicated to creating new opportunities for emerging Black talent in all areas of theatre. The spirit of this initiative is one of equity and inclusion, two of the core values at the heart of BTU, which was formed to protect and promote Black talent, Black people, and Black lives. During the eight-week program, interns work with the top marketing and advertising agencies in New York City. Interns are employed by one of the agencies. The intern program has a rich and robust plan to provide learnings within the agency and within the industry. Fields of focus include: research, strategic planning, creative development/art direction, media planning and buying, social media, content development, partnership marketing, sales analysis, and production.
A transformative 10-12 week initiative designed to bring the magic of Broadway to public charter schools in underrepresented, low-economic communities. The BTU Broadway Bound program, taking place during the school year, aims to integrate Common Core standards into a dynamic Broadway theory and theatrics curriculum.
This ongoing series features panels and group discussions of topics relevant to the Black theatre and corporate experience. Experts in many fields across the theatrical industry, from actors to producers, sound designers to stage managers, the Founders of BTU are eager to share their insights as Black theater professionals, discuss the genesis of Black Theatre United, the journey thus far, and what is to come. Previous topics have also included EDIAB, mentorship, and network building.
BTU Town Halls include discussions and meetings with Founders engaging with subject matter experts, decision makers, and advocates on topics related to our priorities. Our Town Halls are designed to educate the community, amplify the issues, and mobilize the Black community and allies. We may invite other celebrity friends to join our discussions, as we have in the past. We will bring these impactful sessions to live audiences and possibly using the TED Talk format. Live Town Halls will be recorded for distribution and we will continue to conduct virtual Town Halls as appropriate.
Over the spring and summer of 2024, BTU gathered together many of the leading designers across the fields of costume, lighting, scenography, videography, makeup, hair, sound, special effects, and projections to form a Designer Think Tank. Following a series of in-depth conversations facilitated by BTU Founders Lisa Dawn Cave, Carin Ford and Michael McElroy, Black Theatre United will launch its newest initiative this fall. Our unified focus highlights our combined commitment to inform, create access, provide opportunities and develop pathways into the various fields of design. BTU’s Designers Initiative, is a three part program aimed to inform and educate Artists of Color about the world and people designing for the theatre. Phase one beginning September 6th reveals, through a series of mini-documentaries, the creative lives of artists in the design world: who they are, their journeys and their work. Before the Curtain Rises: The Designers Series will be available on BTU’s new YouTube Channel as well as our other existing social platforms. Phase 2 The BTU HUB will be launched the following month. Starting October 1st, the Black Theatre United website will host a database with information on upcoming scholarships, internships, grants, initiatives, residencies, fellowships, and educational opportunities related to the many fields of design. Built in collaboration with our Designer Think Tank, this phase places the many opportunities that exist for up and coming and established designers all in one place. The database will continually evolve as more opportunities are shared and uploaded on our site. The final phase will launch in the summer of 2025. BTU Design Expo will provide access to the many designers across all fields in the theatre industry through panels, discussions, presentations, innovations in the field, portfolio review, and the latest information on research within the design field. This last phase is in development with one of New York’s top research and performance institutions.
