ensembletheaters.net/
Mission Statement:

A national coalition of ensembles created by and for artists, the Network of Ensemble Theaters (NET) exists to propel ensemble theater practice to the forefront of American culture and society.  NET links a diverse array of ensembles and practitioners to one another and the performing arts field, encouraging collaborations and knowledge building and dissemination. NET is committed to the advancement of the ensemble form and strives to bring about change in the world beyond ourselves through the transformative power of collaborative theater.  We support bold artistic and civic experiments and aim to heighten the impact and excellence of ensemble theater.

Statement of Purpose:

The purpose of the Network of Ensemble Theaters (NET) is to:

Advocate. NET organizes and promotes ensemble theatre making as a distinct element of the U.S. theatre, amplifying our collective voice for local and national impact. NET serves as a resource to private foundations and government funders, as well as artists’ unions and educational institutions.

Build Knowledge. A tremendous amount of knowledge exists within individuals and companies.  NET collects, organizes and distributes this learning to deepen artistic investigations and organizational innovations. NET commissions case studies, convenes our members and offers professional development opportunities to enhance and share field knowledge.

Sustain Ensembles. Through our programs and initiatives, NET strives to secure the future of ensemble theatermaking by supporting the growth, health and survival of America’s ensemble. Ensembles ABC offers formal knowledge sharing and mentorship opportunities to improve ensemble organizational and artistic capacity building.

Manifesto

The Network of Ensemble Theaters was created by and for artists. We exist to support those who have dedicated their life’s work to creating theater through the ensemble process.

Some ensembles create original work; others work interpretively or with adaptations. Some ensembles are rooted in the community, whether that community is geographic, intellectual, aesthetic, or ethnic. Other ensembles consciously stand apart from community in order to critique and provoke. All of us create theater that is meaningful to each member and to our diverse audiences. We prize most highly the benefits that arise from artists working together over extended periods of time.

The most unique aspect of our work is that the primary decision-making power rests in the hands of the artists. Ensemble theater is the antithesis of the corporate model that dominates the theatrical landscape in America today. Our resources are dedicated to supporting artists and the artistic process.

NET is sparked by the vital and enduring international heritage of collective theater making. Our work is committed to the unique event of the living stage, where the imagination of artist and audience is linked in social communion and mutual creativity.

By joining together in a Network of Ensemble Theaters we strive to give strength to each other; to share our resources; to create a forum for controversy and debate; to document and articulate the heritage and body of work of ensemble practice; and to maximize our ability to bring about change in the world beyond ourselves through the transformative power of collaborative theater.

ensembletheaters@gmail.com