Cygnet Theatre Receive Irvine Foundation Grant To Serve Military Community

SAN DIEGO–Cygnet Theatre in San Diego received a $187,000 grant from the California-based James Irvine Foundation’s Exploring Engagement Fund.

The two-year grant will be used to begin the research and implementation of a plan to provide quality theatre programs and mainstage shows for low-income military personnel and veterans in the San Diego area.

“We are pleased to be recognized by the Irvine Foundation again and grateful for the support to explore solutions to increasing theatre participation by the military community,” said Executive Director Bill Schmidt.

Cygnet has been recognized by the James Irvine Foundation with two previous grants. In 2009, Cygnet received a three-year $325,000 Irvine Arts Regional Initiative grant to improve financial management systems, develop brand identity and expand audiences. In 2007, Cygnet received a two-year $25,000 from Irvine to broaden and diversify audiences.

The U.S. Armed Forces has a large presence in San Diego, but currently Cygnet sees limited participation from the military community. Recognizing the importance of serving this segment of Californians, Cygnet became a Blue Star Theatre in February of 2015, offering deeply discounted $20 tickets for active duty military, veterans and their families. In September 2015, Cygnet launched the Seats for Soldiers program, giving patrons a chance to subsidize heavily discounted tickets so that members of Armed Forces and their families can attend a regular performance free of charge. Last year, because of this program nearly 400 tickets were distributed through three partner organizations, Operation Homefront, the USO and the Armed Forces YMCA. In addition, Cygnet held its first Military Appreciation Night on November 28, which featured family friendly activities, free refreshments, caroling and interaction between the cast of A Christmas Carol and attendees.

“This grant puts us in a position to expand upon these programs and serve the diversity of our community. If Cygnet is going to see more widespread, sustained interaction with the military community, we need to take a chance on bigger, more experimental methods of engagement,” explained Schmidt.

The proposed project will use two parallel tactics to accomplish this: interactive theatre workshops – designed in consultation with the military community to serve their needs and interests- and bringing engaging touring productions to site specific locations that military members and their families are already at.

By having the freedom to create new, authentic and focused outreach programs, combined with a comprehensive feedback program and focus groups, Cygnet will learn how to better communicate with members from this community.

Ideally, many who would otherwise not have exposure to the theatre will develop an understanding of the art and will develop a lifelong appreciation for, and ongoing association with, the theatre, either as an audience member, artist and/or technician. Cygnet also plans to use what it learns to develop a framework for engaging with other nontraditional theatre audiences.

“The experiment will help Cygnet engage in frank, authentic communication with this population. Cygnet hopes to use what is learned to better reach the military community in the future, as well as continue to develop new outreach programs,” explained Executive Director Bill Schmidt.