FRONT PORCH ARTS COLLECTIVE OF BOSTON
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Mission Statement
The Front Porch Arts Collective is a black theatre company committed to advancing racial equity in Boston through theater. The Porch serves all of Boston, however our work directly promotes communities that identify as part of the African Diaspora. This includes, but is not limited to African-American, Afro-Latino, Afro-Caribbean, African, and Multi-racial communities. Our approach to advancing racial equity in Boston through art is two-fold: 1. Create a sustainable, nationally recognized Black theatre company that centers the people and narratives of the African Diaspora and maintains a commitment to Black organizational leadership while employing primarily Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) 2. Partner with other organizations to build community and education programs that advance DEI and anti-racist practices across the arts and culture ecosystem.
About This Cause
Our values are: Cultural Inclusion, Community Advancement, and Impactful Legacy. Racism in Boston -- both overt and structural -- has deeply affected the City’s theatre community. The Boston Globe’s 2017 Spotlight series on race specifically called out the visible cultural segregation in the arts. Boston has not had a professional black theatre company employing artists of color and demanding the consideration of major news outlets for nearly a decade. Theatre audiences, even for predominantly black productions, are usually 90-100% white. Black people are shut out of theatre audiences by myriad invisible barriers. Black audiences often find the theatrical space elitist and unwelcoming. In a 2019 survey by the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Black Non-Hispanic participants overwhelmingly agreed with the statements that arts and humanities “Attract Elitists,” are “Not for people like me” and are “A waste of time.” (The Humanities in American Life: Insights from a 2019 Survey of the Public’s Attitudes & Engagement, November, 2020). As a black theater company committed to rewriting those narratives, The Porch’s name signifies a communal spirit, inspiring us to serve communities of color and produce art that is inclusive of all communities and welcoming to all audiences. We are confident we can achieve our goals. In the same 2019 survey, when asked what they value about the arts and humanities, Black Non-Hispanic participants said they are a great way to “spend time with friends and family,” be “part of (their) local community,” and promote a “meaningful and happy life.” The Porch is creating a community where Black / African diasporic audiences can connect, feel at home, and are allowed to be their authentic selves. Collaboration has been key to our growth since founding the company in 2016. The Porch has been in residence at The Huntington Theatre Company since September 2021, and will be co-producing with them Spring 2023. We've also collaborated with other predominantly white organizations (PWO) in our community to produce theatre that centers black narratives. Several Community & Education Programs have been implemented through partnership with Mass General Hospital (MGH); Mass Institute of Technology (MIT); Community Art Center (Cambridge); WBUR. From our inception, we were committed to creating real productions and paying people real salaries. We bypassed the fringe level that is common on the trajectory of theatre company growth. At the fringe level, artists are either asked to volunteer their time or are paid very small stipends. Many organizations focused on telling the stories of BIPOC communities never move past this level. As a Black-led organization dedicated to telling stories of the Diaspora and employing primarily BIPOC artists and administrators, The Porch believes it is critical to disrupt that trend as a matter of equity, and we committed to paying sustainable salaries from our earliest days. With the help of our partners, we were able to do this while also producing successful, award winning productions and gaining national attention. Equally important to The Porch’s art making is our community-facing and educational programming: The Young Critics Program - This program strives to incubate and foster the next generation of arts critics through a series of workshops with critics, editors, writers, and theater artists. Participants learn the fundamentals of arts reporting and criticism by attending performances across the greater Boston area. Participants receive a stipend upon completion of the program. High School and College Students Mentorship Program: Through this program, BIPOC students work under the mentorship of a professional costume, set, or lighting designer. This program addresses Boston’s need for more theatrical designers of color, by exposing students, particularly students of color, to the process of theatrical design in hopes of inspiring them to continue working in the arts and in Boston. Participants receive a stipend or college credit upon completion of the program. Assistant Director Program – This program employs aspiring directors of color for the Porch’s productions with the goal of providing participants with work experience as well as connections to established Boston union theaters who have the power and ability to hire and elevate diverse talent. Assistant Directors’ responsibilities include dramaturgy, actor coaching, and design meetings. Stipends are paid to participants upon completion. #BlackOutBoston - The Porch periodically designates a performances exclusively for Black audiences. The goal of this program is to remove common barriers that Black audiences experience in predominantly White theatre spaces. The program was featured in WBUR, New York Times and BBC America.