Greenhouse Program

ON HOLD (2011, 2018, 2019)
The back of a dancer in a studio, mid-movement standing on one leg.

02

June
About

The Greenhouse Program promotes artistic growth in emerging Chicago dancemakers with financial support for the research or development of new work with mentorship from an established/mid-career artist. Up to four dancemakers are awarded $4,000 to support their creative process as they develop new work over the course of three months. To apply, an emerging dancemaker must have the committed involvement of a mentor. An additional $1,000 is awarded to the mentor.

The Greenhouse program supports individual dancemakers no matter the context in which they create work (solo practice, partnerships, companies, collectives and collaborations). Additional Greenhouse Program support includes: rehearsal space throughout the grant period, marketing on the Chicago Dancemakers Forum website, social media and e-newsletters during the grant period, and at least one group dialogue and response session with fellow Greenhouse artists and their mentors.

Chicago Dancemakers Forum invites artists who represent the full geography of Chicago, with broad diversity of dance discipline, age, race/ethnicity, and expressions of gender to apply. Please note that artists may apply for either the Lab Artists program or the Greenhouse program, but not both. 

A competitive application will be:
  • unique to you,​

  • specific,

  • concise,

  • and honest.​

A competitive application demonstrates...
  • A body of quality and distinctive work for an early-career artist

  • Clear artistic vision

  • Commitment level of the mentor and match with the applicant

  • Potential for artistic growth during the program

Eligibility

Chicago Dancemakers Forum invites dancemakers living in Chicago and vicinity who identify with the following statements to apply:

  • I have 2-4 years of dancemaking experience, creating at least three works in that time; I consider myself to be an emerging artist.

  • I am currently and actively engaged in dancemaking in the greater Chicagoland area.

  • I have the capacity and the to fully participate and to benefit from artistic interchange with a mentor from July to October 2019.

Restrictions:
  • Greenhouse artists' primary residences must be located in the greater Chicago metropolitan area during the duration of the program (July - October 2019). Applicants with dual-residency will not be considered.

  • Students enrolled in degree programs at the time of application are not eligible for the Greenhouse program.

  • Artists previously funded through the Lab Artists or Greenhouse programs are not eligible to apply.

  • Chicago Dancemakers Forum takes all possible measures to insure that the panel selection process is free of conflict of interest and favoritism. In keeping with that goal, anyone who has been employed as staff, as a consultant, or as a part of the leadership body for Chicago Dancemakers Forum may not apply to any of its granting programs until a full year has passed since the end of their employment before the application deadline. Excepted from this rule are interns who have earned less than $5k in a given year, or who have worked for school credit.

Image Captions and Credits: Connie Shiau, by Max Thomsen