Special Awards in the Arts

2024 Dance & Movement Awards Guidelines

With generous support from The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation

Created in 1987, Gerbode Foundation’s Special Awards in the Arts Program has supported the development of new works in dance, theater production, and music composition. These nationally respected awards have helped underwrite acclaimed new works that are culturally and aesthetically diverse, by emerging, mid-career and legacy artists. These grants have supported artists at critical junctures in their careers; enabled local nonprofit arts groups to produce and premiere original works; and enriched Bay Area audiences by showcasing the region’s most promising new works.

Program Overview

The Gerbode Foundation is pleased to announce a $300,000 fund for the creation and development of new dance and movement-based projects by California choreographers, culture bearers, traditional and tradition-based artists, and movement-based artists. The new dance works will be commissioned and produced by Bay Area nonprofit artist-centered organizations that can apply for grants of $50,000 each.

Program Goals

1. Recognize the exceptional contributions of innovative choreographers, culture bearers, traditional and tradition-based artists, and movement-based artists.
2. Support projects that are diverse in gender-identity, race, ethnicity, and geography.
3. Encourage and deepen the engagement between the lead artist(s) and the producing organization.
4. Support artist-centered organizations in their commitment to commission, develop, and produce new work by California artists.
5. To support organizations and companies that are deeply rooted in culturally specific communities and have a positive impact within these communities.

Organization Eligibility

Eligible applicant organizations (suggestions below):

• Dance companies
• Festivals
• Organizations that produce and present dance
• Interdisciplinary arts presenters
• Community-based arts organizations
• Organizations with a history of working with dance and movement-based artists

Note on fiscal sponsorship: We require involvement and partnership for the proposed project. Fiscal sponsors serving only as a fiduciary bridge are not eligible. Please contact the Gerbode Foundation at 510-915-8048 or special.awards@gerbode.org to confirm eligibility.

The applicant organization must:

1. Be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that has been in operation for at least 2 years.
2. Be located in Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, San Francisco, San Mateo, Solano, or Sonoma County.
3. Have an organization budget between $60K and $3M.
4. Commit to developing, producing, and fundraising for the proposed project.
5. Pay a minimum fee of $12,500 to the commissioned lead artist(s) or a minimum fee of $10,000 for each artist if the project is a collaboration.
6. Have a strong proven track record of producing and/or presenting dance or movement-based projects and paying its artists.
7. Not have an open grant in Gerbode’s Special Awards in the Arts program.
8. Not be a current recipient of a Creative Work Fund award for the same project or lead artist.
9. Submit only one application.

Lead Artist Eligibility

Individual artists may not apply directly and must be commissioned by an eligible applicant organization.

Lead artists at any career stage – emerging, mid-career or legacy – are eligible (suggestions below):

• Choreographers
• Dancers
• Movement-based artists
• Movement directors
• Traditional and tradition-based artists
• Culture bearers and master artists

The proposed lead artist(s) must:

1. Meet one of the following criteria: (1) be a current California resident or (2) have had California-based artist residencies for the development of their work in the last 5 years. If you have had significant artist residencies in the last 5 years, but live out of state, please contact Gerbode Foundation at 510-915-8048 or special.awards@gerbode.org.
2. Be a choreographer or movement-based artist who is the creative lead in the development of the proposed project.
3. Consider a project that will have significant impact on the producing organization if they are a founding choreographer of the applicant organization or company.
4. Have had at least two works developed and produced (this includes online experiences).
5. Not be a recipient of a previous choreographer or dance commissioning grant from the Gerbode Foundation. (Unfortunately, past individual artist recipients of the Special Awards in the Arts program are not eligible.)
6. Be proposed as the lead artist for only one application.

Project Eligibility

• All dance and movement-based genres, traditional and tradition-based forms will be considered.
• Proposed projects must meet the following criteria:
• Proposed projects must be new and original dance or movement-based projects that are developed and produced by the applicant organization.
• The project must be completed/presented between August 2025 and December 2027.
• Project budgets must include either:
• a minimum lead artist commissioning fee of $12,500; or
• a minimum commissioning fee of $10,000 to each lead artist if the project is a collaboration.
• Proposed projects can be at any stage of development except in rehearsal.
• The following projects and final presentations are eligible (this list is suggestive but not exhaustive):
• Live dance performances
• Film festivals
• Dance festivals
• Dance films
• Interactive media experiences
• Dance installations
• The following projects are ineligible:
• Revisions of previously presented work, unless it is substantially revised.
• Work-in-progress that is currently in rehearsal.
• Commissions solely for students and student ensembles.