Opera Theatre of Saint Louis (OTSL) has announced the creation of two initiatives that will further its commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion, both on stage and in administration.
General director Andrew Jorgensen says the new steps are just one facet of OTSL’s efforts to foster equity and inclusion at the company.
“As we all know only too well, that work across our society is overdue, urgent,” Jorgensen said. “This work will take years and will never really be finished. But if Opera Theatre can play a part in opening opportunities for aspiring arts administrators and artists from underrepresented backgrounds, we will take a meaningful step towards ensuring that our company and the art on our stage reflects the rich diversity of our community. We are in a learning mode, questioning old assumptions, and excited about welcoming new voices into the conversation of what the arts can and should be doing for St. Louis.”
The first initiative, the Clayco Future Leaders Fellowship, seeks to encourage and cultivate future leaders in arts administration who come from historically underrepresented backgrounds. The program provides in-depth work experiences to build the skills, knowledge and capabilities needed to have a successful career in the arts.
Individuals who identify as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) are encouraged to apply for the program, for which participants will serve in a full-time position specializing in one department, while gaining hands-on experience in a range of essential functions across the OTSL organization. Each fellowship class will include three fellows selected from a nationwide candidate pool. All fellows will receive a full-time salary, benefits, professional development opportunities and a relocation stipend. The inaugural fellowship class will launch on Jan. 4, 2021 and conclude on July 30, 2021. Applications are being accepted through Oct. 30.
In addition, Opera Theatre has introduced the Voices Fund: A Path for Empathy, Dialogue and Change. The fund aims to amplify voices in St. Louis and beyond by supporting projects that create dialogue with the diverse voices and concerns of the region.
“The arts have a unique ability to advance difficult dialogue, especially in divisive times,” Jorgensen said. “Through the power and beauty of opera, we offer patrons the opportunity to immerse themselves in new and unfamiliar emotions and experiences and I hope an audience member may consider a perspective that might never have occurred to them previously – prompting reflection and discussion long after they leave the theater. We firmly believe that every person’s story has value, so at the end of the day, great art should hold up a mirror for our communities. It should reflect the world we live in and the changes we hope to make, so that everyone who comes into our theaters feels seen, embraced and represented.”
More than $725,000 from OTSL’s 2020 Spring Gala will be designated for the Voices Fund. The first project made possible by the fund will be “Songs for St. Louis: A Concert in the Commons,” a concert produced in conjunction with the Nine Network. The concert, which will feature three members of Opera Theatre’s 2020 Gerdine Young Artist Program, will be broadcast on Nine PBS on Monday, Nov. 16.
For more information, visit opera-stl.org.
