Support Artists, Equity, Economic Access, and Community Engagement.
Become a Co-Producer for The Waves.

This page is for folks interested in partnering with us as Co-Producers on our next big project, The Waves. Co-Producers provide essential financial support and help us engage community for the QAF public activities in 2023. We’re looking for 8-10 households to join us.

Our Artistic Director, Charlie, would love to chat with you about the project and how we can work together to bring it to life. He’s available at 415.407.9393 or via email at cslender@factsf.org.

The Waves is a new contemporary dance work that explores how light waves, sound waves, and brain waves function, and the different impacts they have on people. This project is oriented around neurodivergence, sensory divergence, and the concept of ‘intersubjectivity’ - the dynamic negotiation of two people’s subjective perspectives regarding the same event or phenomena.

This project The project will debut as part of ODC Theater’s Season in April 2025. Research is currently in progress, rehearsals start in February 2023. We have a goal of raising at least $30,000 from Co-Producers by March 3, 2023.

Our main goal for this project is to create a new piece of art that centers neurodivergent and sensory divergent experiences and is not only accessible for, but also relevant to, audiences from those communities. In July 2023, lead artist Charlie Slender-White was hit by a car while crossing the street and I suffered a severe traumatic brain injury. Following the accident, and in addition to a range of physical side effects, his cognitive abilities and perception of reality shifted dramatically. These changes included an inability to recognize emotional content in conversations, facial expressions, and body language, double hearing (hearing one sound at two different pitches), an inability to follow multiple threads in one conversation, total loss of smell, and more. This challenging experience has led to a new set of questions and curiosities that are providing inspiration for a new work of art.  A more detailed project description is available here.

Like all of FACT/SF’s work, The Waves is conceived via a cultural equity and social justice lens. For us, this means cast and crew that is at least 50% LGBTQ+ and at least 50% BIPOC, economic access for all members of the public wishing to attend, ADA accessible venues, and a range of accessibility services available on-site for anyone who needs them. Of our 31 artists and arts workers on QAF, 90% are LGBTQ+ and 55% are BIPOC.

QAF is supported by 2 major grants, six community partners, individual donors, and ticket sales revenue (more on our budget below). In the non-profit concert dance world, it is always precarious to balance affordable ticket prices alongside artist compensation. We need your help.

Our goal is that QAF Co-Producers will donate an average of $4,400 per household. Across 10 households, this will allow us to keep all of the QAF activities inclusive and accessible, while compensating our team at an equitable hourly rate.

Donate here to help us reach our $36,400 goal!

Below are details about the QAF production budget as well as our governing mission and vision statements.

Mission
FACT/SF believes that civic life is made more vibrant by the cultural contributions of dance artists, and that a robust and healthy arts ecosystem enables all artists to create at their greatest potential. In service of these beliefs, we produce our own adventurous and composed contemporary dance performances for the public, employ and model ethical work practices, and design and offer programs that support dance artists in their work.

Vision
FACT/SF envisions a world where dance artists have the agency to make the work they want, with the people they want, and for the people they want. FACT/SF is seeding an ecosystem where:

• Dance artists have equitable access to the necessary and relevant resources, training, and community required to enter and remain in the field.

• Dance knowledge and resources are shared across communities, regions, generations, economies, and identities, working from a model of resource abundance.

• Gatekeepers listen to artists and prioritize their needs and interests.

• Performing arts events are accessible to all people, as are educational tools and resources for expanding one’s understanding and appreciation of the arts.

QAF Production Budget - $92,160

• People

  • $64,250 in compensation to 31 artists and arts workers

  • 70% of total production budget

  • FACT/SF believes in pay equality, and all QAF collaborators will be paid the same rate ($30/hour)

  • 90% of our collaborators are LGTBQ+ and 55% are BIPOC

• Rehearsal & Performance Venues

  • $6,500 in rental costs for rehearsal and performance space

  • 7% of total production budget

• Additional Production Costs

  • $21,410 in additional production costs

  • 23% of total production budget

  • Includes payroll taxes and fees, workers’ comp insurance, liability and accident insurance, set materials, costumes, community interviews, etc.

QAF Income

• Grants - $29,000 (confirmed)

  • 31% of total production income

  • California Arts Council ($19,000)

  • San Francisco Grants for the Arts ($10,000)

• In-Kind Support - $11,700 (confirmed)

  • 13% of total production income

  • Logistics, facilities, and staff support at Tunnel Tops in the Presidio

  • 6 days of subsidized venue rental at ODC Theater

  • Rehearsal space at CounterPulse

• Ticket Sales - $7,500 (projected)

  • 8% of total production income

  • $25 average ticket price, 300 tickets

  • Free tickets available to all who need them

• Co-Producers - $36,400 (projected)

  • 40% of total production budget

  • Goal is $4,400 each from 8-10 households

  • Directly supports artist fees for QAF and accessibility services for community members who require additional support to experience QAF.

• Supporting Partners - $7,600 (projected)

  • 8% of total production budget

  • Goal is $760 each from 10 households

  • Directly supports artist fees for QAF and ticket subsidies for those who cannot afford a full price tickets.

Donate $4,400 and Co-Produce QAF with us.