Ford Theatres invites theater companies to apply to the [Inside] the Ford (ITF) Winter Partnership Program. The program provides Los Angeles County-based theater companies the opportunity to produce in the 87-seat [Inside] the Ford at a low cost and with significant marketing, box office and house management support. Companies whose budgets are less than $500,000 and who have a minimum of three years of theater producing experience within the past five years are eligible. The fifth annual ITF Winter Partnership season is scheduled to run October 2012 through May 2013.

“[Inside] the Ford is a wonderful space with outstanding technical resources,” said Ford managing director Adam Davis. “The quality of the venue, combined with the staff support provided by the Ford, makes this program an excellent opportunity for theater companies dealing with the considerable expense of producing in Los Angeles.”

Similar to a grant program, proposals for the [Inside] the Ford Winter Partnership Program are considered on a competitive basis. The Arts Commission will partner with three theater companies and assist each to present a proposed theatrical work.

Before opening a proposal application, prospective applicants should first read the program’s guidelines. Both the guidelines and application are available at http://fordtheatres.org/en/opportunity/apply_itf

The deadline to apply is Wednesday, March 14.  Workshops about the [Inside] the Ford Winter Partnership Program and how to submit a competitive proposal will be held on Monday, February 13 at 7 pm and Tuesday, February 28 at 7 pm at the Ford Theatres complex, 2580 Cahuenga Blvd. East, in the Hollywood Hills. First time applicants to the program are required to attend a workshop.

Parking for these workshops is free. Please RSVP with your name, organization, email address and phone number to publicevents@arts.lacounty.gov or call 323-856-5793.

The indoor theater space at the Ford has a history of serving intimate theater in L.A. For decades numerous groups rented the theater, most notably the Mark Taper Forum, who made it the home of the Taper, Too from 1972 to 1997. In 1998 the space was extensively renovated and re-named [Inside] the Ford. Its first season, 1998-99, featured three productions presented under the Los Angeles County Art Commission’s subsidized rental program designed to help theater companies without permanent facilities. From 2000-01 through 2003-04, [Inside] the Ford hosted “Hot Properties,” seasons of new plays and musicals co-produced by County-based theater companies and the Arts Commission and supported by A.S.K. Theater Projects and the James Irvine Foundation. From 2005-2008, [Inside] the Ford was the home of the Ensemble Theatre Collective, known as ETC@ITF, a collaboration of five L.A.-based theater companies and the Arts Commission supported in part by the Flintridge Foundation. The [Inside] the Ford New Play Series was launched in 2008-09.

For more information on the Arts Commission, consult the Arts Commission online press kit: http://lacountyarts.org/page/pubnewspress.