13.6.142.316 Application
Florida Studio Theatre, Inc.

Proposal Information

Item	Response
Application #	13.6.142.316
Program	General Program Support
Proposal Type	Discipline-Based
Funding Category	Level 3
Discipline	Professional Theatre
Applicant is requesting REDI waiver	N/A
Residency Contact Hours	N/A
Proposal Synopsis	Florida Studio Theatre seeks funding to support its six major program areas: Mainstage, Cabaret, Stage III, New Play Development, Education and Touring. Florida Studio Theatre is Sarasota's contemporary theatre and a nationally recognized LORT theatre with 24,450 subscribers. In accordance with its mission point “to make theatre accessible and affordable to as many people as possible,” Florida Studio Theatre serves over 160,000 attendees per year.

Applicant Information

Item	Response
Corporate Name	Florida Studio Theatre, Inc.
DBA Name	N/A
Federal Employer ID	23-7362760
Principal Address	1241 North Palm Avenue Sarasota, FL 34236-5602
County	Sarasota
Applicant Email Address	rebecca@floridastudiotheatre.org
Grant Contact	Nicole Bonito, Development
Authorized Official	Rebecca Langford, Managing Director
Website	www.floridastudiotheatre.org

Mission Statement

Florida Studio Theatre holds the following mission:

• To make theatre affordable as accessible to as many people as possible.

• To present theatre that challenges with as much gusto as it entertains.

• To be a positive, vital change agent in the community.

• To operate within and for the public trust.

Proposal Description

Florida Studio Theatre is Sarasota's contemporary theatre. Located in the heart of the downtown arts district, FST is a nationally recognized LORT theatre with 24,450 subscribers. According to Theatre Communications Group, this is the fifth largest subscription base of any TCG member theatre in the country, behind theatres in giant markets, such as The Goodman Theatre in Chicago and Lincoln Center Theater in New York. In accordance with its mission point “to make theatre accessible and affordable to as many people as possible,” Florida Studio Theatre serves over 160,000 attendees per year, through its 6 major programs.

The goal over the next year is to create rich, vital theatre experiences that respond deeply to the theatre’s mission and resonate throughout the community and beyond. Individual goals for each of the main program areas are identified through FST’s Long-Range Plan. They remain:

(1) To produce the best in contemporary theatre by producing plays that speak to a living, evolving & dynamically changing world;
(2) To build a broad-based audience that is reflective of the world, so that we can put the world on the stage & reflect it back to our audience;
(3) To explore new theatre forms & in doing so create new audiences;
(4) To cause the creation of new plays by established & emerging writers;
(5) To deepen our relationship with artists & organizations on the local and national scene;
(6) To ensure a vital, affordable, accessible theatre that reflects the concerns of a diverse society;
(7) To provide excellent theatre for children & to train them in the language & thought of the theatre;
(8) To maintain a thriving and supportive work environment for artists;
(9) To renovate and construct new facilities; to remain at the forefront of integrating technology accelerators into the operation of the theatre;
(10) To be accountable to our audiences and donors by operating with fiscal responsibility.

Objectives:
(1) Maintain an environment in which artistic, production and administrative staff members can grow.
(2) Expand the theatre’s volunteer base to support administrative, production and artistic staff in the implementation of increased programming without increasing staff size.
(3) Increase the theatre’s subscription base for each of the organization’s three performance venues.
(4) Increase the theatre’s single ticket buyers for each of the organization’s three performance venues.
(4) Increase the number of plays in development through the New Play Development Program.
(5) Increase the reach and impact of FST’s WRITE A PLAY program throughout the state of Florida.
(6) Expand the theatre’s educational impact on disadvantaged youth in the in region and state.
(7) Increase the number of adult students and guest artists participating the FST Lab classes.
(8) Increase the audience’s engagement in the artistic process.
(9) Continue offering free tickets and subsidized educational programming to those in need.
(10) Increase utilization of FST’s website and online services by attendees.
(11) To continue to make improvements to the Gompertz Theatre, enhancing the audience’s experience in that facility.

Activities & Timeline:
Mainstage – Now completing its 37th season, the Mainstage is FST's flagship program, producing the best in contemporary American theatre. The Mainstage Series features seven annual productions that draw from new works, regionally produced works, and the latest off-Broadway and Broadway plays. (Timeline: Winter Mainstage productions run from Nov. – May. Summer Mainstage runs June – Aug.)

Stage III – Stage III is dedicated to the presentation of socially significant productions, stimulating audiences by presenting challenging content and unique form. Off-Center, an expansion of the Stage III offerings, provides quirky, popular plays that otherwise might not be seen in Sarasota. (Timeline: Stage III productions run from Jan. – May.)

Cabaret – Housed in the intimate Goldstein Cabaret Theatre, this program celebrates the lyric poets of our time, as well as presenting social and political satire. In addition, the Cabaret is home to FST Improv, which attracts a younger audience to the theatre. (Timeline: Winter Cabaret productions run from Oct. – June. Improv runs from Feb. – Aug.)

New Play Development – FST's new play development attracts playwrights, actors, directors, and designers from around the country to create, produce and present premiere productions. For example the 2004 Mainstage production The Bully Pulpit enjoyed critical acclaim in an Off-Broadway run during the summer of 2008. (Timeline: R&D of new plays and closed-door readings are ongoing; public readings are held throughout the season as warranted; Cabaret development takes place from summer through fall; the Young Playwrights Festival and Burdick Reading Series take place in May.)

Touring – The WRITE A PLAY touring program impacts students in grades K-12, with a special emphasis on underserved youth throughout Florida. FST's tours inspire 50,000 children and teens to write their own original plays. (Timeline: Fall Children’s Show runs Oct. – Dec.; Playmakers runs Nov. – Mar.; Secondary Workshops run Nov. – Mar.; Under Six runs Apr. – May; Residencies run Oct. – Dec.; YPF Day in May.)

Education – FST's Education program offers children and adults a wealth of opportunities to discover their creativity. Accessibility is ensured through programming for financially disadvantaged, physically and mentally challenged youth, and nursing home residents. (Timeline: Education classes run year-round, including a summer camp for children.)

Florida Studio Theatre’s year-round programming serves 160,000 attendees each year – a greater number than any other Sarasota or Manatee County performaing arts venue. For more information on programs and a detailed timeline, please see the included support materials.

Culture Builds Florida's Future

1. Strengthening the Economy

   The Florida Studio Theatre campus is a village of theatres - the historic Keating Theatre; the turn of the century Parisian style Goldstein Cabaret; and the industrial style Gompertz Theatre - located in the heart of Sarasota's vibrant and historic arts district. A short distance from the Sarasota Bay, FST brings energy and vitality to the downtown area. Each of the theatres is small in size and large in impact, reaching more than 160,000 attendees yearly - one person at a time.

   According to “Arts & Economic Prosperity: The Economic Impact of Nonprofit Arts Organizations and Their Audiences in Sarasota County, FL,” a study by Americans for the Arts, Sarasota arts patrons spend an average of more than $34 per person, per event, not including the cost of admission. Of FST’s 160,000 patrons, 100,000 are adults that are drawn to the theatre from around the region and across the country into downtown Sarasota, where they dine at local restaurants and purchase goods from neighborhood merchants. The Americans for the Arts study goes on to demonstrate that out-of-town arts patrons spend more, on average, than local arts patrons. During the 2009-10 season, more than 34% of the seats sold by FST were to patrons outside of Sarasota County, who are more likely to require meals and overnight lodging.

   According to the Americans for the Arts study, the arts are the 5th largest employer in Sarasota County. Florida Studio Theatre employs over 30 full-time staff, 20 part time staff and more than 100 artists each year from around the country. These are people who reside in Sarasota for anywhere from three months to dozens of years, earning and spending their income here and becoming a vital part of the local economy.

2. Learning and Wellness

   Every patron attending Florida Studio Theatre becomes actively engaged in lifelong learning. Whether through a Mainstage production such as Race, the David Mamet play that debates the role of race in our lives, or a Cabaret show of social and political satire like Laughing Matters: Unconditional Surrender, FST meets patrons where they are, and then engages them in the journey of theatre.

   Children play as a means of understanding themselves within the context of the greater world; adults go to plays to learn about “the other.” Lifelong learning takes place through the diversity of programming on FST’s stages:

   • Contemporary American theatre in the Mainstage Series, engaging the audience with the issues of the day.

   • Musical revues, satire and improv in the Cabaret Program, drawing new audiences of all ages so they can begin their educational journey through theatre.

   • Stage III, challenging audiences to rethink their perceptions of the world.

   • Seeking out new perspectives on what it means to be human through New Play Development, introducing plays like Black Pearl Sings!, a discourse of who owns the rights to shared cultural heritage, first seen by Sarasota audiences as a reading in the 2008 New Play Festival before opening as a full production the following year.

   • Engaging the community in forum discussions going beyond the play to delve into the issues raised therein. Multiple talks are held over the course of months; the syllabus for each discussion is determined by where the previous one left off. Supplemented by a weblog.

   • The WRITE A PLAY Program impacts 50,000 students each year, from grades K-12, promoting literacy.

   • FST’s Theatre School promotes self-expression for children and adults through workshops and classes such as Behind the Scenes which follows the progress of a play from inception to performance.

3. Building Leadership

   “Florida Studio Theatre has been a vital part of the cultural community of Sarasota for over 30 years. They have always been a leader in outreach to underserved residents.” -Steve Queior, President/CEO, Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce

   FST builds leadership by engaging in its community, in pursuit of its mission point “to be a positive, vital change agent in the community.” Executive staff has served on boards & advisory committees for the Arts and Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County, the Cultural Exec. Committee, & the Nonprofit Resource Center. Local foundations (e.g. Gulf Coast Community Fdn. of Venice, Sarasota Cty. Community Fdn.) have sought FST’s aid in the formulation of long-range plans.

   FST has built leadership throughout the 20 years of its WRITE A PLAY program, working with county school boards, administrators & educators. The first area theatre to offer a summer camp, FST also led the pack in reaching out to youth with special needs through its VIP program.

   Local nonprofit and civic agencies that FST has partnered with include:
   Planned Parenthood
   Police Activities League
   Sarasota Manatee Jewish Federation
   Coexistence, Inc.
   Boys & Girls Clubs
   Girls, Inc.
   YMCA
   Sarasota Chamber of Commerce
   Convention and Visitor’s Bureau

   FST has led collaborations with local arts and cultural organizations, most recently, by teaming with Embracing Our Differences to bus students to Under Six and the Sarasota Orchestra in its production of Michael Hollinger’s Opus. FST partners throughout the community, e.g. with the Sarasota County Library system, SarasotaOne Bookstore and the State Attorney’s Office.

   FST also works with national and international theatre organizations, e.g.:
   League of Resident Theatres
   Theatre Communications Group
   National New Play Network
   Actors Equity Assoc.
   Society of Directors & Choreographers
   United Scenic Artists
   Tessitura Network

   Each relationship that FST develops is meaningful, providing both partners with valuable programs, skills, and/or knowledge.

4. Design and Development

   FST’s artistic campus consists of 3 theatres and an administrative building:

   The Keating Theatre is a historic facility built in 1914 and listed in the National Register of Historic Places. FST has advanced design and development the neighborhood by renovating this building several times, while maintaining its historic look & feel.

   The Goldstein Cabaret was designed & built in 1995 to complement the aesthetic of existing neighborhood structures, while providing the atmosphere of a 19th Century Parisian Cabaret.

   The Gompertz Theatre, purchased in 2003, was built in 1926. The current phase of renovations will advance development by modernizing & going “green” without compromising the original 1920’s Mediterranean façade.

   The Sudakoff Theatre Wing houses FST’s offices and has been maintained in its original 1970’s Sarasota School of Architecture style.

   Thanks to a DCA Cultural Facilities Grant, FST has landscaped the campus with native flora, receiving a Civic Beautification Award from the Sarasota Garden Club.

   Because of its location on a historic block in the heart of the city, any changes to FST’s facilities are executed through partnership with the city and local community.

   Beginning this summer, FST will embark on a new growth phase, renovating and expanding its Gompertz Theatre, and building a second Cabaret as well as a Lab Theatre. The resulting structures will create excellent frontage on a prominent Sarasota intersection, drawing increased pedestrian traffic to the area.

Proposal Estimates

Estimated Number of	Response	Instructions to the Applicant
school based youth benefiting	50,000	Enter the number of individuals under the age of 18 that are expected to be participating in organized school based cultural events. This figure should reflect a portion of the total individuals benefiting.
non-school based youth benefiting	800	Enter the number of individuals under the age of 18 that are expected to be participating in non-school based cultural events. This figure should reflect a portion of the total individuals benefiting.
elders benefiting	33,440	Enter the number of individuals over the age of 65 that are expected to benefit from the proposal activities. This figure should reflect a portion of the total individuals benefiting.
artists participating	172	Enter the estimated number of professional artists that will be directly involved in providing artistic services specifically identified with the proposal. Include living artists whose work is represented in an exhibition regardless of whether the work was provided by the artist or by an institution. This figure should reflect a portion of the total individuals benefiting.
individuals benefiting	161,132	Give the total number of individuals that are expected to be involved in proposal activities as artists, non-artists, participants, or audience members. This number should include the values listed for youth, elders and artists.
proposal events	71	How many different events will be produced or presented within the grant period as a part of this proposal? Be sure to list different events, not performances. For example, a musical performed 10 times is only one event, but a musical performed 10 times and workshop done once are two events.
opportunities for public participation	1,490	Each event will have one or more opportunities for public participation. For example a musical performed 10 times is one event with 10 opportunities for public participation.

Project/Program Location

• Broward
• Charlotte
• Collier
• DeSoto
• Gulf
• Hardee
• Lee
• Manatee
• Marion
• Miami-Dade
• Pinellas
• Putnam
• Sarasota
• St. Johns
• St. Lucie
• Volusia
• Walton

Proposal Impact

Florida Studio Theatre is nestled in the heart of Sarasota's downtown arts district. On any given Saturday, more than 1,000 people enter this village of theatres to immerse themselves its six programs: Mainstage, Cabaret, Stage III, New Play Development, Education and Touring. FST serves more than 160,000 attendees each year – one person at a time.

As previously mentioned, “Arts & Economic Prosperity: The Economic Impact of Nonprofit Arts Organizations and Their Audiences in Sarasota County, FL,” a study by Americans for the Arts, finds that on top of the theatre admission price, Sarasota arts patrons spend an average of more than $34 per person/per event in the community. Of FST’s 160,000 patrons, 100,000 are adults that are drawn to the theatre from around the region and across the country into downtown Sarasota, where they dine at local restaurants and purchase goods from neighborhood merchants, spending $3.4 Million each year. The Americans for the Arts study goes on to demonstrate that out-of-town arts patrons spend more, on average, than local arts patrons. During the 2009-10 season, more than 34% of the seats sold by FST were to patrons outside of Sarasota County, who are more likely to require meals and overnight lodging. This is in addition to the $4 Million that FST invests directly into the local economy, through:

• Salaries paid to employees who live and shop in Sarasota,

• Vendors (e.g. printers, plumbers/air conditioning repair, utilities), and

• Local business (e.g. dry cleaners, hardware stores, office supply stores, gasoline).

According to the Americans for the Arts study, the arts are the 5th largest employer in Sarasota County. Florida Studio Theatre employs more than 30 full-time staff, 20 part time staff, and 20 interns, as well as more than 100 artists each year from around the country. These are people who reside in Sarasota for anywhere from three months to dozens of years, earning and spending their income here and becoming a vital part of the local economy.

FST is a member of the League of Resident Theatres. As the largest professional theatre association of its kind LORT has 76 member theatres and holds collective bargaining agreements with Actor’s Equity Association, Society of Directors & Choreographers, and United Scenic Artists. This ensures that artists contracting with LORT theatres such as FST receive the highest pay within the nonprofit theatre world. In addition, FST utilizes Theatre Communications Group’s salary survey to ensure that artistic staff members are compensated at fair market value.

Education and outreach:
WRITE A PLAY (WAP)
Since 1991, WRITE A PLAY, an arts-in-education initiative, has introduced thousands of students to professional theatre providing them with the skills and motivation to create original plays. Using high energy, interactive performances and workshops, WAP provides children, aged 5-18, with exercises in critical and creative thinking while promoting literacy and strengthening language and communication skills. This program impacts more than 50,000 students across the state of Florida each year.

Theatre School
Since 1982, FST’s Theatre School has offered a wealth of opportunities for children and adults to discover their creativity through theatre workshops and classes.

Youth workshops target children and teens ages 5-18 and offer an original training method developed from over 2 decades of experience. Classes are offered throughout the school year, offering acing, dance, improv, musical theatre, and sketch comedy.

Adult workshops offer a creative forum to explore their human and artistic potential.
Year-round classes offering acting, voice, improv, storytelling and theatre appreciation.

Scholarships are offered to children and adults with financial need, as well as disabled youth.

For more information on these programs, please see support materials.

Operating Budget

	Operating Expenses	Completed Fiscal Year ending 9/30/10
1.	Personnel: Administrative	537,671
2.	Personnel: Programmatic	840,695
3.	Personnel: Technical/Production	227,722
4.	Outside Fees and Services: Programmatic	280,704
5.	Outside Fees and Services: Other	23,002
6.	Space Rental, Rent or Mortgage	34,349
7.	Travel	105,794
8.	Marketing	321,563
9.	Remaining Operating Expenses	1,669,965
A.	Total Cash Expenses	$4,041,465
B.	In-kind Contributions	$77,450
C.	Total Operating Expenses	$4,118,915
	Operating Income	Completed Fiscal Year ending 9/30/10
10.	Revenue: Admissions	1,848,095
11.	Revenue: Contracted Services	386,426
12.	Revenue: Other	1,022,580
13.	Private Support: Corporate	34,500
14.	Private Support: Foundation	215,660
15.	Private Support: Other	733,200
16.	Government Support: Federal	15,000
17.	Government Support: State/Regional	25,000
18.	Government Support: Local/County	92,233
19.	Applicant Cash
D.	Total Cash Income	$4,372,694
B.	In-kind Contributions	$77,450
E.	Total Operating Income	$4,450,144

Additional Operating Budget Information

Florida Studio Theatre’s 2009-2010 season was a banner year, exceeding earned income projections across the board. Age-related attrition has been overwhelmed by a growth in sales of new subscriptions & single tickets. This has allowed FST to grow earned income and stabilize its major programs during a period that is otherwise fiscally tumultuous.

By moving one Winter Mainstage & one Summer Mainstage production into the Gompertz Theatre, FST has given itself room in its calendar to extend runs. This has not only increased its subscriber base but also made room for single ticket sales. This has worked so well that we continue to keep an extension window in the schedule to reap the greatest benefit from hit shows. In the 2010-2011 season FST has sold more than 10,750 Winter Mainstage subscriptions - a 16% increase in subscription sales over the 2009-2010 season. Cabaret subscriptions sold out for the 2010-2011 season, increasing 10% over the previous year and topping out at well over 8,700.

FST subscribers continue to be resolute in their financial support of the theatre: 52% of subscribers are also “Friends” of the theatre, donating $35 or more above the cost of season tickets. Between donations and increased earned income, as well as one-time institutional operations grants, FST has been able to maintain its strength even as the economy struggles to right itself.

Proposal Budget: Summary

	Proposal Expenses	A. Request	B. Cash Expenses	C. In-kind	Total
1.	Personnel: Administrative	0	734,486	60,000	$794,486
2.	Personnel: Programmatic	50,000	594,618	0	$644,618
3.	Personnel: Technical/Production	25,000	216,717	25,750	$267,467
4.	Outside Fees and Services: Programmatic	50,000	737,124	0	$787,124
5.	Outside Fees and Services: Other	0	23,690	0	$23,690
6.	Space Rental	0	0	0	$0
7.	Travel	0	142,507	0	$142,507
8.	Marketing	10,000	293,107	0	$303,107
9.	Remaining Proposal Expenses	15,000	783,337	0	$798,337
D.	Total Proposal Expenses	150,000	3,525,586	85,750	$3,761,336
	Proposal Income	A. Request	B. Cash Income	C. In-Kind	Total
10.	Revenue: Admissions		1,835,940		1,835,940
11.	Revenue: Contracted Services		263,000		263,000
12.	Revenue: Other		396,646		396,646
13.	Private Support: Corporate		38,500		38,500
14.	Private Support: Foundation		105,500		105,500
15.	Private Support: Other		796,000		796,000
16.	Government Support: Federal		15,000		15,000
17.	Government Support: Regional		0		$0
18.	Government Support: Local/County		75,000		75,000
19.	Applicant Cash		0		$0
E.	Total Proposal Income	150,000	3,525,586	85,750	$3,761,336

Proposal Budget: Detail

	Proposal Expenses	A. Request	B. Cash Expenses	C. In-Kind	Total
1.	Personnel: Administrative	0	734,486	60,000	$794,486
1.1. Includes salary expenses for FST's Managing Dir, Marketing Dept., Develop. Dept., Box Ofc., Bus. Ofc., Education Admin., IT Dept., Cabaret Mgmt., FOH		0	734,486	60,000	794,486
2.	Personnel: Programmatic	50,000	594,618	0	$644,618
2.1. Includes Salary expenses for FST's Artistic & Associate Directors, Resident Designers, Resident Musical Dir., Teaching Artists, and Literary Dept.		50,000	594,618	0	644,618
3.	Personnel: Technical/Production	25,000	216,717	25,750	$267,467
3.1. Includes Salary expenses for FST's Production & Stage Managers, Techincal Director, Company Mgmt., Production Assts., and Facilities Mgmt.		25,000	216,717	25,750	267,467
4.	Outside Fees and Services: Programmatic	50,000	737,124	0	$787,124
4.1. Includes Actors, Designers, Directors, CHoreographers, Playwrights & Production Overhire		50,000	737,124	0	787,124
5.	Outside Fees and Services: Other	0	23,690	0	$23,690
5.1. Professional Fees		0	23,690	0	23,690
6.	Space Rental	0	0	0	$0
7.	Travel	0	142,507	0	$142,507
7.1. Outside Artist Travel		0	24,966	0	24,966
7.2. Outside Artist Housing (includes both rentals & maintenance)		0	36,411	0	36,411
7.3. Executive Travel		0	10,815	0	10,815
7.4. Auditions		0	33,527	0	33,527
7.5. Hotels/Per Diems		0	16,773	0	16,773
7.6. Gas/Vehicle Maint.		0	20,015	0	20,015
8.	Marketing	10,000	293,107	0	$303,107
8.1. Playbill		0	17,531	0	17,531
8.2. Photography		0	1,082	0	1,082
8.3. Website		0	10,000	0	10,000
8.4. Print Advertising		10,000	193,564	0	203,564
8.5. Public Relations Expense		0	19,258	0	19,258
8.6. Printing and Postage		0	51,672	0	51,672
9.	Remaining Proposal Expenses	15,000	783,337	0	$798,337
9.1. Production Materials		0	83,335	0	83,335
9.2. Royalties		15,000	106,863	0	121,863
9.3. Music Rentals		0	8,116	0	8,116
9.4. Scripts & Literary		0	2,163	0	2,163
9.5. Staff Training		0	16,233	0	16,233
9.6. Box Office Supplies		0	9,739	0	9,739
9.7. General Office Supplies/Postage		0	26,403	0	26,403
9.8. Educational Materials/Supplies		0	11,956	0	11,956
9.9. Fundraising		0	49,236	0	49,236
9.10. Utilities/Sanitation & Building/Grounds Maint.		0	189,775	0	189,775
9.11. Insurance		0	142,042	0	142,042
9.12. Telephone		0	21,642	0	21,642
9.13. Equipment Contracts		0	47,895	0	47,895
9.14. Memberships		0	12,293	0	12,293
9.15. Service Charges		0	55,646	0	55,646
D.	Total Proposal Expenses	150,000	3,525,586	85,750	$3,761,336

	Proposal Income	A. Request	B. Cash Income	C. In-Kind	Total
10.	Revenue: Admissions		1,835,940		$1,835,940
10-1 Subscriptions			1,238,000		1,238,000
10-2 Single Tickets			597,940		597,940
11.	Revenue: Contracted Services		263,000		$263,000
11-1 WRITE A PLAY Residencies			29,000		29,000
11-2 Education Income			234,000		234,000
12.	Revenue: Other		396,646		$396,646
12-1 Playbill Advertising			45,000		45,000
12-2 Space Rentals			68,367		68,367
12-3 Handling Fees			58,710		58,710
12-4 Interest			222,200		222,200
12-5 Miscellaneous			2,369		2,369
13.	Private Support: Corporate		38,500		$38,500
13-1 Corporate Support			38,500		38,500
14.	Private Support: Foundation		105,500		$105,500
14-1 Foundation Support			105,500		105,500
15.	Private Support: Other		796,000		$796,000
15-1 Other Private Support			796,000		796,000
16.	Government Support: Federal		15,000		$15,000
16-1 Federal Government Support			15,000		15,000
17.	Government Support: Regional		0		$0
18.	Government Support: Local/County		75,000		$75,000
18-1 Local/County Government Support			75,000		75,000
19.	Applicant Cash		0		$0
E.	Total Proposal Income	150,000	3,525,586	85,750	$3,761,336

Additional Proposal Budget Information

No answer provided.

Fiscal Condition and Sustainability

The fiscal stability of FST is exemplary and continues to strengthen and grow through keen attention to detail and diligent financial management of all programs. According to FST’s audited financial statements for the 2009-10 fiscal year, the theatre sustained an operating budget of over $4.3 million and assets of over $9 million. This represents the 22nd consecutive year that FST has operated in the black, a strong testament to the fiscal health of the organization. In 2005, FST established an endowment that currently stands at nearly $2.5 million, and has reserves of over $1.2 million.

Earned income represents the theatre’s strongest source of revenue, accounting for an historical average of 65% of the theatre’s annual operating budget. FST attributes this impressive statistic to 2 fundamental formulas that have driven the financial engine of the theatre for decades:

• High Salaries for artists = High Quality on the stage.

• Low-ticket prices = High Volume participation.

Consequently, FST generated over $1.9 million in ticket sales, nearly $400K in workshop fees, and over $400K in other income during the most recently completed 2009-10 fiscal year.

To meet increasing demand for programming, FST has expanded the runs of its Mainstage and Cabaret series by one week for each production – and these added weeks promptly sold out to subscribers. In order to continue to expand, FST has embarked on a $5.5 million building project that will renovate and expand its Gompertz Theatre while adding a new Cabaret and black box theatre. In the past year, the theatre has raised $3.5 million toward this project, with a lead gift from the Kresge Foundation that, in addition to supporting construction, also seeded funding for FST’s Building Reserves Fund. This fund supports maintenance needs for the entire FST artistic campus.

Unearned income represents the remaining 35% of the theatre’s revenue. FST is constantly working to sustain the theatre’s programming by diversifying its resources amongst Corporate, Foundation & Private Support.

Evaluation Plan

Evaluation is an integral component of FST’s daily operations. Each of the theatre’s 6 main programs is analyzed on an ongoing basis. FST uses a variety of tools including: daily reports from all departments, detailed survey analysis and independent outcomes measurement.

Attendance patterns and audience development are evaluated through a detailed reporting system that includes:

• Box Office Sales and Closing Reports

• Stage Management Performance Reports

• House Management Closing & Financial Reports

• Concessions Reports

• Cabaret Management/Restaurant Reports

• Marketing Results by Performance

• Subscription Campaign Reports

• Development Campaign Reports

• Post-Show Discussion Reports

• FST annual survey of the three theatres

• Specific, issue-related, surveys as necessary

• Utilize independent evaluator for analysis of selected program areas.

By analyzing reports, spreadsheets, surveys, audience feedback and ticket sales, the theatre is able to accomplish a variety of goals. For example:

• Executing the most cost effective marketing and development campaigns

• Analyzing zip codes for penetration of residential areas to identify underserved groups

• Tracking changes in audience characteristics

Finally, all qualitative and quantitative data is analyzed and filtered to assess the overall artistic effectiveness of each program.

Applicant Accessibility

Question	Response
Does the applicant have policies and procedures (including a complaint process) that address non-discrimination on the basis of disability?	Yes
Does the applicant have a staff person that is responsible for compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, Americans with Disabilities Act and Florida Statutes 553?	Yes (James Lemons)
Has the applicant completed the Section 504 Self Evaluation Workbook from the National Endowment for the Arts (linked) in the last 5 years?	Yes

Accessibility

In accordance with its mission “to make theatre accessible and affordable to as many people as possible,” all of FST’s facilities are ADA compliant. In addition, the WRITE A PLAY program travels out into schools all around the state, bringing its unique playwriting curriculum to those who might otherwise never have the opportunity to attend a theatrical production.

The theatre has instituted a committee that will assess how to continue to improve the organization’s accessibility. For example, for the 2010-11 season FST will create a large-print playbill and make it available to patrons that require it, both on line and at the box office. In addition, this committee has responsibility for keeping abreast of accessibility technology, and incorporating it into FST’s future plans.

However, FST’s approach to accessibility is not limited to ADA regulations. The organization recognizes that there are other definitions for this word, including, ‘easy to get to,’ ‘comprehensible,’ and ‘approachable.’ As a result, the theatre considers such aspects as affordability and diversity of programming in its activities. FST fulfills the above mission point through the following:

• FST staunchly believes that theatre should not be a privilege of the few, but should benefit everyone. Unlike many American theatres, FST is able to maintain reasonable ticket prices; the most that a person will play for a 4-play subscription to the Mainstage series is $61, or $15.25 per show.

• The Cabaret series, which was established to develop new audiences who might not otherwise participate in theatrical events.

• Subsidized ticketing for Title I schools taking part in the WRITE A PLAY program.

• Scholarships for FST Theatre School and FST Labs students who would not otherwise be able to participate.

• Partnering with businesses and social service agencies such as The Pines of Sarasota, offering dance/movement classes to seniors in wheelchairs, and traveling to provide services to students who would otherwise not be able to participate in the program.

• The VIP Program, a performing arts program for special needs youth in grades K-12, including children with physical challenges, such as blindness or hearing impairments; mental challenges, such as Down’s Syndrome, Autism and other developmental delays; and emotional or behavioral challenges, such as Attention Deficit Disorder and Hyperactivity.

• Maintaining inexpensive ticket prices for all FST productions.

• The Stage III program, directed towards an otherwise underserved audience in Sarasota: individuals between the ages of 18 and 65.

• FST’s Improv Program, designed for those that are attracted to a different form of theatre.

FST is a village of diverse theatres built for a community of people with different needs, different tastes and widely varying sensibilities. The theatre aims to serve and celebrate that diversity.

A. Required Documentation
1. 501(c)(3) Documentation

B. Detailed Program Information
1. Program Descriptions
2. Timeline for Planning & Implementation

C. Organizational Information
1. FST Mission/History
2. Production History, 2006 – Present
3. Marketing Plan
3. Artist Resumes
4. Organizational Chart
5. Board of Trustees/Community Resource Group
6. Florida Studio Theatre Long Range Plan

D. Letters of Support
1. U.S. Senator Bill Nelson
2. U.S. Congressman Vern Buchanan
3. Florida State Representative Ray Pilon
4. Florida State Senator Nancy C. Detert
5. Sarasota County Commissioner, Jon Thaxton
6. City of Sarasota Mayor, Kelly Kirchner
7. Superintendent of Schools, Sarasota County, Lori White
8. Curriculum Specialist, Manatee County, Dr. Sherry Lawrence
9. Third Grade Educator, Kirsten Phillips, Samoset Elementary School
10. Playwright, Michael McKeever
11. Actor/Choreographer, Stephen Hope
12. Student Letter of Thanks

E. Press
F. Print Materials

G. DVD: “Sarasota’s Contemporary Theatre”