The Off Loop Freedom Charter

Let's Create a New Paradigm

There is a lot of of chest thumping going on in the cyberspace devoted to theater. We have Mike Daisey railing against the regional corporatized model, Scott Walters encouraging that we go back and adopt the models created in the sixties, Adam Thurman finding ways to educate artists to succeed in the existing model, Nick Keenan suggesting "a way to unite the tribes into coordinated strategy and continue to value their independence," Bob Fisher calling for end to the rhetoric and some specific steps, Slay summing things up and Leonard Jacobs telling us to all shut the fuck up and DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

Let's breathe for a sec, yeah? Let's keep in mind that none of us is satisfied with the systematic marginalization of non-tourist oriented theater. I know that I, for one, will continue to bitch and moan about the system until the system is changed for the better. But I do have hope that things can change. There are too many creative and enthusiastic theater types in the world to believe that it will simply continue to suck the life out of each one only to be replaced with another set of idealists destined to be squeezed into either a compromised commercial career or a life on the fringe. I'm working on (and have been for about three months now) suggested legislation to present to the Chicago municipal government to at least "get off my ass and do something." I will post it in full when its ready, but for now, here are a couple of points to think about.

Most of the problems associated with the American theater in the 21st Century has to do with the fact that it costs too much to create.

The NFP model has become an ape of the commercial model and the commercial model, by its very nature, is an enemy to risk. Risk is essential in the creation of art, therefore creating a paradigm that allows for artistic risk while minimizing the financial disaster that so often accompanies artistic risk is essential.

In Chicago, the most cost prohibitive aspects of producing live theater is the rental fees for viable and legally sanctioned venues and the ability to openly and effectively promote the existence of specific shows.

• There are, on record, over 450 empty buildings owned by the City of Chicago at this time. The model in Chicago that most closely adheres to the original concept of non-profit arts (to fund and foster noncommercial art) is that employed by the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs, specifically the open door solicitation of artists to take advantage of the free spaces they own (galleries within the Cultural Center, concert halls, and two spaces for theater). The system is simple - fill out the forms, submit your show and they schedule in companies that receive free space, full box office and marketing support, and an opportunity to "Bring Off Loop to the Loop."

One of the points in my proposal is to have the City bequeath five of these empty buildings, located in or around the Loop, to the CCC to be built out in the same manner as the Cultural Center and run in the same manner. There is significant precedent and, speaking as someone who has taken advantage of the service, is an absolute boon to companies without the commercial stretch or bankroll of even mid-sized theaters and arts organizations.

• I'm proposing a tax credit to commercial landlords that rent their facilities to organizations with less than a $150,000.00 annual budget provided that the rental fee for these groups is 50% of the going rate.

• I'm proposing the building and maintenance of City owned kiosks expressly for use by organizations with less than a $150,000.00 annual budget.

Those are just the broadstrokes of three of nine specific requests. Once I'm finished (and I will have it looked over by an attorney to make sure its not just a bunch of wishful horseshit) I will post it and encourage folks in other cities to try and get it implemented at home. There isn't anything wrong with theater itself but the model under which we are allowed to function is designed for the buying and selling of products and live theater is more than a product.

I'm also looking to create The Off Loop Freedom Charter.

In the early 1950's, a "radical" group called the Congress Alliance came together and formed the Congress of the People. This was an organization in South Africa to fight for the rights of the people for a new South Africa. They developed a list of thousands of demands for a new government, among which were basic freedom rights involving personal rights, housing, work, security, and equal free education. All these demands were brought together, and on June 26, 1955 in Kliptown, S.A. the Congress of the People created the Freedom Charter.

This Charter was more than a bunch of requests however. It signified the intense need for change, and in order for any of the demands to come about, the whole nation of South Africa would have to change. It calls for a transfer of power from a single social class to the people, and in order to do this the whole economic and political set-up of present South Africa needs to be broken. The Charter was their vision for the Future.

Here's my idea:

• Have a Gathering of as many theater people in Chicago that are ultimately NOT served by the current model (too small to get grants, can't possibly afford the over-priced venues in town to do more than one show at a time with almost no budget left over to pay actors let alone build a sturdy set, etc.).

• At the Gathering (which I will work to have free food and drink at - because a Gathering without food or drink is a drag) the agenda will be to begin the process of brainstorming our very own "Off Loop Freedom Charter" - a wish list of the very things that, aside from the art of our individual theaters and proclivities, or the desire for a big check to pay for our food and board while we create, we would like to see in place to help "water the lawn" of the small, grassroots arts organizations in Chicago.

• Hopefully, the result will be a document that all involved can commit to, in some small way, finding routes to realizing in concrete ways without sacrificing much of their hard earned and guarded artistic autonomy - in other words, I'm not looking to start an organization but an over arching business philosophy that, if practiced during regular productions throughout the city, can foment change by example.

More as things get developed.