Ford Theatre Foundation
COMMUNITY BRIDGES PROGRAM

About
Community Bridges is an audience development program intended to encourage and facilitate participation in the John Anson Ford Theatre’s programs, both on and off the stage by underrepresented members of the Los Angeles County. More generally, the program strives to build enthusiastic audiences for the performing arts and an increased sense of community in Los Angeles.

History
Community Bridges is an outgrowth and expansion of the Ford’s successful Latino Audience Initiative (LAI) launched in 2002, which helped connect Latino artists and audiences with the Ford. An LAI advisory committee was created within that same year and helped the Ford achieve remarkable success, increasing Latino audience attendance from 13 percent to 40 percent and raising performing artist participation eight-fold to 60 events over a three year period.

Goals
For the immediate future, Community Bridges has a special focus on connecting the Ford with L.A.’s burgeoning Asian Pacific Islander populations while continuing its work with Latino communities. In the long term, Community Bridges will work to build awareness among and invite participation by parts of the community not yet fully represented on the Ford’s stage or in its audience.

Now
The Community Outreach Partnership Program is one means by which Community Bridges accomplishes its mission. Through this program, Ford performers conduct workshops at 16 youth and social service centers based in Asian Pacific Islander and Latino communities within the LA County. Participants and their families are invited to several events throughout the Ford season, with free tickets, transportation, and interactive artist workshops provided by the Ford in collaboration with the performers.

To raise the support and visibility of artists creating new work, Community Bridges produces The [INSIDE] Performances featuring plays and performance art by established and emerging artists. Readings take place in the Ford’s smaller 87 seat [INSIDE] the Ford theatre followed by a question and answer session. A meet & greet reception completes the afternoon.

Community Bridges is a program of the Ford Theatre Foundation and is supported with generous grants from The James Irvine Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Latino Arts Initiative Trends from 2001 to 2004

Latino Audience Initiative - 3rd Year Final Report

Latino Audience Initiative - 2nd Year Highlights from Irvine Foundation 2003-4 Interim Report

LAI Community Partners