2014 Large Nonprofit

Adventure Theater MTC (ATMTC) was awarded the large nonprofit making a difference award in 2014 for its community impact and commitment to diversity.

ATMTC serves approximately 75,000 children, parents, and teachers annually, through performances, and its growing academy and outreach programs. It also works in collaboration with a variety of partners to provide mutually beneficial programming, for example: with MCPS to present to underserved kids American History through theater programs; with Rainbow Families DC, to bring children from LGBT families to the theater; and with Interages, to provide a theater component for its Intergenerational Bridges Program. In addition to its reach and partnerships, ATMTC also demonstrates quality throughout its programming, having been nominated for, and winning, numerous awards from Helen Hayes, National Endowment for the Arts, American Alliance for Theater and Education, and many, many more.

ATMTC has a long-held commitment to promoting diversity. One of the foundations of this is a policy of half its artists (on-stage and backstage) would be people of color. Despite this, it found it challenging to find directors who were people of color, so it implemented a groundbreaking program that benefits not only ATMTC, but the whole theater community. The Assistant Director Fellowship for People of Color entails the hiring of five emerging artists who are people of color, one for each of ATMTC’s professional productions. These individuals work directly with distinguished directors and gain skills and experience that open doors for their careers while increasing the number of experienced directors who are people of color. This commitment runs throughout the organization, from staff, leadership, to the board, which has a dedicated Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity committee.

ATMTC enriches the lives of everyone who attends a class or sees a performance, and it enhances its impact through partnerships. It exemplifies a commitment to diversity that should serve as a model to other organizations and is fully deserving of the Large Nonprofit Making a Difference Award.