On The Boards

Mission and History:
Founded by artists in 1978, the mission of OtB is to introduce audiences of the Northwest to international innovators in contemporary dance, theater, music and new media, and to support the development and presentation of new work by promising Northwest performing artists. OtB plays a vital role in our region's culture by presenting emerging and master artists who would otherwise not be seen in the community.

Since its inception, OtB has grown into a leading center for the creation and presentation of contemporary performance. Showcasing artists and companies who are defining the future of dance, theater, music and new media, OtB presents 70-80 performance nights each season as well as a host of outreach and educational programs to generate discussion and provide context for audiences who experience the work.

OtB also commissions new work, supports artist residencies, advocates regionally and nationally for tours of work by Northwest artists, and organizes collaborative projects between local, regional, national and international partners.

About OTB:

On the Boards is a 28-year-old contemporary performing arts organization located in the lower Queen Anne neighborhood of Seattle. Through our New Performance Series, we are among the first cultural organizations in the country to present and premiere breakthrough performances by such visionary artists as Laurie Anderson, Bill T. Jones, Spalding Gray, The Wooster Group, and many others, including internationally-based artists such as dumb type (Japan), Needcompany (Belgium), Sankai Juku (Japan) and Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker (Belgium). Similarly, through out Northwest Artist Series, we have supported some of the first performances by regional artists like 33 Fainting Spells, Sarah Rudinoff, Maureen Whiting Company, Seattle Chamber Players, Allen Johnson, locust, and "Awesome", all of whom have gone on to build a significant national following. As the first organization to present these and other emerging artists in the Northwest, OtB plays a vital role in the regional and national cultural ecology. In addition to providing access for our audiences, our programming allows us to support the development of artists and companies who are creating ground-breaking new work that could not be performed without the support of OtB and our peer organizations around the country.

OtB continues to garner critical acclaim in the local and national press. In September 2005, The New York Times wrote, "With the exception of organizations like the Wexner Center for the Arts in Columbus, Ohio, the Walker Arts Center in Minneapolis, On the Boards in Seattle and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago, few presenting organizations deviate from the same old crusty mold." Similarly, in October 2005, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer noted, "No arts organization in Seattle presents the kind of experimental work OtB does, and few nationwide" commenting, "Where else do the aesthetically flexible elderly rub elbows with the game middle-aged and the savvy young?"

In addition, local and national funding organizations continue to recognize and support our reputation as a leading presenter of contemporary performance. In Decemeber 2005, OtB was awarded a $500,000 four-year grant ($125,000 each year beginning in 2006) through the Mid-Size Presenting Organizations Initiative, which is funded by the Doris Duke Foundation and administered by the Nonprofit Finance Fund. OtB was one of 17 organizations nationwide, out of 240 initial applicants, to receive funding through this program and recieved one of the higest grant awards. In 2006, ArtsFund, a community foundation dedicated to supporting and sustaining cultural organizations in and around Seattle, awarded OtB an Ackerley Excellence Award as part of the largest ArtsFund grant in our history.

OtB moved into its current space in 1998 and currently presents more than 40 shows over 100 performance nights each year in two theaters; our 300-seat Merrill Wright Mainstage Theater and our intimate 100-seat Studio Theater are both equipped with state-of-the-art technology.