THE HIVE PROJECT
a bold collaboration between three of the Bay Area’s most revolutionary theatre companies, created with the support of the Zellerbach Family Foundation!
What is The Hive Project?
The HIVE Project is an innovative audience-sharing initiative that takes a new approach to audience development – one rooted in collaboration rather than competition. The HIVE Theaters have joined forces in an unprecedented move to cross-pollinate their audiences through a long-term theater-sharing collective!
The first generation of the HIVE PROJECT brought together a diverse group of 25 individuals, each affiliated with one of the HIVE theaters. Although most of them started off as complete strangers, the cohort quickly became a community during the 5 theater-sharing events. The HIVE has broken bread together, experienced ground-breaking theater and added their voices to a unique audience think-tank designed to reimagine the role of the audience member as true participants in the theatrical experience.
Why the HIVE?
The Bay Area is home to a vibrant community of over 400 theater organizations, and yet, it is rare for our organizations to share resources and audiences. At the same time, as a whole, theater audiences are shrinking, and aging up and out. Our field feels less relevant to younger generations, and to the communities that surround us. Most of the work does not speak to their interests, their needs, and does not feel inclusive to their worldview. But GCR, Ubuntu, and Crowded Fire make work that is essential to our communities.
Our artists and the narratives we champion speak to a new generation of theatergoers. We believe in working towards a new model of sharing. We believe that building and encouraging theater loving audiences across organizations will result in a richer and stronger theater ecology. GCR, Ubuntu, and Crowded Fire are collaborating to cross-pollinate our most loyal supporters, in the hopes that they will see the richness of our Bay Area theater ecology and become ambassadors who awaken other theater lovers.
Want to get involved?
We are currently accepting applications to join the current HIVE cohort (2019-20) and/or the next Hive Cohort (2020-21). Apply here.
More information can be found on our press release.
If your business is interested in supporting this community engagement initiative, check out our restaurant partnerships agreement!
If interested in supporting the HIVE in other ways please contact Nailah, the project manager at bayhiveproject@gmail.com.
SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR LOCAL PARTNERS
Prospect 772 Wine Company
Downtown Wine Merchants
Spice Monkey Restaurant
Betti Ono Gallery
Miss Ollie’s
