Forever Server (she/her):

Are there any resources/meet ups/events where I can meet industry professionals in theater admin? I continue to apply for jobs that end up being filled by former interns and I feel so hopeless in ever getting a theater-related job because I didn’t go to school/grow up in the city! Obviously, people like to hire people they know, but what if the bridge to meeting people is one that I cannot afford? I’m too old/broke to intern at a theater! Any advice is so appreciated!

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Dear Forever Server,

It can be so easy to feel hopeless, and I’m sorry that this is what you’re feeling these days. The insider baseball feel of theater, or really any industry you’re trying to break in to, is so challenging. And YET, there are definitely spaces that aim to fight through some of that! Since you’re specifically asking for resources, I’ll begin with a bit of a list:

• First, a quick shout out to 3Views, who hosts happy hours every few months! If you’re not already following their Instagram page, these gatherings aren’t just for writer-types, all kinds of theater artists and administrators show up, and it’s a great, informal space to meet people!

• Producer Hub hosts a range of events, not only for members of their sponsored projects. They also have a great job postings board and a space for other organizations to share about professional development opportunities.

• A.R.T./NY runs bi-annual Community Forums with lots of excellent workshops and networking happy hours (and bonus, it’s free for members, and annual membership can start as low as $25, which is still definitely a cost, but unlocks a whole bunch of programming).

• If you’re interested in arts education as a sub-sector, the Arts in Education Roundtable also has an individual membership program that unlocks access to a whole bunch of one-time events. They also have a great annual conference, Face to Face, which includes session tracks that focus on arts admin!

I didn’t go to school in the city, and I grew up on the West Coast. When I knew I wanted to move to NYC, I started applying for jobs in the city, and I didn’t hear back from any of them. So I moved and was in a deep place of privilege that my employers kept me on remotely. I pieced together what was effectively full-time work and then started volunteering with NYC-based organizations. I got my current arts admin job this way: after volunteering with them for eight months, a role opened up, and they knew who I was. Now, it’s a privilege to be able to volunteer your time, but if you do have paid work right now, that could be another way in that’s not taking a year off to apply to an intern program to replace the server role. Even just a few hours a month can get your name in front of the people who will be making the hiring decisions later on.

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Yours in the hustle,

Fefu

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