Pentacle's Help Desk/Chicago Fall 2011 Update

"Running a dance company is a fairly solitary experience, particularly when trying to juggle the artistic and administrative aspects on a small budget. Usually so much energy and time is spent on the artistic part of the company that there is little left over to work on the administrative side. Working with Help Desk/L.A. has made me feel like I can take a deep, long breath."

-Donna Sternberg, Help Desk/L.A. Particpant; AD, Donna Sterrnberg & Dancers

"Our participation was powerful for the organization at this moment in our growth. "

-Ana Maria Alvarez, Help Desk/L.A. participant, AD of

Contra-Tiempo

"By bringing together the most inspired artists and the most experienced mentors every month, we have an incredible resource of support. The one-on-one exchange with our mentor helps us navigate the complex choices that are a part of being a viable performing arts company today. "

-Nehara Kalev, Help Desk.L.A. participant, AD of Catch Me Bird

Photos by:

Donna Sternberg, Tyrone Domingo, Robert Salas, and Jesse Alson-Milkman

HELP DESK/CHICAGO UPDATE

We want to hear from you!

Dear Chicago Dance Community,

We write to give you a quick update on the planning stages of Pentacle's pilot program, Help Desk/Chicago.

Pentacle will partner with Links Hall to co-produce Help Desk/Chicago! Links Hall's direct response to the needs of small and mid-sized performing arts companies and their deep roots within the community add an important dimension to the development of Help Desk/Chicago programming. Both Links Hall and Help Desk/Chicago are truly focused on and working for the Chicago dance community. With Links Hall we are moving forward with plans to commence a pilot Help Desk/Chicago program in July 2012.

In late winter/early spring 2012, you will receive a "formal" announcement of the Program, as well as information concerning the application process. We will hold several information sessions before the application deadline as well as provide opportunities for you to talk directly one on one with Help Desk program staff.

Decisions will be made about participation in late April/May 2012. Help Desk program staff then will work with the in-coming participants to pair them with mentors, and conduct an in-depth intake process that includes several one-on-one meetings so that we can get as nuanced and full a picture of your creative and professional life as possible.

Help Desk/Chicago Pilot Program will begin July 1, 2012.

A central part of Pentacle's mission is to respond to artists' needs. So, we want to continue hearing from you! We want to get to know you and the Chicago dance community from your perspective so that programming can be created that will give you measurable success and move your organization forward. You have helped shape our next few steps in the planning process and are helping give life to the program. Let's continue to learn more about each other. If you have any questions (or just want to chat about life, art, anything) please feel free to contact me, Angela Luem at angelal@pentacle.org.

Best regards,

Angela Luem

Help Desk/Chicago, Program Coordinator

Help Desk supports the professional infrastructure of contemporary dance companies and independent choreographers. The program works with participants to develop a strong sense of empowerment. At the heart of Help Desk are two equally important relationships: the one between artist and mentor and the one between artist and the Help Desk community. The mentor relationship provides the participants with personalized strategic planning, guidance and infrastructure support over a sustained period of time. Artists and non-performing partners attend regular meetings sharing challenges and solutions. Through the process, participants build a more supportive, empowered community.

Pentacle is a non-profit service organization for the performing arts. For more than 35 years, Pentacle has functioned as a resource and voice for emerging, minority, experimental, non-mainstream dance artists and companies. Pentacle's mission is to support artists so that they can do what they do best . . . create works of art.

Mara Greenberg & Ivan Sygoda

Directors

Help Desk, a program of Pentacle, is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and donations from individuals.

Help Desk/Chicago, a program of Pentacle is in partnership with Links Hall.