2020-25 Strategic Plan
National New Play Network completed its 20th year of operations in 2018. This juncture in the organization’s development was an opportune moment to interrogate who and what we are, and who and what we want to become.
See a summary of the January 2022 Report reflecting our progress toward the goals of our Strategic Plan and Anti-Racism and Anti-Bias Commitment here. And read the full report here.
Taking into consideration the major technological, political, and cultural changes shaping the Network, the American theater, and the larger world, NNPN’s Board of Directors, Core Member Theaters, and staff agreed to assess every aspect of its current operation and embrace a bold and progressive future.
Rigorous self-assessment and internal discussions yielded two common beliefs among our Member Theaters: * We believe that theater is an empathy-building medium - it allows audiences insight into the shared humanity between people with different experiences, identities, and beliefs. * We believe that NNPN, founded in part in an attempt to answer big questions and provide potential solutions to problems plaguing the new play world, is in a unique position to help shape the future face of the new works portion of the theatrical ecosystem.
National New Play Network desires to continue growing its impact as a leader in the new play field by: * increasing the diversity of the stories and storytellers that reach the stages of American theaters * strengthening programming that encourages collaboration among our Member Theaters * increasing the access of audiences (both existing and aspirational)to new plays across the country * serving as an idea innovator and implementer of initiatives that support ways for theaters, theater-makers, and theater-goers to work together to bring new plays into the theatrical canon
NNPN holds a unique position of privilege at the intersection of artists and institutions in our industry. Therefore, we will aim to make the National New Play Network a model of the robust, equitable, and inclusive ecology we believe the new play field can become.
Guided by equity, diversity and inclusion considerations, NNPN will focus on changes in these four primary areas of strategic priority, referred to in the plan as its “pillars.”
- Governance & Membership
- Programming
- Infrastructure & Resources
- National Advocacy & Field Leadership