TCG's Global Reach

TCG was founded in 1961 to help provide connectivity and peer-to-peer learning opportunities for a handful of fledging theatres across the US. As TCG approaches its 50th Anniversary, the organization continues to provide programs and services as the theatre movement within the US becomes increasingly more diverse and connected with global communities.

TCG’s global reach has become particularly important since 1999, when the US Center for the International Theatre Institute (ITI-US) merged with TCG. At that time, TCG dramatically increased its own connection to a global network of theatre leaders and practitioners.

Today, TCG’s international activities seek to create, nurture and develop reciprocal artistic relationships to inspire creative process and aesthetics by:

Creating cross border learning opportunities by:
• providing travel grants for artists to form international relationships;
• encouraging international attendance at the TCG National Conference.

Representing the diversity of US artistry and the global artistic community by:
• serving as the US Center of ITI and leadership within ITI activities;
• connecting theatre professionals internationally;
• publishing extensive coverage of international work in American Theatre.

Advocating for cultural exchange and artists’ rights worldwide by:
• issuing peer consultation letters for international visa petitions;
• partnering with cultural organizations and government agencies;
• playing an active role within the Performing Arts Alliance and providing TCG members with tools to be advocates for their work.

Examples of TCG’s global reach in support of the field include:

In 1990, Peter Zeisler, former executive director of TCG, brought together Anne Bogart and Tadashi Suzuki which led to the creation of the SITI Company, actor training and rich cultural exchange between Japanese and US-based artists;

As a co-founder of the Performing Arts Alliance, TCG plays a vital role in advocating for policies to improve the visa process for international guest artists including the creation of the Arts Require Timely Service Act (HR 1312) which has won strong bipartisan support and was re-introduced in 2009 by Senators John Kerry (D-MA) and Orrin Hatch (R-UT);

In 2007, TCG produced Global Tapas—a presentation of new international works in translation at the TCG National Conference in Minneapolis. Mexican playwright, Javier Malpica’s Our Dad Is In Atlantis received considerable attention and has been published in American Theatre magazine and produced by several TCG member theatres;

TCG/ITI-US has hosted several convenings and conversations with the field regarding international exchange including the ACTivate Change: Bridging Cultural Exchange and Creativity pre-conference (June 2009) in Washington DC. This historic gathering united 115 international artists, representatives from theatres, government agencies, labor unions and cultural ministries;

In January, 2010, TCG/ITI-US organized a delegation of US theatre practitioners to represent the United States for the first time at the Fujairah International Monodrama Festival. The delegation contributed through performance, dialogue and the signing of a cultural and artistic cooperation agreement with the Fujairah Culture and Media Authority and ITI-Fujairah as one more step in ratifying the importance of cultural diplomacy.