Selby Foundation Grant to Bolster WBTT’s Community Outreach

December 17, 2024 | Sarasota

Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe (WBTT) recently received a capital grant of $45,650 from the William G. & Marie Selby Foundation to help the organization purchase portable sound equipment to support its traveling shows. These performances enable WBTT to reach diverse audiences, encouraging them to seek out theatre experiences where they can learn about their heritage through Black theatre drama classics, Broadway musicals and original productions that reflect their heritage.

Currently, when performing at off-site locations, WBTT needs to rent the necessary sound equipment; with the organization’s growing number of requests and opportunities for offsite performances, this costs WBTT thousands of dollars each year in rental fees. Purchasing its own equipment will ensure consistent production quality at each site and will be an investment that will pay for itself within approximately three years.

In a typical year, WBTT’s offsite performances reach more than 9,000 community members: 2,600-plus from the outreach high school history education program Jazzlinks, 2,500 from the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall’s Schooltime Performances, and approximately 4,000 through additional offsite performances at venues such as The Bay Sarasota or Waterside Place in Lakewood Ranch. The organization is hoping to add further locations in 2025; the goal is to gain additional reach, particularly as WBTT is the only local agency that addresses African American history and culture through live engagements.

“WBTT is known for its commitment to community engagement – we perform in many venues around the community including free performances at The Bay Sarasota, educational performances in area schools, our annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration and more; we always need to supplement our sound production for these events with outside rental equipment, which adds costs to each production, so receiving this grant facilitates our community outreach and allows us to do even more,” said Julie Leach, Executive Director of WBTT. “This grant is a wonderful contribution to our recently announced comprehensive campaign: Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe: Solid Gold, Powering the Dream of the Next Generation. This grant will help us keep our mission going well into the future!”

Leach went on to note that the organization is thrilled to have successfully implemented its $8.8M capital campaign renovation and made it through COVID – emerging stable and healthy – and now leaders look forward to celebrating WBTT’s 25th anniversary and expanded programming, with its visionary and dedicated volunteer leadership helping to guide the way.

“As a Black nonprofit theatre company, we strive to reach underserved audiences and especially young people who look to see role models and experiences that reflect their lives; often these audiences cannot afford, don’t have the transportation needed, or just aren’t familiar with accessing theatre tickets and so don’t come to the theatre,” said WBTT Founder/Artistic Director Nate Jacobs. “WBTT provides a unique performance experience with artists often coming from our communities here in Sarasota, giving young people role models who demonstrate that, with hard work and training, they too can reach their dreams.”

The Selby Foundation grant to WBTT was part of more than $563,000 recently awarded to 14 local nonprofits in capital grants focused on strengthening human services, education, arts and the environment.

For more about WBTT, visit westcoastblacktheatre.org or call 941-366-1505.