NEST (New England States Touring)

New England States Touring (NEST) provides support to New England-based nonprofit organizations (known as presenters) for performances and community activities by select New England performing artists.

Program Goals

Give the communities of New England direct access to the artistic excellence and diversity available in this region.
Provide New England artists with the opportunity to build audiences through touring to a variety of communities, thereby increasing demand for their work.
Encourage thorough planning of projects that provide meaningful interaction between New England artists and communities.
Extend the arts to populations whose opportunities for arts experiences are limited by geography, ethnicity, economics, or disability.

NEST Artist Requirements

NEST artists are performing artists from New England who meet the NEST artist requirements. They represent a wide range of disciplines, including music, dance, theater, opera, musical theater, poetry, writing, storytelling, interdisciplinary work, and folk art, must be availalbe for public performances, and must maintain a permanent residence in New England.

MatchBook.org houses the directory of all artists who may be chosen by NEST applicants for funding. Therefore, all artists who wish to qualify for NEST funding must maintain an artist profile on MatchBook.org.

How to become a NEST artist

Register for free on MatchBook.org.
Go to www.MatchBook.org, click “GET LISTED,” and complete the form.
Create an artist profile.
Once you are registered, click on “My MatchBook” (top right) and select “Artist” next to “Create a Profile.”
In order to become a NEST artist, artists are required to complete all fields listed below in their artist profile:

OVERVIEW TAB	Group or Artist Name Contact Name (can be an agent or manager) Address Phone Number Email Disciplines (check at least one) Activities Available for (must include concert/performance/reading) Fee Range Description of Activities
PROGRAMS TAB	Description of Residency and Outreach Activities Audiences Served (check at least one) Awards Education/Training
PERFORMING HISTORY TAB	Performing History (Please list at least five different organizations that have presented you in concerts/performances/readings in the last year. You must include hiring organization, contact name, date, and activity type.)
WORK SAMPLES TAB	At least one photo posted At least one audio or video clip posted

Once all requirements have been met, return to the OVERVIEW tab in your artist profile and check the box next to “I have completed the requirements and wish to be considered eligible for the New England States Touring Program.” Be sure to click “save” once you have completed this task.

Sign up for the MatchBook.org e-newsletter.
All artists who wish to be a part of NEST must also sign up for the MatchBook.org newsletter. To do this:

Go to www.MatchBook.org and log in.
Click “Edit Details” from your “My MatchBook” screen.
Click “Send me periodic MatchBook.org eNewsletter & announcements.”

After your profile has been reviewed by the MatchBook.org team, an icon will appear on your profile indicating that you are eligible for NEST funding. Artist profiles must be updated at least once a year to maintain NEST status. Otherwise, the profile will be deactivated and the artist will no longer be eligible for NEST funding.

Once an artist becomes eligible for NEST, their professionalism and quality will be evaluated by presenters who receive NEST funding. If comments from presenting organizations are continually marginal or unsatisfactory, the artist will be contacted and interviewed.

It is beneficial for artists to let presenters know that they are eligible for NEST funding and mention it in promotional materials, as potential presenters may be more likely to book an artist knowing that funding assistance for the artist's fee is available from the NEST program. Below is an example of what artists may use:

Fee support for [insert artist name] may be available to nonprofit organizations through the New England States Touring (NEST) program of the New England Foundation for the Arts. Visit www.nefa.org for more information.

Advisors

The New England state arts agencies serve as the review panel for all NEST applications. Applicants are highly encouraged to contact their state arts agency when applying.

Connecticut Offices of Culture and Tourism - Bonnie Koba (Arts in Education Coordinator)
New Hampshire State Council on the Arts - Cassandra Mason (Chief Grants Officer & Organizational Support Coordinator)
Massachusetts Cultural Council - Eric D'Alessandro (Program Officer)
Maine Arts Commission - Kerstin Gilg (Media Arts and Performing Arts Associate)
Rhode Island State Council on the Arts - Elizabeth Keithline (Director, Project Grants For Organizations and Public Art Programs)
Vermont Arts Council - Michele Bailey (Program Director)

Funders

The New England States Touring program is made possible with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts Regional Touring Program and the six New England state arts agencies.