The principal mission of the Performing Arts Program is to support organizations of quality in the fields of dance, music, and theater that perform or produce work in New York City. More specifically, the program seeks to:

Preserve and support New York City’s major performing arts institutions, those organizations of national and international importance that make sustained, significant contributions to the cultural life of the City.

Support theater companies that have demonstrated a commitment to include the classics in their regular repertory.

Encourage dance, theater, and music companies and presenters to make their offerings accessible to audiences by placing them in their historical contexts, connecting them to societal concerns, or otherwise contributing to the educational aspects of the aesthetic experience.

Provide stabilization and project funds for dance companies, especially those that face the challenge of maintaining an active company and of preserving a legacy of past achievements.

Provide support for music groups committed to performing the contemporary repertory.

Assist innovative or important projects that address the professional training and development of performing artists, and

Support the work of artists who, over time, have reinterpreted the traditional elements of dance or theater and thereby have broadened our aesthetic appreciation or understanding.