After 25 years of producing groundbreaking experimental art in the Tenderloin, we at Cutting Ball Theater are announcing our final year. We will be closing our doors by the end of December 2024. We remain proud of the incredible journey we've shared and the remarkable milestones we've achieved, especially in the last five years. The words of Camus, “one must imagine Sisyphus happy,” resonate deeply with us now. 

Our mission as a Collective Leadership Team extended beyond the stage; we sought to revolutionize how we produce art. To ensure fair and livable wages for all artists, we overhauled our HR practices, narrowed pay gaps, deepened our connections with the vibrant Tenderloin community, and truly celebrated and centered the intersectional diversity of that community. Nevertheless, we face a harsh reality: funding for the arts continues to diminish, especially for small and mid-size theaters. Today these developmental roots of arts ecosystems are being deprioritized by both foundation and government funders.

Cutting Ball was founded on taking risks and envisioning better futures on and off the stage. We equitably spread our existing resources and decision making power by empowering our admin artist team through the launch of our Collective Leadership Team. This shift has enriched our decision-making processes and reinforced our commitment to innovation. During our recent emergency fundraising campaign, many donations came directly from working artists who credited this neighborhood and our stage as vital to their artistic growth and career development. Without substantial new support, we cannot continue to pay livable wages in one of the most expensive cities in the country. All that we’ve learned as a Collective has reinforced our understanding that if we cannot offer paid opportunities for artists to learn and grow, we cannot foster meaningful change in our communities. 

Cutting Ball has always been a company by, of, and for artists, and we aim to use our remaining resources to continue supporting artists as we wrap up the company. Until we close, we will continue offering low-cost space rentals for artists and nonprofit organizations. In celebration of our legacy, we aim to close this chapter with one final production. We need your help to make this happen. In this final season, we ask our community to help us close out with a final production that lives up to Cutting Ball’s mission of artistic excellence and thought provoking performances by centering Trans & Queer voices at a time when across the country these voices are being threatened and deplatformed. We aim to raise $40,000 by the end of August and $100,000 by the end of November to fund our last celebration of experimental art in our Tenderloin community. 

We are profoundly grateful for all who have supported Cutting Ball over the last 25 years. Our accomplishments have always stemmed from community, and we humbly ask our community once again to join us in striving for what may be possible. Help us to make this final chapter a testament to the storied organization Cutting Ball has become. Help us to celebrate what makes experimental art in San Francisco so unique.