Storm King Theater Values & Community Partnership Framework

Storm King Theater is a community-centered cultural venue committed to creating meaningful experiences through film, performance, events, partnerships and shared use of our space.

We believe the theater should be a place where people can gather, create, participate, experience something new and feel connected to the community around them.

Our programming and partnerships are guided by the following principles.

1. Community Comes First

Storm King Theater exists to serve the community through experiences that bring people together, expand access, create opportunities and contribute positively to the cultural life of Cornwall and the surrounding region.

When considering a partnership, program or initiative, we look for ideas that:

  • Offer meaningful value to the community

  • Create opportunities for participation, connection or discovery

  • Expand the range of experiences available locally

  • Respect the character of the theater and the community it serves

  • Are thoughtful about accessibility and inclusion

  • Are collaborative rather than purely promotional

A partnership may also benefit the participating organization, artist or business. We simply ask that there be a clear reason the experience belongs at Storm King Theater and offers something worthwhile to the people we serve.

2. A Platform for Many Voices

Storm King Theater is intended to be a place where a wide range of people, artists, organizations and ideas can be represented.

We do not expect every program to appeal to every person.

Some experiences may be designed for children and families. Others may be created for adults, artists, filmmakers, businesses, individuals with disabilities, cultural organizations or particular communities of interest.

Our goal is not to create one kind of programming for one kind of audience. It is to build a varied calendar that gives different people different reasons to participate.

3. Inclusion, Accessibility & Representation

We believe cultural experiences should be available in more than one way.

Through the NICO Initiative and our broader programming, we will continue looking for opportunities to improve accessibility, accommodate sensory and other individual needs, increase representation of people of all abilities and create experiences that welcome people who may historically have found traditional theater environments difficult to access.

Inclusive programming is not separate from the rest of our community. Whenever possible, we want to create environments where people of different abilities can participate together.

4. Partnerships Should Have Purpose

We welcome partnerships with individuals, artists, nonprofits, businesses, schools, cultural organizations, community groups and institutions.

Strong partnerships should have:

  • A clear objective

  • Defined roles and responsibilities

  • A person or organization willing to lead the initiative

  • A realistic plan for staffing, funding and execution

  • A clear understanding of what is being requested from Storm King Theater

  • An experience or outcome that aligns with the theater's purpose

Storm King Theater may provide space, ticketing, marketing support, equipment, staffing, financial support or other resources depending on the partnership.

Those resources are never assumed. They must be discussed and agreed upon in advance.

5. Ideas Need Owners

We welcome new ideas, but Storm King Theater cannot automatically take ownership of every program proposed to us.

If you bring us an initiative you would like to see happen, we may ask you to help lead it.

Before committing to a new program, we consider:

  • Who will lead it

  • Audience and community benefit

  • Timing

  • Space availability

  • Financial feasibility

  • Staffing and volunteer requirements

  • Technical and production needs

  • Accessibility considerations

  • Whether the program complements the theater's existing offerings

A great idea is much more likely to move forward when there is someone committed to helping make it happen.

6. We Are a Venue as Well as a Programmer

Storm King Theater will produce a limited amount of programming directly, but we are also intentionally creating opportunities for others to use the theater as a platform.

Artists, creators, filmmakers, exhibitors, businesses and community partners may organize their own events and experiences at Storm King Theater.

Depending on the arrangement, Storm King Theater may serve as:

  • The venue

  • A partner

  • A co-presenter

  • A ticketing platform

  • A sponsor

  • A community resource

The responsibilities of each party will be established before the event or initiative moves forward.

7. Free Programming & Financial Sustainability Can Coexist

Storm King Theater is committed to offering free community programming while also hosting paid events, private experiences, rentals and premium offerings.

One supports the other.

Not every program can or should be free. Ticketed events, venue rentals, memberships, sponsorships, private experiences and other earned revenue help support the theater's operations and create opportunities for programming that may otherwise not be financially possible.

We believe accessibility includes creating a range of experiences at different price points, including meaningful opportunities to participate at no cost.

8. Nonpartisan Community Space

Storm King Theater is not a campaign platform and does not organize programming for the purpose of advancing a political candidate, party or campaign.

Public officials may attend theater and community events in their civic capacity, and the theater may host nonpartisan civic or educational programming when appropriate.

Our goal is to create opportunities for community participation and conversation without turning the theater into an extension of any political campaign or organization.

9. Respect for Artists, Creators & Partners

We respect the people who bring ideas and creative work to Storm King Theater.

When reviewing partnerships or programs, our decision is based on practical and organizational considerations such as:

  • Fit with the theater

  • Timing and scheduling

  • Available resources

  • Financial feasibility

  • Technical requirements

  • Staffing

  • Audience considerations

  • Existing programming commitments

A decision not to move forward is not necessarily a judgment of the person, organization or creative work involved.

Sometimes the answer may simply be that the timing, format or resources are not right.

A project that does not work today may make sense in the future.

10. Collaboration Should Be Mutually Beneficial

We want partnerships to work for everyone involved.

That may mean sharing audiences, resources, expertise, platforms, creative ideas or physical space.

Whenever possible, we look for arrangements where the theater, the partner and the community each receive meaningful value from the collaboration.

We believe cultural organizations are stronger when they share resources rather than operate entirely in isolation.

11. The Theater Is a Shared Space

Storm King Theater is a historic community space, and everyone using it shares responsibility for treating the building, staff, volunteers, artists and patrons with respect.

Partners and renters are expected to follow theater policies regarding safety, accessibility, food and beverage, licensing, equipment use, staffing and care of the facility.

Custom requirements that create additional labor or expense may require additional fees or resources from the organizing party.

12. We Want to Keep Learning

Storm King Theater is growing, and so is our programming.

We expect new ideas, new partnerships and new opportunities to shape what the theater becomes.

We welcome thoughtful feedback and encourage people to share ideas with us. We will continue evaluating what works, what our community responds to and where we can improve.

Our goal is not to build a static institution.

It is to build a theater that remains active, useful, creative, accessible and connected to the community around it.

Partner With Us

If you have an idea for a program, initiative, partnership or collaboration at Storm King Theater, we would like to hear it.

Please reach out to Elizabeth Yannone at elizabeth@stormkingtheater.com and tell us:

  • What you would like to create

  • Who it is intended for

  • What role you or your organization would take

  • What you would need from Storm King Theater

  • Any funding, staffing, technical or space requirements

  • When you would like it to happen

  • Anything else that will help us understand the idea

The best place to start is with a clear idea, a willing partner and a conversation.