Network of Ensemble Theaters

What is NET? The **Network of Ensemble Theaters (NET)** is a **national collective and community of organizations, artists, organizers, and cultural workers** committed to the power of collaborative creation as a force for artistic innovation, cultural organizing, and systemic change. At NET, Ensemble practice is more than a way of making theater, it’s a model for **community building,** **shared leadership, and mutual support.** It’s how we create, how we gather, and how we build something bigger than ourselves. We operate from the perspective that a performance based ensemble is a group of individuals dedicated to collaborative creation, committed to working together consistently over years to develop a distinctive body of work, practices, and ways of being. Ensemble members, both artists, and administrators, are empowered as core decision-makers who help to shape their company's artistic direction, values, processes, and organizational structure. **NET serves and is comprised of more than performance ensembles, collectives, and individual ensemble practitioners.** We also welcome and need to be in community with co-creators, producers, scholars, educators, teaching artists, students, cultural workers, organizers, activists, policymakers, funders, community partners, and other allies. **Why NET Exists: Power in Collaboration** Ensemble and collaborative artists know that this work isn’t meant to be done alone. While institutions often prioritize individual achievement, ensemble practice thrives on shared leadership, deep trust, and collective creativity. But the reality is that funding models, national arts policies, and industry structures aren’t built for this way of working. **That’s where NET comes in.** We exist because **ensemble and collaborative practitioners deserve the same access to resources, advocacy, and sustainability as institutional models of theater.** We exist because **no single artist or ensemble should have to navigate these challenges in isolation.** Through NET, **artists and ensembles connect not just to each other, but to the knowledge, networks, and advocacy needed to sustain and grow their work.** Whether it’s **developing new funding pathways, documenting the impact of ensemble practice, or advocating for systemic change**, NET ensures that ensemble makers have **the infrastructure, visibility, and collective power they need.** Explore our website to learn more about **NET’s programs, our member-only resource hub, and how we’re shaping a future where ensemble practice isn’t just possible—it’s prioritized.**