About The Ford

The Ford, a 1,090-seat outdoor amphitheater in Hollywood’s Cahuenga Pass, is by the LA Phil in partnership with the County of Los Angeles.

Recognizing that active participation by all communities in Los Angeles County’s cultural life is integral to building a society where all people have a voice, the FordLab program embraces the guiding principles that:

• The creative and cultural expression of all people of the region is of equal value;

• Programming that illuminates the complex diversity of the region sparks curiosity and dialogue and opens pathways to greater understanding of Los Angeles’ many communities;

• Access to top-of-the-line amenities is crucial for under-resourced and growth-ready artists and producers to realize their work and raise their visibility;

• Skill building and peer-to-peer learning opportunities for artists and producers strengthen the region’s artistic infrastructure; and

• Welcoming environments encourage participation, innovation, and collaboration.

Program Highlights

• The opportunity for your program to be presented in a historic, 1,090-seat performing arts facility

• Access to all in-house lighting and sound equipment

• Producing in partnership with the LA Phil

• Production mentorship

• General marketing support to reach important sales milestones

• Customer service and box office support

• Financial stipend toward production costs depending on need and partnership type

• Subsidized operations/house staff by the LA Phil

• A supportive community of peers and mentors from diverse backgrounds

• Inclusion in a broad marketing campaign targeting Los Angeles County residents and visitors

Each summer, nearly 40,000 Angelenos attend The Ford’s eclectic summer season of music, dance, film, and spoken word events. The season celebrates the region by reflecting onstage the cultural and artistic diversity of the people of Los Angeles County. FordLab is an incubator and accelerator 6-month intensive program for a range of productions with a competitive application process. Reflective of Los Angeles County’s Cultural Equity and Inclusion Initiative’s values in the areas of music, dance, film, and spoken word, the selection process seeks to increase inclusivity and access, and enable producers to effectively stage work in a major venue.

In this program, you can expect a 6-month intensive program that offers participants a professional-development curriculum to gain new skills in production, sales, and marketing and promotion and to show advancement within a performing arts organization for producers who are ready to take their productions to the next level, culminating in your participation in The Ford’s 2025 summer season.

Application Information

Key Deadlines

June 1, 2024: Letter of Intent Form opens
July 3, 2024, 6PM PT:  FordLab 101—Program Informational via Zoom
August 4, 2024, 11:59PM PT: Letter of Intent Form due 
August 7, 2024, 6PM PT: FordLab 101—Application Informational via Zoom
August 26, 2024: Invitations to submit a full application are sent
October 4, 2024, 11:59PM PT:  Full applications due

Letters of Intent (LOI)

The first tier of this process is the Letter of Intent Form (LOI). The Ford will consider Letters of Intent that reflect The Ford’s commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion and bring people together for transformative arts experiences that inspire, empower, and ignite cultural exchange. As previously mentioned, selected applicants will be invited to submit a full application. Only fully completed applications will be considered. Please return to this page for the most up-to-date guidelines and deadlines. Information subject to change.

For questions about the application process, please email fordlab@laphil.org.

Submitting Letters of Intent

This year, the Letter of Intent Form will be a questionnaire. Please return to this page on June 1 when the Letter of Intent Form will go live.

Due: August 4 at 11:59pm PT
  

LOI Form Guidelines

Section 1: Applicant Information

• Applicant and/or organization name and description 

Section 2: Project Description

You will be asked to share your artistic vision for the event and walk us through the show from start to finish. Please include the following:

• What artistic discipline is represented in the proposed work? (For example, dance, music, opera, multidisciplinary work, spoken word, musical theater, folk and traditional arts)

• What cultural or ethnic traditions are represented in the production? (If applicable)

• Describe your event, including title and proposed performers.

• Describe the core audience for your proposed event. Please be specific and avoid generalizations such as “Los Angeles residents” or “fans of our work.” Consider geographic, cultural, ethnic, generational, and artistic affiliations of your core audiences and the approximate size of these groups.

• Describe your artistic vision for the event and what the audience is expected to experience.

• Provide the total estimated budget for the project and describe the various sources you will target to fund the project.

Section 3: Why The Ford?

You will be asked the following:

• Why is it important to your organization to produce at The Ford’s 1,190-seat venue at this time?

• How does the proposed event align with the FordLab program’s guiding principles?

Guiding Principles can be found above. For additional context and information please see our EDI statement.

Section 4: Production History

You will be asked the following:

• Share your overall production experience: How long have you or your organization been producing? Is the event you are proposing typical for you or your organization, or are you looking to expand and try a new challenge?

• List at least two examples of an event you or your organization produced. It should be recent and as similar in size or scope to the proposed show as possible. Include venue name and audience capacity.

• Describe how the project was financed and whether it broke even or realized a profit or loss.

Work Samples

Provide only web links (e.g., YouTube, Vimeo, SoundCloud, Flickr). Samples must be of a previous production of the proposed event or of events that are similar in scale and/or production quality. You may submit up to three video work samples, no longer than three minutes each. At least one sample should show the work of a fully staged production or concert. If you have rehearsal or workshop footage featuring an excerpt of the proposed program, please include it. Samples should feature the proposed artists/company/organization. Avoid including marketing/promo videos or edited montages, except for film or film festival trailers.

References

Provide two references that speak to your production experience. References should represent or be associated with venues, festivals, or other presenting entities. Underneath each reference, provide a short description of its relationship to your work. (Please obtain prior permission for your references.)

LOI Assessment

• Proposed projects will be assessed by a selected review panel using the following criteria:

• Artistic quality and proposal detail

• Applicant’s background/experience producing performing arts events

• An existing supportive core audience

• Adaptability to The Ford’s stage, technical capabilities, and audience capacity

• Alignment with the FordLab program’s guiding principles

• Professional and creative goals

• Fiscal feasibility

• For returning producers:

  • Goals that challenge and push creative and professional boundaries

  • Participation and engagement in previous program enrollment

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