WHO WE ARE

OntheBoards.tv is a first-of-its-kind portal for viewing full-length, high-quality performance films on your TV, desktop, or laptop. It functions as a streaming subscription service and an archive for ground-breaking artistic projects and contemporary performances.

The films featured on the website include international and US-based contemporary artists, some of whom are rarely seen live stateside, with works that might not be performed again. We work with our hand-picked film crew to capture live performances, edit collaboratively with the artists, and deliver the best possible video performance straight to you.

We reach audiences in all 50 states and 53 countries in the Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia. Over 103 higher education institutions in the US, Europe and Australia have purchased educational content for their campuses including Princeton, Yale, Ohio University, and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. We have participated in over 40 screenings of our films in venues across the US and Europe, such as the Prague Quadrennial (Czech Republic), Brooklyn Academy of Music (NYC), Oberlin Dance Company (San Francisco) and the PuSh Festival (Vancouver, BC). OntheBoards.tv gives art lovers access to a growing catalog of artists from around the world regardless of where they live or their busy schedules, at affordable prices.

Since 2014, we have been strategizing and building ways to support educators and students who use OntheBoards.tv in their curricula, and rethinking the site’s potential as a historical and educational platform. Contemporary performance has evolved into a working method, a critical framework, and an artistic strategy, which creates the need for more background material to better contextualize and historicize each artist’s practice.

To this day, we have launched 60 performance films by 57 different artists representing the Pacific Northwest, New York, Australia, Germany, France, Poland, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Belgium, Montreal, and more. We have filmed performances in our Seattle home at On the Boards theater, in Portland with Portland Institute for Contemporary Art, in Austin with the Fusebox Festival and in New York with Performance Space 122.

"For some Cinderellas a fairy godmother delivers a prince. For others? A high-quality film of a theatrical performance." – New York Times

HOW WE DO IT

After selecting a performance to add to our growing catalogue, we work closely with a professional film company, the hosting venue and the artists to plan the details of each shoot. Our filming partners have been Thinklab and Breathing Media, and currently work with Miles Burnett as our Director of Photography, and consistently worked with Jason Alberts of Lyd Sound for our professional sound design for each shoot. We capture each performance during a live run of the show with four to five high definition cameras that sit among the audience. After filming, the piece is edited by the film company, which works closely with the artist to determine specific edits that best represent the artist's live performance. Once finalized, the film goes up on our website, along with additional features and extras that help viewers get a better picture of the artist, the particular work, and what live audiences thought of the piece during the run of the show. Each time someone purchases and views the performance film from OntheBoards.tv, the artists and partner organizations share the profits, offering not only a new method for reaching new audiences but an additional revenue stream. Occasionally, rather than filming a performance, we find existing titles that meet our standard for quality and add those to our catalog as well.

BENEFITS OF ONTHEBOARDS.TV

OntheBoards.tv provides access to works by the leading voices from the field of contemporary performance, some of which will never be performed again. With our revenue sharing model, participating OntheBoards.tv artists get 50% each time someone purchases their performance film. For arts enthusiasts, the traditional barriers for viewing contemporary performance are no longer holding you back – watch at any time, from any place for as low as $5.

WHO WE REACH

OntheBoards.tv has reached audiences in all 50 U.S. states and over 53 countries in the Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia. Our subscribers are comprised of avid arts fans, intrigued browsers, students and arts professionals. Over 92 higher education institutions in the US, Europe and Australia have purchased educational content for their campuses including Princeton, Yale, Ohio University, and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. We have participated in 40 screenings of our films in venues across the US and Europe, such as the Prague Quadrennial (Czech Republic), Brooklyn Academy of Music (NYC), Oberlin Dance Center (San Francisco) and the PuSh Festival (Vancouver, BC).