Borderlands Theater, known for bringing live performances to unconventional spaces, has received a $600,000 grant from the Mellon Foundation to support its work over the next three years.
The professional theater ensemble, with offices in Tucson’s historic Sosa-Carrillo House, stages performances in public areas such as parks, churches, and even under freeway overpasses.
Producing Artistic Director Marc David Pinate said the company’s approach transforms the city itself into a stage.
“We decided to make the city our stage,” Pinate said. “So, we’ve done things in parks, in churches, at the bottom of the Santa Cruz River, under the I-19 freeway.”
The Mellon Foundation, a national supporter of the arts, recognized the company’s innovative work, awarding the grant to help expand its programming and staff.
Associate Artistic Director Milta Ortiz called the funding a major milestone.
“It was the best thing that ever happened to us,” Ortiz said. “I think that they’ve been aware of the work we’re doing. They said the Mellon would like to have a meeting with you on Zoom, and I said, ‘Sure!’”
The grant allows Borderlands to hire additional staff, including a youth education coordinator and a development director, a first for the company.
“We just hired our youth education coordinator,” Pinate said. “We have a development director, which we never had before.”
Funding will also support new productions, including Claudia’s Family, set to debut in the fall, and an upcoming dinner theater series.
“This award is a testament really to the support that so many people have given Borderlands Theatre,” Ortiz said.
Borderlands plans to use the grant to continue engaging Tucson audiences in unexpected places while fostering community connections through live performances.
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Eddie Celaya is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9. Born in Tucson and raised in the Phoenix area, Eddie is a life-long Arizonan and graduate of the University of Arizona who loves the desert and mountains and hates the cold. Previously, Eddie worked in print media at the Arizona Daily Star. Share your story ideas with Eddie at edward.celaya@kgun9.com, or by connecting on Facebook or Instagram.
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