We are seeking a skilled volunteer with expertise in public relations to help our organization prepare for an upcoming rebrand.

Our goal is to leverage the rebrand announcement this autumn to expand our reach and visibility via press coverage, interviews, and social media. The volunteer will create a comprehensive plan for our media strategy and outreach activities for our team to follow from the completion of this project until the end of the calendar year.

The RI Women’s Choreography Project (RIWCP) has a core mission to nurture, elevate, and empower dance artists whose voices are not traditionally heard. The project was spontaneously founded in 2018 in response to the gender inequity present in ballet and contemporary companies across the U.S., where only 20-25% of works onstage are created by women. In its first year, the project focused primarily on female-identifying choreographers in Rhode Island. As RIWCP found its footing over the past six years, its scope evolved--We expanded our mission to serve all underrepresented genders, not just women, and we now attract artists from all over the country, not just Rhode Island.

As a result, our name no longer accurately reflects who we are. This June, we will finalize new targeted priorities and select a new, more concise name. Our goal is to increase our visibility and attract funding sources from all over the country (to match our artist demographics), while still promoting the Rhode Island dance community as our home.

Our rebranding project is a top priority for us at this stage and crucial for the long-term growth of the organization. Having obtained federal 501(c)3 status in 2022 and recently curated a board of directors with members from institutions like the Baryshnikov Arts Center in New York City, Brown University, and more, we are poised for a lot of growth and impact. Our board is young, fresh, and enthusiastic about the success of the organization. Because of how new we are, we have a clean slate regarding PR strategy.

A skilled volunteer who joins our team will have the opportunity to take ownership on shaping our PR strategy and be a part of a truly unique project. We are the first program in the country to specifically target underrepresented genders in choreography. The road to achieve our mission for equity is long, but with the right strategy, the potential for our organization is limitless. We believe this rebranding project presents an exciting challenge for a PR professional, with high potential for payoff.

In preparation for this project, we are actively engaging in discussions with our board and external focus groups to assess what changes need to be made internally in order to advance our organization in a cohesive way. These conversations will culminate in an organization-wide workshop led by an external strategy consultant in June, where we will establish specific strategic priorities and select a new name that aligns with our goals. Following this, we plan to utilize July and August to prepare for the rebrand announcement in September. We anticipate that the comprehensive communications plan developed by our skilled PR volunteer will guide us through the preparations for the announcement and help us capitalize on the momentum to expand our national reach.

The skilled volunteer would engage with our Strategic Communications Committee, which includes our Board President, Executive Director, and External Strategy Consultant. Our Fundraising and Development Committee will be working in tandem to expand our donor base beyond the New England area.

We can provide a list of the media outlets we traditionally engage with as context. Additionally, we have established relationships with graphic designers and photographers who can assist with any aesthetic elements needed. Given these preparations and our dedication to the success of the rebrand, we are confident that we will be able to complete this project well with the support of our skilled volunteer.