An initiative of the American Society for Theatre Research (ASTR), ATAP is a network of archivists, dramaturgs, and scholars dedicated to preserving the legacy of the American theatre. ATAP is guided by the work of four Committees, which help develop partnerships, facilitate communication, create guidelines, seek funding, and disseminate best practices. Location-based Teams help individual theatre companies evaluate their records, develop an archiving plan, and secure funding to support long-term archive health.  Once created and made accessible to theatre makers, scholars, patrons, and funders on premises online, and/or in a repository, a theatre’s archives support institutional integrity and development. Consider making a donation to ATAP today.

Mission

The American Theatre Archive Project (ATAP) supports theatre makers in archiving records of their work for the benefit of artists, scholars, patrons, and the public.

Goals

  • To preserve records of current theatrical process and product for future generations.
  • To employ theatre legacy to develop theatres’ fiscal health and support new work.
  • To promote a better understanding of theatre as a vital element of cultural history.
  • To encourage scholarly research in contemporary American theatre.
  • To increase funding for establishing and maintaining theatre archives.
  • To support collaborations among theatre archivists, practitioners, and scholars.