Sundance Institute Hit with Layoffs

Brian Welk
·2 min read
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Sundance Institute has laid off 11 employees — about six percent of its 180-person staff — on Wednesday, with the non-profit organization citing a drop in earned revenue, rising inflation, and a “more challenging fundraising climate.”

Sundance Institute CEO Joana Vicente informed the team on Wednesday in a memo sent to staff and obtained by IndieWire, and the laid off employees were informed earlier today.

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The cuts impacted multiple departments, but no specific names or roles were revealed. Vicente said one other staff member is moving to a “reduced work schedule,” and the organization has had to make other tough decisions regarding seasonal labor requests. A source said the moves are necessary in the changing economic landscape and to move forward by redesigning aspects of their work and staffing.

“Like many nonprofits, the economic climate has challenged our business,” Vicente wrote. “We entered FY23 with a deficit, and it has gotten more expensive to run the Institute due to rising costs from inflation, a drop in our earned revenue, and a more challenging fundraising climate. Because of this, we needed to make tough choices for our future. We’ve undertaken a rigorous review across the Institute to begin defining a path forward. The positions we’re eliminating reflect the outcome of that review, and in the coming year, we will continue to prioritize the core work of the Institute, embrace reinvention, and create efficiencies.”

The layoffs follow the return of an in-person Sundance Film Festival back in January after two years in which the festival pivoted to virtual. The festival saw strong attendance and a healthy sales market. The news also comes after the festival just this past month received a historic $4 million grant, the largest in its history, from the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria to the Sundance Institute’s Indigenous program.

Sundance is not alone among arts institutions and non-profits that have had layoffs recently, including just this month BAM and Central Theatre Group also cutting staff and pausing programs.

Next year’s Sundance will be its 40th anniversary, and the festival is scheduled for January 18-28, 2024.

Read Vicente’s full note to staff below:

Dear Sundancers,

I have some difficult news to share. Over these last several months, we have been candid about our work to strengthen the organization financially for a strong foundation for our future as we face a changing economic landscape. In light of this, today, we are reducing the size of our team by 11 positions. Earlier, we notified the colleagues who were affected by these decisions.

In addition to these reductions, one staff member is moving to a reduced work schedule, and we have had to make decisions around seasonal labor requests, which we have shared with departments as part of our planning process.

It is hard to say goodbye to individuals who have meaningfully contributed to this organization, deeply talented individuals we have loved working with. I want to thank our valued colleagues for their impact on Sundance. We plan to support them with severance packages as generous as we can afford.

I want to share what brought us here. Like many nonprofits, the economic climate has challenged our business. We entered FY23 with a deficit, and it has gotten more expensive to run the Institute due to rising costs from inflation, a drop in our earned revenue, and a more challenging fundraising climate. Because of this, we needed to make tough choices for our future. We’ve undertaken a rigorous review across the Institute to begin defining a path forward. The positions we’re eliminating reflect the outcome of that review, and in the coming year, we will continue to prioritize the core work of the Institute, embrace reinvention, and create efficiencies.

We have a strong mission, impactful and life-changing programs for artists, and a community focused on discovering and supporting artists -artists who help change culture, entertain, and move us. As you know, we are working on a 3-5 year strategic plan focused on refreshing the Institute’s priorities, business model, and operations; today’s organizational changes work in concert with this.

I am confident about the huge opportunity in front of us thanks to our incredibly talented team, who are stewards of this organization, and the value of what we have provided for over four decades to arts and culture.

I know you will have many questions about what I have just shared, our plans for next year, and how we’ll move forward. We will go over these elements during today’s all-staff meeting and in the coming weeks and months in our work together.

Please take care of yourselves as you process this difficult news and lean on your Core Leaders, including me, to work through this together.

I am grateful to all of you for your work on behalf of artists and Sundance.

With appreciation,

Joana

THR first reported the news.

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