How to Stretch Your Department’s Budget

Monday, October 8, 2007 || Apollo

In my past life as a lighting designer at a large university (name withheld to protect the academic reputation), I was well known for being able to decimate a year end budget in hours. It was always amazing that every year my department would cut budgets to the point where I was taping gel scraps together to do a show. Then as we neared the end of the fiscal year, I was asked by my department chair if there was any expensive lighting gear that we needed so they could finish off a budget. You see, if there is money left in a budget at the end of a year, the bean counters feel that they should cut next years budget by that amount. So it behooves the chair to spend EVERYTHING! Many times the money would have a stipulation that it had to be spent on computer technology or "new" technologies. Being in a performing arts department, the money was hard to spend on technology to help an artist sing, dance, or act better. Conversations with the purchasing department pointed me in the direction to write "wish lists" for theatre technology that would fit the bill.

With a bit of time and some creative writing, a staff electrician or designer can find sources to fund new technology for the students to use. These sources can be in the college engineering department or the computer lab. For example, I talked to an electrician that bought a new computerized dimmer control board by writing the proposal from the computer side of the product and not just asking for a new board. Moving yoke and light technologies can be funded with research money in hopes of drawing in more grad students (we must keep up with the "big schools"). Video gear can be bought with budget money from the AV department. Sometimes the gear will be controlled by that department but it is still available to the production folks. Libraries are also a source. The department can ask for a file of gobos or video clips (for video projection). If a small budget can be set aside every year, the library will build up stock. This will also help create a library that will mutually benefit other performing arts departments on the campus. Using a bit of ingenuity and turning in the proper phrase can be a great source of equipment funding in your departments future.