OOTB’s Building the Box program was created in 2017 to address community needs in the changing landscape of New York theatre. 

In New York City, there is a gap in funded opportunities for the developmental process, and an ever-present lack of representation in the stories that get produced. This initiative focuses on lifting the voices of marginalized communities by providing opportunities to these communities to tell their stories.

This program gives artists the time and space needed to go through the vulnerable process of developing new work.OOTB strives to give underrepresented artists opportunity and the resources needed to develop their work and excel in a career in the arts. 

At OOTB, we believe it is vital that underrepresented communities see themselves represented on stage and beyond. Liz Flemming, a legally blind artist, founded OOTB to ensure that artists in underrepresented communities are given the same opportunities as the rest of the industry. The power of representation is one of the strongest tools available in the arts, which is why OOTB is taking proactive steps to support voices that have been historically oppressed.