Below are justification letters one for employees to send to their employers and one for students to send to their professors and schools/universities. The text in RED is example copy. Please feel free to replace it with your own reasonings for attending as well as your applicable business or school.
Dear [Insert name here]
As [faculty or staff], I am requesting funding to attend the United States Institute of Theatre Technology (USITT) Annual Conference & Stage Expo in St. Louis, March 15-18, 2023.
There are few organizations that can offer the same opportunities as the United States Institute for Theatre Technology (USITT). This is an internationally recognized organization that sponsors the growth, education, and communication between practitioners, educators, students, and emerging artists. While there are many facets of the organization those runs continuously throughout the year, USITT holds an annual conference each spring that acts as a focal point for their activities. This year’s annual conference will be held this March 15-18 in St. Louis and it would be extremely beneficial for me to attend as a representative of [UNIVERSITY].
Every year the conference acts as a celebration of designers & technicians’ past work and emerging artists’ future promise. Throughout the week there are over three hundred workshops, presentations, juried design and technical displays, and interview opportunities for independent designers and technicians. The conference also includes trips and backstage tours to local theatres and design exhibits, professional development workshops to learn advanced techniques, a portfolio review service for students/early career individuals and pre-tenured faculty, and opportunities to learn from international designers.
The conference has eleven commissions covering different areas of emphasis in technical theatre—each commission is responsible for scheduling workshops, speakers, and presentations that highlight their field. It is an opportunity to learn about techniques and approaches to my chosen profession through the workshops of the [Architecture, Costume Design & Technology, Digital Media, Education, Engineering, Lighting Design & Technology, Management, Safety & Health, Scene Design, Sound Design & Technology, Technical Production] Commission. Every year, there are Distinguished Achievement Award Winners in many areas of design, technology, management, and education. One of the highlights of each conference is when these Award-winning professionals candidly discuss their career, approaches to their craft, and are readily approachable to all attendees.
USITT offers the opportunity to develop relationships with many professional designers and educators. USITT has always been an incredible national network for theatre artisans, and attending the conference is the first step to begin to lay the foundation. The Stage Expo is the only trade show in the US featuring all areas of theatre design and technology, from lighting and sound to costumes and software. I will be able to research for all aspects of design and technology, which will lead to more innovative designs and solutions for my work at [UNIVERSITY].
The total cost of the conference, including airfare, hotel, registration, and fees is about $1,700-2,000 allowing room for taxes on airfare and hotel stay. I am writing to respectfully request your assistance with these expenses for this year, as I believe my involvement in this conference is an important part of my professional growth. The continued participation of our faculty, staff, and students on this national stage increases the reputation of our institution. Any financial assistance you offer would be deeply appreciated so I may attend this year’s USITT conference.
In summary, the opportunity to attend the variety of programming sessions, expo floor, and to network with 6,000+ technical theatre artists, professionals, and educators, would enhance my teaching, creative, and scholarly work.
Dear [Insert name here]
As a student, I am requesting funding to attend the United States Institute of Theatre Technology (USITT) Annual Conference & Stage Expo in St. Louis, March 15-18, 2023.
There are few organizations that can offer the same opportunities as the United States Institute for Theatre Technology (USITT). This is an internationally recognized organization that sponsors the growth, education, and communication between practitioners, educators, students, and emerging artists. While there are many facets of the organization those runs continuously throughout the year, USITT holds an annual conference each spring that acts as a focal point for their activities. This year’s annual conference will be held this March 15-18 in St. Louis and it would be extremely beneficial for me to attend as a representative of [UNIVERSITY].
Every year the conference acts as a celebration of designers& technicians’ past work and emerging artists’ future promise. Throughout the week there are over three hundred workshops, presentations, juried design and technical displays, and interview opportunities for independent designers and technicians. The conference also includes trips and backstage tours to local theatres and design exhibits, professional development workshops to learn advanced techniques, a portfolio review service for students/early career individuals and pre-tenured faculty, and opportunities to learn from international designers, to explore training programs, and participate in job interviews.
The conference has eleven commissions covering different areas of emphasis in technical theatre—each commission is responsible for scheduling workshops, speakers, and presentations that highlight their field. It is an opportunity to learn about techniques and approaches to my chosen profession through the workshops of the Scene Design Commission, specifically, the Conversations with the Distinguished Achievement Award winners in Conversation the is a highlight of this year’s conference where Tony-Award winning professionals candidly discuss their career, approaches to their craft, and are readily approachable to all attendees.
USITT offers the opportunity to become close friends with many other professional designers and educators. USITT has always been an incredible national network for theatre artisans, and attending the conference is the first step to begin to lay the foundation for developing my connections within that network. The Stage Expo is the only trade show in the US featuring all areas of theatre design and technology, from lighting and sound to costumes and software. I will be able to research for all aspects of design and technology, which will lead to more innovative designs and solutions for my academic and production work at [UNIVERSITY].
The total cost of the conference, including airfare, hotel, registration, and fees is about $1,700-2,000 allowing room for taxes on airfare and hotel stay. I am writing to respectfully request your assistance with these expenses for this year, as I believe my involvement in this conference is an important part of my growth as a designer/technician. My participation on this national stage increases the reputation of our institution. Any assistance you may offer would be deeply appreciated as I plan to attend this year’s USITT conference.
In summary, the opportunity to attend the variety of programming sessions, expo floor, and to network with 6,000+ technical theatre artists, professionals, and educators, it would expand the possibilities I could pursue after graduation.