Celebrating Theatre! and our 60th year, the Southeastern Theatre Conference is the largest and most active regional theatre organization in the country. SETC was founded in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, in March, 1949 and incorporated under the laws of the State of Florida in 1962.

Recognizing that the theatre arts are a necessary and expressive means by which the human community may come to understand and celebrate itself and that the southeastern United States has a rich cultural diversity and legacy, SETC has as its purpose to provide services and educational programs for those individuals and organizations engaged in theatre in the southeast. Member states include: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia.

SETC Advocacy Statement:
Prepared by the Ad Hoc Advocacy Statement Committee

Although regional in its founding, the Southeastern Theatre Conference invites a national audience to its mission, namely, "stimulating and organizing...theatre experiences of the highest possible standards and encouraging appreciation and understanding of the same."

SETC champions a vision of theatre that expands exponentially from the individual artist- practitioner-educator; it finds its genesis within the five organizational divisions, articulates itself at the state level, comes together in celebration at the regional level, and ultimately extends into the national and international arenas. SETC actively promotes interdisciplinary and multi-cultural participation in theatre and honors the diversity of the members and constituencies it represents.

Opposing viewpoints are recognized and respected within and by the organization. SETC endorses exchanges where significant political and social considerations can be examined. Acknowledging its non-political nature and affirming its constitutionally-mandated opposition to propagandizing "or otherwise attempting to influence legislation," SETC nonetheless may as an organization - under extreme circumstances, upon due reflection, and with appropriate approval of its membership - signify support or disapproval of events or instances that directly affect the free expression of its constituencies.

Forging educational and artistic forums to stimulate growth and cohesion within the organization, SETC stimulates learning and critical thinking, empowering theatre artists toward creative discovery. In its most basic manifestation of inclusion, the organization urges its ten member states at their annual conventions equally to embody and incorporate all its membership and SETC’s five divisions. Above all, SETC advocates the constant raising of standards and expectations in the art of theatre. As a result, SETC exists as a sentinel of artistic and aesthetic conscience to spur the growth of theatre and its expression.

Murray Chase
Sandy Cockrell
Scott LaFeber
Teresa Lee
Alan Litsey
Thomas W. Stephens, Chair

Revised: March 15, 2001