PLAYWRITING FELLOWSHIPS/CONTESTS/GRANTS
1.
Dixon Place and The Institute of Prophetic Activist Art Lab
Deadline: Aug 15th
website: http://dixonplace.org/
Dixon Place announces the sponsorship of The Institute of Prophetic Activist Art, a laboratory for activist artists and their projects. The Institute is looking for 12 activist artists who would like to build their projects during the semester-long seminar, beginning August 30, basing their work Tom Block’s manifesto/handbook of art activism: Prophetic Activist Art: Handbook for a Spiritual Revolution.
The eight session seminar will introduce artists to the specific ideas of the model, including co-opting political, business and social energy; partnering with non-profit groups; making liaisons with other artists; utilizing unusual exhibition and outreach methods; “Machiavellian” activism; how to build a project from inception through completion; how to imagine and successfully attain quantifiable activist goals and other specific aspects of a Prophetic Activist Art intervention.
To apply: please send a cover letter outlining your activist idea, plus any activist art experience you have had; a link to a website or portfolio of images and a resume to: thomasablock@gmail.com
2.
National Playwrights Residency Program (NPRP)
Deadline: July 15-Sept 15th
The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, in collaboration with Howlround, A Center for the Theater Commons at Emerson College, established the National Playwright Residency Program (NPRP) in 2013. The pilot round, which was on an invitation-only basis, has provided three years of salary, benefits, and a flexible research and development fund for American playwrights at 14 selected theaters. The goals of the program are to:
Advance the state of playwrights in the American theater by providing them with space, time, and resources, and greater access to the institutions in which they work;
Influence the working environment of theaters by embedding playwrights in them;
Generate public value through the interaction of playwright with local artistic and civic communities;
Document and disseminate the findings to help benefit the field.
As we approach the end of the pilot phase of the program, the Foundation intends to issue an open call for Letters of Intent from theaters and artists, which must apply jointly. The application will be available here by July 15, 2015 and due no later than September 15th. We anticipate that the basic structure of the program will remain the same, with artist compensation based on the salary structure of the host institution. Upon review of the LOIs, a peer review panel will recommend a group of potential theater and playwright partners for consideration, and the Foundation will then issue invitations for them to submit full proposals. If approved, residencies could commence as of July 1, 2016.
As you consider whether you wish to apply, we have listed below the minimum requirements to submit a Letter of Intent:
Criteria for Theaters
US-based 501(c)(3) with a minimum of five years in operation
Full-time staff of at least two paid employees
Minimum operating budget of $300,000 (an average of the past three years)
Demonstrated capacity to manage payroll and benefits processes
Must have produced at least one play by the partner playwright
Commitment to produce at least one play (new or existing) by the partner playwright during the residency
Criteria for Playwrights
Criteria for Both
Only one application per playwright and theater allowed; both parties must apply together
Required attendance at two convenings during of the residency
Commitment to establishing and carrying through a plan for documentation of the residency
May not have participated in the previous round of the NPRP
3.
UCB Scholarship
Deadline: July 19th
The goals of the scholarship are to provide the opportunity to study at the UCB Training Center to students who might not otherwise be able, increase the diversity of the student body population at the UCB Training Center, and encourage exchange of culture that allows for better comedy.
Scholarship Benefits:
• Receive a tuition scholarship for class credit in improv or sketch writing program
• Be able to see any improv/sketch show at the UCB Theatre Monday through Thursday for free while enrolled in class
• Have the chance to meet some of the most talented performers in the country
The Application Process:
The application has two steps. First, you fill out this application. Then, we meet with selected applicants to see if our program is a good fit. Once we meet with all appropriate applicants, we will make our decision based on the following criteria:
• They would contribute to racial, ethnic, age (over 40), sexual orientation, gender identity, U.S. military service members or veterans, or differently-abled diversity at the UCB Training Center in New York.
• They exhibit a genuine interest in comedy and/or improv performance, even if they have no previous experience.
• They work well in groups.
• They are an interesting person who will help make the UCB community a more awesome place.
• They demonstrate financial need.
• They reside in the NYC metropolitan area.
Applying is not a guarantee that you will be interviewed. Being granted an interview is not a guarantee that you will receive a scholarship. THIS APPLICATION MUST BE RECEIVED BY 11:59 PM EDT SUNDAY JULY 19, 2015.
After July 19, we will begin scheduling interviews with select applicants for August 2015. Not all candidates will be interviewed. Hopefully we will be able to announce decisions regarding scholarship awards by September 9, 2015. (If we receive higher than the usual number of applicants, this process may take longer.)
This is not a first-come, first-served process. We won't begin scheduling interviews until after the application window is closed and we've read all the applications.
Scholarship recipients will have six months to use their free class credit. If you do not think you will be able to take a course between September 2015-March 2016, or are not already in the NYC area, please apply at a later date.
If you have any questions about this application, please email erik@ucbcomedy.com
4.
Deadline: Aug 3rd
website: https://www.umass.edu/theater/playlab.php
The Play Lab is a UMass Department of Theater mainstage production, running from March 20 – April 2, 2016. One playwright will be chosen for a two week residency during this period. These residencies are structured around a series of public staged readings directed and dramaturged by UMass Amherst graduate students and performed by undergraduate actors. The two week workshop term allows time for exploration in rehearsal and the generation of new material.
Our mission this year is to develop two exceptional new plays: one from our current visiting artist Kim Euell, and the other selected through this call. The Play Lab is process oriented, focusing on an experience that is educational, exploratory, and collaborative. The workshops will have minimal technical/design support, but the emphasis will be on presenting and responding to the text. The UMass Amherst Department of Theater's commitment to new play development is internationally recognized, from our groundbreaking work with New WORLD Theater to our recent collaborations with artists like MJ Kaufman, Michael Yates Crowley, Will Power, Marcus Gardley, and Constance Congdon. We approach new play development with rigor and sensitivity and we're seeking playwrights who are as passionate about this process as we are.
We offer a $750 honorarium per playwright. Accommodations will be provided. Playwrights are responsible for booking their travel arrangements, and will be reimbursed for a portion of the cost. The playwright may be asked to give a playwriting workshop to students for an additional honorarium.
The playwright is expected to be in residency for the full 2 week workshop period. During this time, the playwright may provide as many changes as desired. The playwright is expected to attend nightly rehearsals and the three readings. The playwright can choose to participate in audience talkbacks. Playwrights may be asked to meet or discuss the play with the team prior to residency as available.
Plays must be full-length. Musicals are not accepted. Submissions may have had a previous reading, workshop, or production; as a rule, though, the Play Lab exists to develop relatively new work, so unproduced material will be given priority in our selection.
This year we are specifically seeking plays and playwrights that:
offer something fresh, bold, or even dangerous in their form, style, or themes
center around issues relevant to a campus community
will benefit from a workshop with undergraduate performers and graduate student staff
may give voice to underrepresented communities (e.g. LGBTQA folks, people of color, women, etc.)
Submission Guidelines
Submit manuscripts to umassplaylab@gmail.com. All documents must be submitted in .pdf format; plays formatted otherwise will be disqualified. Please include a concise playwright’s bio and a short summary of how you think your play might benefit from a developmental reading. Submissions will be capped at 250 plays.
Submission Deadline
5.
The Relentless Award
Deadline: July 10
The Relentless Award, established in honor of Philip Seymour Hoffman and his pursuit of truth in the theater, is the largest annual cash prize in American theater awarded to a playwright in recognition of a new play. The American Playwriting Foundation encourages submissions by first time playwrights, women and playwrights of color. The author of the Relentless Award-winning play will receive $45,000. The winning playwright will have the option to have the winning play published by the Dramatists Play Service.The winning playwright will have a week-long residency at SPACE on Ryder Farm, an artist residency program housed on a working organic farm in Brewster, New York. The author can elect to have a director, a dramaturg and actors join him or her while in residence on the farm.The selected play will have a national roll-out through the Ed Vassallo Relentless Reading Series, established to help bring to life and develop the winning play by presenting a series of staged readings at some of the top theaters across the United States. When the winning play is selected, three runners-up will also be named. Please go to the website for more information regarding the competition.
EST/Youngblood Accepting Applications for Membership
Deadline: July 15
EST/Youngblood is currently accepting applications for membership beginning in the 2015-2016 season. Applications are open to New York City resident playwrights under 30 years old. Membership includes attendance at all weekly meetings, monthly (or more frequent) performances, readings and retreats. There is no set term of membership, and members often stay through the season that includes their 30th birthday. Please see the following website for information regarding applications. http://ensemblestudiotheatre.org/apply-youngblood
7.
Random Access Workshop Readings
Deadline: Rolling
Random Access Theatre Company is accepting scripts for consideration for their 2015-2016 reading series RAWR (Random Access Workshop Readings). RAWR develops new theatrical work from emerging New York City-based writers in a three-stage process over six months. Random Access Theatre will provide direction, space, actors and mentorship through a series of progressively larger events beginning with a small table read, continuing with an invited audience read and finally a larger public staged reading. After the staged reading, Random Access Theatre Company may consider producing the work as a part of the following mainstage season.http://www.randomaccesstheatre.com/
8.
Yale Drama Series
Deadline: August 15
The Yale Drama Series is seeking submissions for its 2016 playwriting competition. The winning play will be selected by the series' current judge, distinguished playwright Nicholas Wright. The winner of this annual competition will be awarded the David Charles Horn Prize of $10,000, publication of his/her manuscript by Yale University Press, and a staged reading at Lincoln Center Theater.https://yup.submittable.com/submit
--
9.
Public Theatre Emerging Writers Group ( EWG)
Deadline: August 31st
Time Warner is the Founding Sponsor of the Emerging Writers Group, and provides continued program support through the Time Warner Foundation.
Writers are selected bi-annually and receive a two-year fellowship at The Public which includes a stipend. Staged readings of works by Emerging Writers Group members are presented in the Spotlight Series at The Public. The playwrights also participate in a bi-weekly writers group led by The Public’s literary department and master classes led by established playwrights. Additionally, they have a chance to observe rehearsals for productions at The Public, receive career development advice from mid-career and established writers, and receive artistic and professional support from the literary department and Public artistic staff. Members of the group also receive complimentary tickets to Public Theater shows, invited dress rehearsals, and other special events, as well as a supplemental stipend for tickets to productions at other theaters.
The Emerging Writers Group, now accepting applications for its sixth cycle, targets playwrights early in their careers, creating an artistic home, support, and resources for a diverse group of up-and-coming playwrights. Through an open application process, The Public Theater will select 10 emerging playwrights to join the Emerging Writers Group from January 2016 through December, 2017.
If you have specific questions, please email EWGquestions@publictheater.org after reading the below sections. Please pay close attention to the Frequently Asked Questions section below. No phone calls please.
10.
Radcliffe Institute at Harvard Fellowship
Deadline: October 15th
Radcliffe Institute is accepting fellowship applications from the humanities, social sciences, and creative arts until 1 October.
Fellows receive office or studio space and access to libraries and other resources of Harvard University during the fellowship year, which extends from early September 2016 through May 31, 2017. Stipends are funded up to US$75,000 with additional funds for project expenses.Stipends are funded up to $75,000 for one year with additional funds for project expenses. Some support for relocation expenses is provided where relevant. If so directed, Radcliffe will pay the stipend to the fellow’s home institution.
We work with fellows who have families to help with relocation issues for a smooth transition.
Fellows receive office or studio space and access to libraries and other resources of Harvard University during the fellowship year. Visual artists and film, video, sound, and new media artists may apply to come for either one or two semesters. In the event that they come for one semester, the stipend is $37,500. Fellows are expected to be free of their regular commitments so they may devote themselves full time to the work outlined in their proposal. Since this is a residential fellowship, we expect fellows to reside in the Boston area during that period and to have their primary office at the Institute so that they can participate fully in the life of the community.
11.
Cullman Fellowship
Deadline: September 25th
The Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center for Scholars and Writers supports projects that draw on the research collections at The New York Public Library’s Stephen A. Schwarzman Building (formerly the Humanities and Social Sciences Library). The Center looks for top-quality writing from academics as well as from creative writers and independent scholars. It aims to promote dynamic conversation about the humanities, social sciences, and scholarship at the very highest level — within the Center, in public forums throughout the Library, and in the Fellows’ published work. Fellows receive a $75,000 stipend.
Candidates who need to work primarily in The New York Public Library’s other research centers — The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, and the Science, Industry and Business Library — are not eligible for this fellowship.
In order to avoid real or apparent conflicts of interest, the Cullman Center for Scholars and Writers does not accept applications from New York Public Library staff members or their partners, or from people active on the Library’s Board of Trustees, Board Advisory Committees, or Library Council.
Fellows are required to work at the Cullman Center, on the project for which they applied, for the duration of the fellowship term. Fellows may have a few prior brief commitments, but must limit research trips, attendance at scholarly meetings, and speaking engagements, and may not accept other major work obligations during the course of this fellowship. Anyone who needs to be away for more than two days must notify the Director or Deputy Director in advance. The Library will pro-rate stipends for Fellows who spend too much time away from the Center.
Fellowships will not be granted to post-doctoral fellows or to applicants doing graduate-school dissertation research.
The Cullman Center will not accept dossier letters in place of new letters of recommendation.
Fellows must be conversant in English.
Completed applications and supporting materials — research proposal, Curriculum Vitae, letters of recommendation, and art work sample or creative writing sample — must be submitted by 5 p.m. EST on September 25th.
New York Public Library staff members are not able to make corrections or additions once applications are submitted.
12.
Blue Ink Playwriting Award
Deadline: August 31st
The winning play will be selected by Producing Artistic Director, Gwendolyn Whiteside, and the Ensemble. The winner of this annual competition will be awarded the Blue Ink Playwriting Award of $1,000 and receive a staged reading at American Blues Theater in Chicago.
There is a $5 administrative fee. Please follow these guidelines in preparing your manuscript:
- This contest is restricted to plays written in the English language. Worldwide submissions are accepted.
-Submissions must be original, unpublished full-length plays written in English. Translations, musicals, and children’s plays are not accepted.
- Playwrights may submit only one (1) manuscript per year.
- Plays that have been professionally produced or published are not eligible. Plays that have had a workshop, reading, or non-professional production will be considered.
- Plays may not be under option or scheduled for professional production or publication at the time of submission.
- American Blues Theater reserves the Right-of-First-Refusal to produce the World-premiere of the winning manuscript for (1) year beginning with the public announcement in March 2015.
-Plays must be sent as a Word document or pdf file to blueink@americanbluestheater.com.
- Send the $5 administrative fee to: American Blues Theater, 1016 N. Dearborn, Chicago, IL 60610 or pay online here
13.
20% Theatre
Deadline: open
20% Theatre Company Twin Cities is open to accepting full-length plays any time (60 minute minimum performance time). Please complete this Script Submission Form and email with your script tosubmissions@tctwentypercent.org. Due to the high volume of scripts submitted to us, we are unable to respond to all submissions. If we are interested in producing your work we will contact you.
14.
33 ⅓ Open Proposal (book publishing opp)
Deadline: July 27th
website: http://333sound.com/2015/06/01/open-call-for-33-13-proposals-2015/
33 ⅓ is a prestigious book publishing company that focuses on albums. It’s been around since 2003 and has gained a fairly good reputation, pays their writers a small advance, and offers a healthy percentage from book sales. You write a proposal for an album you want to cover, write a chapter, give a table of contents, and go. It’s great for the music lover who is also a great non-fiction writer able to give solid critique, cultural analysis, and understanding of where an album fits in the trajectory of music.
If you would like to submit a proposal for a 33 ⅓ volume, please submit ALL of the following to 33proposals@gmail.com before 12:00am EST on July 27th, 2015. No exceptions. The word/page counts below are not exact but should point you in the right direction of what I’m looking for. Submissions that don’t include complete responses to the first 9 requirements below will not be considered.
Submit the content below in one single document as either .doc, .docx or .pdf. No .rtf files will be accepted. Please put your name, album and artist in the subject line of the email.
Proposal requirements:
-Your professional CV/resume, including full contact details + a short biography (25-50 words).
- A draft annotated table of contents for the book. This should include chapter titles and a brief 50-500 word summary of each chapter. If you plan on deviating from a chapter structure, please explain why in 500 words.
- A draft introduction/opening chapter for the book, of around 2,000 words.
- A concise description of the book (up to 250 words). This needs to be clear, informative and persuasive. It should be suitable for use as the book’s blurb. It should be written so that people who are unfamiliar with the album will understand what this book is about.
- Your analysis of the most relevant competing books already published (or forthcoming) about the artist in question or the scene surrounding that artist – and how your book will differ. Are there any films or film projects in the works? 200 words or less.
- At least 500 words about yourself and why you are qualified to write this book. Why are you the best person to do it? How you would help Bloomsbury Academic market your book? Please list websites/forums/listservs you’d contact directly; any artist involvement you might expect; any college-level courses on which you think your book could be used, and so on.
- Which existing 33 1/3 books or other types of music writing you like or dislike. Why? 500-1000 words.
- Describe the audience for your book. What are the fans like? Describe your target market. How large is this market? 200 words.
- Please list the firm date on which you will deliver your complete and final manuscript and why you have chosen this date (Must be between January 2016 and August 2016).
-Do you have any feedback? How is the series doing so far? What could we do better? Not required.
15.
Harold Clurman Playwright in Residence Program
Deadline: July 6th
The Stella Adler Studio of Acting is seeking applications from playwrights of color for the 2015-2016 Harold Clurman Playwright-in-Residence program. This is a collaborative residency that is mutually beneficial to the mission of the studio and the playwright. We are seeking playwrights who:
Self-identify as people of color
Are in their early careers
Are unpublished
Have not yet had professional productions other than those using the showcase code
Have a vested interest in working with a community of artists
Are interested in engaging in a discussion about how the studio can support and challenge their work
While this is a merit-based residency search, we are particularly interested in diversity – diverse writers, voices, viewpoints, perspectives. The studio is interested in co-designing a residency with the playwright that will support and challenge their process. The course of the residency is not regimented, but may be described as “playwright’s choice” within the resources and capabilities of the studio. Past participants have chosen some of the following:
A series of readings on a play written during the course of the year
A series of readings on a variety of plays/pages
Writing a new work for an ensemble of graduate level actors
A showcase production
The resident will engage in a discussion with the Artistic Director and other staff to explore what activities might be most helpful to their process during the year. Residencies typically begin in September and culminate in June. Resident playwrights receive a $1000 stipend and have access to the Studio’s space, members of the Clurman Lab Theatre Company, and student actors for readings and workshops.
Application Instructions
Completed applications must include:
a required online application form, AND;
a full-length, polished but unpublished play (a full-length play is one that constitutes a full evening of theater; a 90-minute one act play is acceptable).
Your play submission should be “blind”. The cover page should ONLY include the title of your play. Your name should not be anywhere on the blinded script. This copy will be shared with the committee of play readers who will not know the authors of the plays they are reading.
TO SUBMIT:
Please note: Your submission will only be complete if you follow both of the steps above.
Selection Process
All plays will be read by a committee composed of alumni and upperclassmen in the first round. Plays that advance to the second and third rounds will be read by theater professionals and staff.
Playwrights will be notified of results in the fall of 2015.
Additional Information
We are especially interested in plays with an interesting use of dramatic writing. In the previous rounds, we have received many “slice of life” plays and wanted to point out that the manuscripts that use metaphor and drama in unique ways often have a better chance of advancing through the rounds of consideration.
Playwrights must read and agree to the Letter of Agreement before applying. By applying for this residency, playwrights confirm that they have read and agree to the Letter of Agreement.
Please note that applicants who advance to the final round of consideration may be asked for a second work sample.
Applicants will be considered for the playwright-in-residence position as well as:
16.
Proscenium Theatre Journal
Deadline: August 1st
website: http://prosceniumjournal.com/
Proscenium is the first quarterly journal dedicated to publishing high-caliber theatrical works. Proscenium publications are free of charge and readily accessible online, allowing playwrights to share their work with a large audience. Not only are we are dedicated to producing a high quality journal showcasing the freshest contemporary voices in theatre, but we also strive to create a platform for playwrights to share their works with potential producers and for producers to discover new works in an easy, accessible way.
Proscenium accepts original plays of any length and style, original adaptations (as long as the rights for the adapted work are secured) and musicals. We also accept articles about playwriting and theatre.
Submission Instructions
We only accept submissions via email. Please email your original play or article tosubmissions@prosceniumjournal.com with the subject “Submission: [Title], [Author.]” We would like you to submit your play as both a Word Document and PDF file (If you cannot convert your play into a Word Document we are fine with just a PDF file, but we will request a Word Document if your play is accepted for publication). In addition, please submit a brief, 100-word author bio. If your play has been produced, please feel free to send us information about production history and production photos.
The deadline to be considered for the third issue of Proscenium is August 1st, 2015. However, we accept submissions year-round and will consider them for future editions.
Due to the large number of submissions we receive, we regret that we cannot acknowledge all submissions. Proscenium reserves the right to reject any submission for any reason.
If you have any questions about our submission process, please contact info@prosceniumjournal.com.
17.
Ars Nova Play Group
Deadline: July 26th
website: http://arsnovanyc.com/playgroup
Ars Nova Play Group is a two year residency in which members become a part of the Ars Nova Resident Artist community. In addition to biweekly meetings where members share new work and receive feedback from their Play Group peers, members also receive dramaturgical support and artistic match-making advice from the Ars Nova artistic staff; invitations to Ars Nova shows, Resident Artists mixers, and to see the work of Play Group alums around the city; two Play Group writing retreats; and the opportunity to further develop and showcase one of their plays in a weeklong workshop that can culminate in a public reading.
SELECTION CRITERIA
All playwrights who identify as emerging are eligible to apply. In selecting new members, we will take into account the strength of the submitted play, what the writer stands to gain from membership at this point in her/his career and the overall balance of voices and styles within the group. Women and writers of color are strongly encouraged to apply.
HOW TO APPLY
Please click here for the application form. Applications require one full-length play, a resume, two professional references and a personal statement describing what the playwright hopes to gain from membership. Applications for Play Group 2016 will be accepted beginning June 26st and must be submitted by midnight on July 26th to be eligible for consideration.
18.
David Calicchio New American Play Award
Deadline: July 31st
website: https://marintheatre.wufoo.com/forms/wt5z9xo0lrh8nb/
We are now accepting submissions for the 2016 David Calicchio Emerging American Playwright Prize. Submissions for the 2016 David Calicchio Emerging American Playwright Prize will be accepted from July 1 - 31, 2015.
Please complete the online application form for consideration (click on the link to the left for access to the online submission form). For questions and additional information, please see complete guidelines and FAQ below. We look forward to reading your work and thank you in advance for your submission.
Norton J. “Sky” Cooper established the Emerging American Playwright Prize award at Marin Theatre Company in 2007 in honor of David Calicchio’s lifelong career as a playwright and in support of Marin Theatre Company’s commitment to the discovery and development of new and emerging American playwrights. The Calicchio Prize will be awarded annually to a professionally unproduced playwright for a new work that shows outstanding promise and a distinctive new voice for the American theatre. The play selected as the Calicchio Prize winner will receive 2 public staged readings at Marin Theatre Company as part of the theatre’s annual New Play Reading Series. The playwright will receive a $2,500 award, as well as travel and accommodations for the MTC rehearsal period (25 hours).
