1. PAC NYC- THE DEMOCRACY CYCLE
DEADLINE: April 1, 2024
WEBSITE: www.pacnyc.org/the-democracy-cycle-submission-guidelines/
Over a 5-year period, The Democracy Cycle – a collaboration between the Perelman Performing Arts Center (PAC NYC) and Galvan Initiatives – will commission and develop 25 new performing arts works across the fields of theater, dance, music, opera, and multi-disciplinary performance that express themes related to the nature and practice of democracy, particularly as it is practiced in the United States.
Artists will receive a commission of $30,000 to create the new work and an additional $30,000 in support of the work’s development (research, readings, workshops etc.).
Our hope is that the commissioned projects will enrich and expand discussion of and participation in democracy as it is practiced within the United States and worldwide. The Democracy Cycle project is inspired by the following beliefs:Democratic values are a global expression of humanity’s striving to live with one another with respect and in peace. The primary focus of The Democracy Cycle will be on democracy as it is currently being practiced in the United States. However, commissioned projects may include references to democracies worldwide provided they have potential for informing and deepening our understanding of American democracy.
Eligible applicants must:
Be generative artists working in the field of theater, dance, music, opera, or multi-disciplinary performance
Have completed and presented at least 2 full-length prior works of performance publicly, as evidenced by their bio, CV and/or work samples.
Propose a new live performance work which may be at any stage of development, but may not be planned to premiere before November 1, 2024. (Remounts of previously completed/premiered works are ineligible.)
Propose a new live performance work which is planned to be completed in 2025, 2026, or 2027.
Be prepared to manage the income-tax implications of accepting a commission from a U.S.-based arts organization. (U.S. citizenship is not a requirement.)
Proposals are not eligible if
The lead artist is enrolled as a full-time student in a degree-granting program
The lead artist is under the age of eighteen
The main purpose of the project is the curation or documentation of existing work(s)
The proposed work advocates by name for the success or failure of a current partisan candidate for office or a political party
The lead artist or any of the main collaborators are employees or immediate family of employees of PAC NYC or Galvan Initiatives
Selection Criteria
Readers and panelists will consider the following in selecting the commissioned projects:How does the proposed work model, hold accountable, expand, critique, or celebrate democracy, the practice of democracy, and democratic ideals? How has the artist or artists identified and responded to ideas or themes related to democracy, including core democratic principles and values (ex. political equality, majority rule, minority rights, freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, freedom of religion, among others.) Does the work demonstrate clear potential for generating meaningful reflection and discourse on democracy as demonstrated by project narrative, samples of prior work, and artistic history of its collaborators.
2. BAYARD RUSTIN RESIDENCY
DEADLINE: April 1, 2024
WEBSITE: https://www.penington.org/rustin-residency/
The Bayard Rustin Residency at Penington Friends House (PFH) is envisioned as an ongoing ladder to empowerment for Black Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) working to end Systemic Racism and to create a culture of anti-Racism and intersectional equality in the United States of America. It will provide up to one year of room and board to a person who demonstrates a strong creative project ( arts or activist based) that addresses ending Systemic Racism. They will reside at the Penington Friends House located in New York City’s Lower East Side of Manhattan.
Beginning in September of 2024, this residency will provide up to one year of room and board to a person who demonstrates a strong project that addresses ending Systemic Racism and who has a necessity to be in New York City for up to one year. They will reside at the Penington Friends House located in New York City’s Lower East Side of Manhattan. The Bayard Rustin Resident will demonstrate a need to live in Manhattan. Areas of focus of their work can include activism in the arts, policy change, human rights, community organizing, and other areas of activism focusing on ending racism and strengthening equality. Residents will meet regularly with the Residency Manager and will be expected to share their progress with the New York City community in the form of presentations or workshops.
The resident does not have to be Quaker but their work should be shaped by and in harmony with our tenants of Simplicity, Peace, Integrity, Community, Equality, and Stewardship. The resident will be expected to be a full-time resident of PFH and be participating member of this intentional community. This includes eating chef prepared dinners with the other residents and participating in shared light house chores. ( 1 1/2 hour commitment per week on average.) The Penington Friends House’s approach to living collaboratively may be new to you. We encourage you to look at our website and instagram account (@Penington_friends_house) to gain a better understanding of what we are. Feel free to call us as well with questions.
3. NEW WORKS FOR THE STAGE BY NATIVE AMERICAN ARTISTS
DEADLINE: April 1, 2024
WEBSITE: thedairy.org/creative-nations-art/
This opportunity is only open to Indigenous artists who create for the stage based on Turtle Island (North America). Creative Nations, an all indigenous-led artists collective founded at The Dairy Arts Center in Boulder, Colorado, is launching the First Storyteller’s Festival in 2024. The festival is focused on developing new work from Indigenous artists across the continent. We are purposely avoiding defining the festival by any specific genre, and encourage creators from any discipline that is performed on a “stage” to submit (with the word “stage” being loosely defined).
The festival will take place in Boulder, CO in the fall of 2024 (dates to be announced soon). The event will include:
Staged readings (or the equivalent for different genres) of pieces in early stage development
Workshop production of a piece by a member of Creative Nations
Educational workshops for community members and artists
Panel discussions to engage the Boulder arts community in the future of Indigenous storytelling for the stage
One of the core tenets of Creative Nations is that we compensate all artists for their time at a fair wage or we don’t do the project. All artists whose work is selected will receive the following:
Transportation to/from Boulder and housing for the festival week
A monetary award (that you will NOT have to spend to cover expenses)
A paid director and cast to rehearse the piece with, leading to a public reading
Networking among your Native artist peers
Education opportunities at our workshops
An invitation to join our newly established writer’s group, to continue developing work with other Native artists
To submit, please send:
A pdf of your script; A link to a google drive folder/dropbox/youtube with any additional music files
The following information about you in the body of your email:
Name
Tribal affiliation
Location (reservation or city/state)
Name of the piece
Development history of the piece
Any artists already attached to the project (director, choreographer, actor, etc)
A brief bio
We may be able to fly in one additional person from your creative team, in addition to local resources you’ll have
4. LIBERATION THEATRE COMPANY WRITING RESIDENCY PROGRAM 2024/25
DEADLINE: April 1, 2024
WEBSITE: https://www.liberationtheatrecompany.org/writing-residency-program
Liberation Theatre Company (LTC), a Harlem, New York-based independent theatrical producer and playwright development company established in 2009, is inviting applications from early-career Black playwrights to participate in the seventh year of our Writing Residency Program for 2024-2025. The residency is supported by the New York State Council on the Arts.
It is a rare opportunity burgeoning playwrights have to hone their craft under their own vision through provided resources from an organization that only seeks to uplift their voices. For that I owe Liberation Theater Company an unlimited amount of gratitude. Nathaniel Johnson - Residency Playwright 2017/18
The Writing Residency Program will select four early-career playwrights and provide them with dramaturgical and professional support over a ten-month period, during which time they will each be required to complete a new full-length play.
Beginning in May 2024, selected playwrights will attend monthly group meetings to share and refine their works-in-progress in a collaborative, energized setting; meet individually with LTC’s Artistic Director and staff who will provide additional support for their artistic needs, concerns and process; and have the resources of a director and professional actors during a table reading as their play begins to take shape.
Additionally, through connections with the larger New York City theatrical community, LTC will provide access to theatre tickets (when available) and seek to support, inspire, and assist playwrights in any way a small and dedicated company can.
The Residency will conclude in February 2025, with the possibility of public/virtual readings, to be determined by LTC staff, of each playwright’s finished play. Upon successful completion of the program, each playwright will receive an honorarium. To be considered for the Writing Residency Program all applicants must be a) residents of New York City at the time of participation (May 2024 – February 2025). b) Applicants must have written at least two full-length plays or three one-act plays. c) The applicant must not have received a production of any of their work that was more developed than a Showcase presentation under the Actors’ Equity Association production code.
To be considered for the 2024 - 2025 Writing Residency Program, Liberation Theatre Company will only accept submissions via this online form. If you have quetions about the program or the application process, please email: info@liberationtheatrecompany.org.
Make sure that all documents are properly labeled with your name.
Completed Online Application Form
Letter of Intent. This should be limited to 1,000 words and address all of the following points:
Your writing career thus far and where you feel you are in your creative and professional life.
Your career goals and how you will use the Residency to further those goals.
Briefly describe the play you will complete over the 10-month program.
Why you feel ready for a rigorous residency such as this.
Have you participated in a residency/fellowship before? If so, describe your experience.
A 10-page Work Sample that best represents you as a playwright
The full script from which you selected your 10-page work sample
Your playwriting resume (not a bio). Please include your website if you have one and one personal or professional reference, with the person’s title or institutional affiliation, phone number and email address. (Referrer must be someone familiar with you and your work.)
5. PERELMAN PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
DEADLINE: April 1, 2024
WEBSITE: https://pacnyc.org/the-democracy-cycle/
The Perelman Performing Arts Center (PAC NYC) and Galvan Initiatives (Galvan) launched The Democracy Cycle, a new commissioning program designed to support new works that illuminate the promise, practice, imperfection, and opportunity of democracy. Proposals are requested for new performing arts works following that theme from artists working in theater, dance, music, opera, and multi-disciplinary performance. Over a five-year period, The Democracy Cycle will commission and develop 25 new performing arts works across the fields of theater, dance, music, opera, and multi-disciplinary performance. The commissioned works, to be selected over the course of three annual Rounds of Open Calls, the first opening on January 16, 2024, will explore themes relating to the nature, practice, and experience of democracy.
The Cycle will provide a $30,000 commission to each awarded project. The Cycle will also provide an additional $30,000 towards each commissioned project’s development process (research, readings, workshops etc.). The commissions will be awarded across three annual Open Calls, beginning in January 2024. In the first Open Call, The Democracy Cycle will commission eight projects.
6. CREATIVE CAPITAL AWARD
DEADLINE: April 4, 2024
WEBSITE: https://creative-capital.org/about-the-creative-capital-award/
For our 25th Anniversary in 2025, Creative Capital welcomes innovative and original new project proposals in visual arts, performing arts, film/moving image, technology, literature, multidisciplinary, and socially engaged forms.
The Creative Capital Award provides unrestricted project grants up to $50,000 which can be drawn down over a multi-year period, bespoke professional development services, and community-building opportunities.
Grants are awarded via a democratic, national, open call, external review process. The first round of the application process consists of 6 questions. Our goal is to fund approximately 50 individual artists creating conceptually, aesthetically, and formally challenging, risk-taking, and never-before-seen projects.
7. ARAB FUND FOR ARTS AND CULTURE
DEADLINE: April 4, 2024
WEBSITE: https://www.arabculturefund.org/Programs/23
AFAC welcomes proposals from individuals from Arab countries (22 member states of the Arab League), regardless of their place of
residence, citizenship, or ethnic and national identification.
AFAC’s
Creative and Critical Writings grant provides support to critical arts and culture writing, children’s, and youth literature (including both adaptation and original work), graphic novels, short stories and poetry, in addition to analog and digital publishing platforms. The final product must be in Arabic. The Creative and Critical Writings grant program provides annual grants of up to USD 20,000 for individuals and teams, and up to USD 35,000 for collectives and institutions.
AFAC’s Performing Arts grant supports the production and distribution of classical, folk, and contemporary forms of theater and dance performances for all age groups. The grant also supports public and site-specific interventions, performance art, and festivals, as well as training and workshops in playwriting, acting, directing, dancing, and choreography. The Performing Arts grant program provides annual grants of up to USD 25,000 for individuals and teams, and up to USD 35,000 for collectives and institutions.
8. SOHO REP WRITER DIRECTOR LAB
DEADLINE: April 15, 2024
WEBSITE: https://sohorep.org/writer-director-lab/
Instigated in 1998, the Writer Director Lab* is an engine for the generation of new theatrical projects. The program—a beacon in the city for formally inventive work—supports four collaborative teams as they develop their projects over 12 months. The Lab culminates in work-in-progress presentations that are free and open to the public.
Through the Lab, we aim to encourage bold, transformative theater artists to develop their voices and their collaborations in a supported space free from market-based expectations. We hope that artistic teams will emerge from the Lab confident in the work they have made, with a first draft of a substantive piece of theater and that the process will have enhanced and enriched the collaboration between the two artists.
*We seek to prove the hypothesis that theater can be made in all types of ways. Therefore, the artists in each collaborative team can come from a variety of artistic specializations, but they must identify as the lead artists on the project, and they must be able to work together toward an in-process presentation of a performance work at the culmination of the Lab process. Historically, these teams have involved one “writer” and one “director,” but we do not require a background in either discipline, and welcome fluidity in artistic roles.
9. JEROME HILL ARTIST FELLOWSHIP
DEADLINE: April 15th, 2024
WEBSITE: https://www.jeromefdn.org/jerome-hill-artist-fellowship
Jerome Hill Artist Fellowships support early career Minnesota- and New York City-based generative artists who take creative risks in exploring, expanding, imagining, or re-imagining creative practices and experiences; reclaiming or reviving traditional forms in original ways; and/or questioning, challenging, or disrupting cultural norms. Support is directed to early career artists, which Jerome Foundation defines as within their 2nd–10th year as a generative artist. Fellows receive $60,000 over three consecutive years ($20,000 each year) to support their time and expenses for the creation of new work, artistic development and/or professional artistic career development. The Foundation expects to award a total of 45 fellowships across 7 artistic fields.
10. THE BLACK AND LATINO PLAYWRIGHTS CELEBRATION 2024
DEADLINE: April 15, 2024
WEBSITE: https://blpc.finearts.txst.edu/submit-play.html
The Black and Latino Playwrights Celebration is a workshop and showcase featuring the work of student and professional Black and Latino playwrights.
Notification of selected writers by June 30, 2024.
Play scripts may be delivered by regular mail, in person or using the submission form. Include a stamped self-addressed envelope if you wish your manuscript returned.
Send manuscripts to:
Department of Theatre & Dance | Texas State University
601 University Drive San Marcos, Texas 78666
ATTN: Black and Latino Playwrights Celebration
11. ANONYMOUS WAS A WOMAN ENVIRONMENTAL GRANTS
DEADLINE: April 16th, 2024
WEBSITE: https://www.nyfa.org/awards-grants/anonymous-was-a-woman-environmental-art-grants/
The Anonymous Was A Woman Environmental Art Grants (AWAW EAG) will distribute a total of $300,000 in funding—up to $20,000 per project—to support environmental art projects led by women-identifying artists in the United States and U.S. Territories.
The AWAW EAG will support environmental art projects that inspire thought, action, and ethical engagement. Projects should not only point at problems, but aim to engage an environmental issue at some scale. Proposals should illustrate thorough consideration of a project’s ecological and social ethics. Projects that explore interdependence, relationships, and systems through Indigenous and ancestral practices are encouraged to apply. The intended impact of the project is an important factor in the selection process. Environmental art projects that qualify for this program may focus on the following themes, but are not limited to:
Regeneration
Eco-social engagement
Decarbonization as decolonization
Ecofeminism
Climate change/climate collapse
Systems-restoration
Interspecies relationships
Natural or built systems
Recycling and repurposing
Clean energy production
Bioplastics
Selected projects must benefit the public in some way, and are required to have a public engagement component by August 31, 2025. The public engagement component must be free to attend, open to the general public, and must add value to the public sphere rather than solely benefiting the artist’s private gain. Online events are acceptable as long as they are attended by a live audience.
12. BABES WITH BLADES FELLOWSHIP
DEADLINE: April 16, 2024
WEBSITE: https://babeswithblades.org/play-development/joining-sword-pen/
Troupe of women who do stage combat. The winner will participate in the development process in Fighting Words and then go to full production by the Babes. The winning script’s playwright will also receive the Margaret W. Martin Award ($1000) sponsored by Babes’ longtime benefactor, David Woolley.
13. SOZU FELLOWSHIP
DEADLINE: April 18th, 2024
WEBSITE: https://www.sozoartists.com/fellowship
SOZO Fellowship Pilot is a 6-month coaching program designed to equip full time working, mid-career independent artists with sustainability and entrepreneurship training to reach new heights in their livelihood and creative endeavors. Our goal is to empower you with the guidance, tools, and community to cultivate self-efficacy, develop new work, and propel your career forward. SOZO Fellowship Pilot embraces a holistic approach through our unique framework, Artists and Producers as Entrepreneurs and Changemakers (APEC). By addressing systemic gaps in artist support, we aim to unleash your fullest potential, enabling you to lead with your expansive vision. This is a paid Fellowship opportunity. Each selected Fellow will receive a $2,000 honorarium for their participation.
14. THE DGF FELLOWS PROGRAM
DEADLINE: April 19, 2024
https://dramatistsguildfoundation.submittable.com/submit/290106/fy24-nyc-dgf-musical-theater-fellows-application-2024-2025
The DGF Fellows program is a year-long New York City-based intensive for professional dramatists who are looking to develop their existing work at the next level of their careers. The Fellows program is a free program hosted by the Dramatists Guild Foundation, designed to eliminate historical barriers of entry for many emerging dramatists.
This cohort of playwrights, composers, lyricists, librettists, and bookwriters will work together under the guidance and leadership of prominent program chairs to develop their current work in pursuit of further development and production.
This year, the program will work as an accelerator program for dramatists with existing works still in their revision process. Within the structure of the program is a uniquely successful format of partnering playwrights and musical theater writers during the learning process. Fellows who are selected will receive a $5,000 scholarship, access to career resources, and the opportunity to partner with several arts organizations.
Additionally, the program provides its Fellows with one-on-one mentoring from accomplished professionals in the field who help them hone their process, find their unique voice, and revise and edit existing work ready for development. At the end of the program, each Fellow will have an opportunity to participate in a presentation of their work for top theater professionals.
Please note: In keeping our promise of transparency, please be aware that applications for the 2024-2025 DGF Playwriting Fellowship will close at 350 submissions or on April 19th 2024, whichever happens first. This will allow us to make a decision on applications in a timely manner. We look forward to reading your applications.
15. PAGE 73 DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS
DEADLINE: April 28, 2024
WEBSITE: https://page73.org/application
Page 73 has two development programs available to early-career playwrights through this application, the writers group and the fellowship. Playwrights may apply for either or both programs as they see fit and are eligible.
The Page 73 Playwriting Fellowship provides a year of comprehensive support to one early-career playwright who has not received a professional production in New York City. Through this program, Page 73 provides artistic and financial resources to this writer as they develop one or more new plays of their choosing. The Page 73 Playwriting Fellow receives an unrestricted award of $20,000, a development budget of $10,000 managed by Page 73 and the Fellow over the course of the Fellowship year, and at least one workshop culminating in a public reading.
The Page 73 Writers Group is a yearlong writers group consisting of seven or eight playwrights. Led by Page 73’s Artistic Director and Associate Artistic Director, the Writers Group meets twice monthly on weeknight evenings at our office in Fort Greene, Brooklyn. Each playwright receives a $3,000 stipend for participating. Participants take turns bringing in pages for the group
to discuss.
16. THE ACADEMY NICHOLL FELLOWSHIP
DEADLINE: May 1, 2024
WEBSITE: https://www.oscars.org/nicholl/about
Each year, the Academy Nicholl screenwriting competition awards up to five $35,000 fellowships to amateur screenwriters. To enter, submit a feature length screenplay and entry fee via the online application when the competition is open for submissions. Fellowship winners are invited to participate in awards week ceremonies and seminars, receive individualized Academy member mentorship and are expected to complete at least one original feature film screenplay during their Fellowship year.
Up to five $35,000 fellowships are awarded each year to promising new screenwriters. From the program’s inception in 1986 through 2022, 192 fellowships totaling $5.08 million have been awarded. Up to five fellows in the Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting competition will be invited to participate in awards week ceremonies and seminars in November. Fellowship recipients will be expected to complete at least one original feature film screenplay during the fellowship year. Fellowship payments will be made quarterly subject to satisfactory progress of the recipient’s work, as judged by the Academy Nicholl Fellowships Committee.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Original feature film screenplay (no shorter than 70 pages and no longer than 160 pages) in PDF format only
Completed online application form
Writers must create an account at the Nicholl website to enter the competition. PDF scripts must be uploaded and all other requirements met prior to the maximum entry limit of 5,500 screenplays is reached. If the maximum entry limit has not been reached by the final deadline, than PDF scripts must be uploaded and all other requirements met no later than 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time on May 1, 2024.
Writers may create an online account at the Nicholl website at any time. When the competition opens each year, they should use that account to enter, following the links to the Log In page. The Nicholl website allows entrants to fill out the required online application form, submit a PDF version of their script and pay the entry fee with a credit or debit card. It also allows entrants to confirm receipt of their entry and to update their contact information at any time during the competition. A single entrant or writing team may submit a maximum of ONE script in the 2024 year competition. The script should be no shorter than 70 pages and no longer than 160 pages. The recommended length is 80 to 125 pages.
5,599 entries were received in 2023. All scripts are read at least twice in the competition. About 10 percent are read a third time. About 5 percent of entries advance to the competition quarterfinals, about 2 percent advance to the semifinals and about 10-15 entries reach the finals.
17. BARTER THEATRE APPALACHIAN FESTIVAL OF PLAYS AND PLAYWRIGHTS
DEADLINE: May 1st, 2024
WEBSITE: bartertheatre.com/appalachian-festival-of-plays-and-playwrights/
Six new Appalachian plays are chosen from the submissions to be given public readings by Barter’s company. The playwrights are brought in at the beginning of the festival week to be a part of the rehearsal process. Each play is given about 8 hours of rehearsal time with the focus being on clarity of story. After each reading, there is a moderated discussion between a panel made up of three regional theatre professionals and, most importantly, the audience, for their feedback. That way, the playwright receives feedback from three separate groups: artists, panelists, and audience. Playwrights have found this to be a very useful step in developing their plays, as well as a wonderful opportunity to meet other artists, make new friends, and enjoy the beauty of Southwest Virginia!
Plays must be written by an Appalachian playwright (currently living in a state that contains the Appalachian Mountain Range— which, for our purposes, run from New York to Alabama.) OR The plays must be set in the Appalachian region. Plays must be unpublished and must not have had a full professional production. Plays must be full length. Plays must be submitted electronically.
18. BOISE CONTEMPORARY THEATER IS NOW ACCEPTING SUBMISSIONS FOR ITS FOURTH ANNUAL BIPOC PLAYWRIGHTS FESTIVAL
DEADLINE: May 5, 2024
WEBSITE: https://drive.google.com/file/d/140klv5LlwHkAlqXYNUYn45nbdZW4FkoA/view
Boise Contemporary Theater is now accepting submissions for its fourth annual BIPOC Playwrights
Festival. Founded in 2021 with assistance from the Idaho Women’s Charitable Foundation, the festival
seeks to champion emerging and mid-career playwrights from marginalized communities by connecting
exceptional works with professional actors, directors and technicians.
2024 also marks the launch of the Young Playwrights Initiative, which will select one unproduced work
by a writer between 18 and 25 years old for inclusion in the lineup.
Festival dates: August 14th - 25th, 2024
Playwrights will arrive on Thursday, August 14th.
Workshop will take place August 15th - 19th.
Readings will take place August 20th - 24th.
Playwrights will depart Sunday, August 25th
PLEASE NOTE: Exact travel and reading schedule will be confirmed in early June. Please apply with the intention of being in Boise for 10 days. However, artists may be able to leave earlier, depending on their placement in the lineup.
Travel, lodging, and a $1,000 artist stipend will be provided.
To apply for BIPOC 2024, please fill out this Google Form,
A completed application includes:
● Script
● Logline
● Resume/CV
● Artist statement (<200 words) describing why you would like to participate and how your play would benefit from a workshop experience.
Please note that all plays must meet the following criteria:
Submissions must be full-length stage plays (no short or incomplete scripts, screenplays or teleplays).
Submissions must be unproduced, original works.
Submissions may have been previously developed or workshopped in conjunction with a theater, arts nonprofit or school, so long as they have not been fully produced.
Submissions are encouraged to include NO MORE than 5 actors. Larger casts will be considered, but smaller shows are preferred.
Any questions can be directed to Festival Director Lily Yasuda at: ly@bctheater.org
For general information on the festival, visit bctheater.org/bipoc
19. THE 2024 AGE LEGACY PLAYWRIGHT GRANTS 2024
DEADLINE: May 15, 2024
WEBSITE: https://ageinthearts.org/age-grants/2024-2/
SUBMISSION - MUST REGISTER AN ACCOUNT
AGE seeks to change the equity landscape of the American Theatre canon by increasing the representation of BIPOC playwrights 40+ years of age of marginalized gender. Additionally, in our creation of this initiative, we aimed to amplify the integrity of the recipients. AGE is therefore intentional in making sure that three playwrights receive individual unrestricted grants of $10,000 each. When funders dictate how grant money is used and require complex systems of documentation, oversight, and conditions, it can disempower the recipient. We are mindful of the layered history of oppression, trauma, and disempowerment for BIPOC people of marginalized gender. At AGE, equity means creating environments where everyone can achieve their goals. Giving agency to the recipients is how we practice equity. The recipients will determine the course of their professional journey and we are honored to witness and invest in their success.
RECIPIENTS NOTIFIED September 2024
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
Identify as BIPOC
40+ years of age
Identify as a person of marginalized gender or gender-diverse. We use the terms “marginalized gender” or “gender-diverse” to refer to our community of members who experience marginalization due to their genders. This includes cisgender women, transgender women, transgender men, non-binary people, among many other marginalized gender identities. Please note- marginalized gender is not the same as a marginalized person, nor does it relate to sexuality.
Identify as an emerging artist. Emerging means that the playwright has had no more than one play fully produced in one or more professional theatre(s). Readings and workshop productions are exempt.
Have an original draft of a full length play completed at the time of application; while not necessary, it is highly encouraged that the script have at least one principal character who is a BIPOC person of marginalized gender, 40+ years of age. Special consideration will be given to plays that fulfill this suggestion.
Live and work in the United States or Puerto Rico and are able to submit a W9 if chosen as a Finalist or Recipient.
SELECTION CRITERIA
Applicant meets all eligibility criteria.
Applicant submits all materials and information within the timeframe of the ALP grant submission and review process.
Applicant demonstrates a strong desire to not only achieve success as a playwright, but to disrupt the current American theatre canon rooted in white patriarchal norms.
Applicants will submit a draft of their full script, and additionally submit the specific 10 pages they want reviewed in the first round of the application process.
Applicants are reviewed, in addition to their play submission, on their motivation, commitment, and dedication as a playwright to impact the equity landscape of American theatre. The focus of the review is both on the artist and their play, knowing that their writing is one of many drafts and efforts yet to be birthed in their playwriting career.
20. KLEBAN PRIZE IN MUSICAL THEATER
DEADLINE: May 15th, 2024
WEBSITE: https://newdramatists.org/kleban-prize-musical-theatre
Edward Kleban, the lyricist of A Chorus Line and other extraordinary works, created the Kleban Prize in his Will, which is given annually to writers of extraordinary promise – to a librettist and a lyricist, respectively. The prize is administered by New Dramatists on behalf of the Kleban Foundation, Inc. Board of Directors. To ensure a robust and equitable adjudication, applications
(including work samples) are submitted and reviewed blindly by an independent panel of musical theatre artists and industry leaders. The Kleban Foundation Board sets the amount of the Prize annually. In recent years, a sum of $100,000 in each category has
been paid in two annual installments to Prize recipients.
1) The applicant must previously have received a production of one of their works on a stage or in a workshop performance; or 2) The applicant must be or have been a member or an associate of a professional musical workshop or theater group, i.e., ASCAP, BMI Theater Workshop or the Dramatists Guild Fellows Program.
Any individual whose work has been performed on the Broadway stage for a cumulative period of two years prior to the opening of the application window is not eligible. In the case of multiple Broadway productions, the sum of the lengths of the runs must not exceed two years.
If the material is co-written (written by more than one lyricist or more than one librettist) all writers must apply as a team. (This does not include the composer unless s/he has also contributed lyrics or text.) Each applicant must be eligible in their own right to apply.
Applicants may apply in both categories, but must submit a separate application for each category and may win in only one such category.
Applicants may only apply once per category per year.
Applicants may win in only one category.
Submissions are coded and reviewed blind. The name(s) of the writer(s) must NOT appear on any submission materials, including in the file names or file author information. Do NOT include hyperlinks in your files. Failure to meet this requirement may render the applicant ineligible. Only work from musical theater will be considered. Materials must be in English.
LYRICIST CATEGORY
Submissions must include lyrics for a minimum of five and a maximum of eight songs.
The lyrics may be from one or various shows.
Audio files/recordings of each song are strongly encouraged but are not necessary. Acceptable formats are mp3, ogg, and wav.
LIBRETTIST CATEGORY
Submissions may consist of a full-length musical book, or one act from two separate shows.
Lyrics should be included in the libretto even if they were written by someone other than the librettist.
Submission files must be in either word or PDF formats. Audio files are not accepted in the librettist category.
21. NEURODIVERGENT NEW PLAY SERIES SEEKS FULL-LENGTH PLAYS
DEADLINE: Rolling
WEBSITE: www.linktr.ee/neurodivergentplays
The Neurodivergent New Play Series - an ongoing play reading series dedicated to empowering neurodivergent playwrights in NYC since 2023 - is accepting recurring submissions as we prepare for our 2024-25 Season.
All submissions should be for full-length plays between 45 to 180 minutes long and may have received a previous reading or production outside of NYC, as long as they are unpublished. All neurodivergent/disabled writers (autistic, ADHD, dyslexic, OCD, Tourette's, etc.) at all stages of their careers are encouraged to apply - especially BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and female-identifying writers. There is no submission fee or any other fee for being involved in this process.
Plays can be of any genre, although we are especially seeking works that challenge traditional methods of storytelling & have something important to say about the world that isn't being heard enough. We ask that you submit only one play every 30 days during our recurring submissions process. If one of our Resident Directors is interested in your work, we will reach out via email.
Learn more and submit your work at our official play submissions URL: https://form.jotform.com/223378604825057
22. THE JEWISH PLAYS PROJECT
DEADLINE: Rolling
WEBSITE: www.jewishplaysproject.org/guide
The JPP brings all the tools of new play development to bear on the plays we select: dramaturgical consultation and research; the involvement of collaborating artists – including directors, designers and actors – at all stages as needed; private and public presentations; and industry advocacy.
What distinguishes the JPP process is what we call Jewish Dramaturgy. We base our exploration of the theatrical needs of a play around the central issue of its Jewish content and ideas, continuing to ask the question “What is the Jewish here?” When possible, we will bring prominent Jewish thought leaders (clergy, scholars, professionals and artists) into the room to join the development process, and extend the Jewish learning.
The JPP seeks plays that find the intersection between Jewish identity and global self. We want to look at the places where Jewish ideas, traditions, stories, myths, culture (and yes, religion) impact, inform, and hopefully improve our lives. While we value history, we will always lean toward plays that tackle vibrant strands of today’s world: social justice, economic justice, diversity, strong women in Jewish life, LGBTQ inclusion, new perspectives on Israel, environmentalism, and interfaith relations in addition to deep conversations about our complex and multifaceted identities. We discourage the beloved category of “ethnically stereotypical comedy”
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The JPP also discourages plays whose main goal is memorializing or educating about the Holocaust; we feel that we already have a strong cannon of plays, literature, and film that serve those functions and that superior new works would find a strong development path without our help.
We would also caution writers to make sure that you do not rely on the emotion stirred by Holocaust remembrance as a substitute for dramatic development or tension, as well as discourage writing that reduces Jewish identity to a Holocaust legacy. As we enter our second decade, so much has changed in the Jewish conversation. One of the things we love to do at the JPP is encourage writers to tackle some big, new, potentially-controversial ideas. Because that’s when it gets fun!
AN IMPORTANT NOTE: SUBMISSIONS ARE OPEN TO ARTISTS OF ALL BACKGROUNDS, DENOMINATIONS, FAITHS, CREEDS, RELIGIONS, and other IDEALS. We believe that Jewish identity and culture are specific manifestations of universal human cravings for spiritual, ethical, moral and worldly joy. “Matrilineal descent” is neither important nor necessary.
SUBMISSION DEADLINE: The Jewish Plays Project now accepts scripts for new Jewish plays and musicals on an open, rolling basis. However, our reading period is April-October. To guarantee we consider your play for the most current review cycle, please submit by June 2. Plays submitted after this date will be held for the next cycle.
SUBMISSION PROCESS: Fill out the Submission Form and attach a play to the form as a PDF. You must submit your play with your name and other identifying information removed (we review all plays blind). We do not charge a fee to submit (cause we kinda think submission fees are “yucky”. That’s a technical term).
23. NATIVE VOICES PRODUCTION SUBMISSIONS
DEADLINE: Rolling
WEBSITE: theautry.org/events/signature-programs/native-voices-annual-call-for-scripts
Native Voices is devoted to developing and producing new works for the stage by Native American, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, and First Nations playwrights.
Annual Playwrights Retreat and Festival of New Plays
The retreat and festival provide emerging and established Native American authors a rigorous opportunity to shape their plays over the course of an entire week. Collaboration occurs in daily workshops with nationally recognized directors, dramaturgs, and an acting company largely composed of exceptional Native American actors. The week culminates with a festival of staged readings. Many works developed through this process have gone on to enjoy successful runs on the Autry’s main stage and elsewhere.
Selected playwrights receive an honorarium, roundtrip airfare to California, and lodging. Past retreats have been held at the Autry Museum, Occidental College, and UCLA, all in Los Angeles; as well as in San Diego County at San Diego State University and La Jolla Playhouse.
Occurring annually, the Short Play Festival presents professional staged readings of ten- to thirty-minute plays centered around a particular theme. Plays selected for the festival are considered for the Von Marie Atchley Excellence in Playwriting Award, a $1,000 cash prize based on the creative use of the competition theme, originality, theatricality, execution, and audience response.
The First Look Series is a script development process that brings playwrights together with professional directors, dramaturgs, and actors. Each spring and fall, plays are workshopped and prepared for a public staged reading and discussion, giving the playwright an opportunity to hear the play—often for the first time—with a live audience. Plays can be new works, works-in-progress, or material that has already been produced at another venue.
Native American, Alaska Native, and First Nations playwrights are invited to submit their plays for the Native Voices Annual Playwrights Retreat, Festival of New Plays, Festival of Short Plays, First Look Series, and Equity productions. We encourage beginning, emerging, and established Native playwrights to submit. Submissions are accepted on an ongoing basis; however, there are specific deadlines for particular development opportunities in an upcoming season. For information on how to submit and current deadlines, please visit our Call for Scripts.
24. THE STOCHASTIC LABS
DEADLINE: Rolling
WEBSITE: https://stochasticlabs.org/residencies/
Stochastic Labs awards fully sponsored residencies to exceptional engineers, artists, scientists, and entrepreneurs from around the world. Residencies are of variable length and include a private apartment at the mansion, co-working and/or dedicated work space, shop access (laser cutter, 3D printer etc), a monthly stipend and a budget for materials. Residents become part of Stochastic’s creative community, participating in weekly dinners and invitation events. Residents may apply as individuals or as teams. While applicants may be at any stage in their career, the selection is highly competitive.
Between Silicon Valley, San Francisco, and Oakland, the Bay Area is home to 40% of the venture capital investments in tech start-ups in the United States. The concentration of serial founders, top-level engineers, angels, and even “unicorns” is several multitudes greater here than anywhere else on earth. While universities like Stanford, UC Berkeley, and UCSF; and experimental R&D arms of companies like Google X, fill an important local niche for non-commercial ideation around future technologies, there are few opportunities for engineers to come together to iterate in unpredictable ways, outside of traditional institutional frameworks.
This kind of independent, creative experimentation is not only critical for the well-being of any future-thinking society, it is often responsible for it. What set of universal moral principles might the artificial intelligence community lean upon without science fiction writer Isaac Asimov’s 3 laws of robotics? What would the history of bio-tech look like without Gregor Mendel’s monastic garden? An initiative of the Berkeley-based Minerva Foundation, Stochastic Labs operates on an entirely not-for-profit basis, taking zero equity stake in the companies, artworks, and scientific initiatives it incubates. We are 100% passionate about keeping the SF Bay Area’s innovation culture creative, socially responsible, and independent.
MISSION:
To support creative freedom for engineers and scientists outside of traditional institutional frameworks
To thoughtfully enable the creative ventures, inquiries, and expressions that will shape our technology-driven future
To build an interdisciplinary community of artists, engineers, scientists, and entrepreneurs to collaborate in meaningful and unpredictable ways
Since we opened our doors in 2014, Stochastic Labs has helped pioneer exceptional 20th/21st-century creative ventures including Lynn Hershman Leeson and NASA scientist Josiah Zayner’s epic transmedia artwork The Infinity Engine; JD Beltran and Scott Minneman’s Cinema Snowglobe; Alexander Reben’s film-making robot BlabDroid; Graham Plumb and Karen Marcelo’s volumetric Open Cube; street artist KATSU’s AI Criminals; and Lauren Lee Mccarthy’s interactive performance piece Follower, among others.
25. THE FOUNDATION FOR CONTEMPORARY ARTS
DEADLINE: Rolling
WEBSITE: https://www.foundationforcontemporaryarts.org/grants/emergency-grants/
Created in 1993 to further FCA's mission to encourage, sponsor, and promote work of a contemporary, experimental nature, Emergency Grants provide urgent funding for visual and performing artists who:
Have sudden, unanticipated opportunities to present their work to the public when there is insufficient time to seek other sources of funding
Incur unexpected or unbudgeted expenses for projects close to completion with committed exhibition or performance dates
Emergency Grants is the only active, multi-disciplinary program that offers immediate assistance of this kind to artists living and working anywhere in the United States, for projects occurring in the U.S. and abroad. Each month FCA receives an average of 100 Emergency Grant applications and makes approximately 12-21 grants. Grants range in amount from $500 to $3,000, and the average grant is now $1,900. We recommend that artists review all of our eligibility guidelines and FAQs before applying.
FCA has a small fund supported by the Trust for Mutual Understanding for unexpected or unbudgeted travel-related expenses for cultural exchange between the U.S. and the following countries: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.
26. THEATRE ARIEL OPEN SUBMISSIONS
DEADLINE: Open
WEBSITE: http://www.theatreariel.org/opportunities
Theatre Ariel is always seeking the next great Jewish play to present to our audiences. Anyone may submit through the process outlined below. Theatre Ariel is looking for plays that engage with the rich world of Jewish life, thought and practice; plays where Judaism, Jewish identity or Jewish perspectives are significant or driving factors in the story (In other words, not plays where the characters ‘happen’ to be Jewish or that have a few yiddishisms or “Jewish jokes” in them, but plays where Jewish life/thought/history is integral or particularly relevant to the story.). Theatre Ariel seeks full-length plays with casts of five actors or less.
You do not have to be Jewish to have your work considered by Theatre Ariel.
All our performances are presented as salon-style theatre readings in people’s homes, following a long tradition of Jewish theatre. For the foreseeable future, we will be presenting in a hybrid model of both in-person and virtual performances.
To have your script considered, please email the following to submissions@theatreariel.org:
Brief cover letter introducing yourself and your play, as well as a short plot summary and character breakdown (indicating doubling, if any)
The latest draft of your script, in either PDF or Word format
Theatre Ariel is committed to reading and responding to every submission we receive. Please allow three to six months for a response.
27. THE DOROTHY ROSS FRIEDMAN RESIDENCE and THE PALM VIEW RESIDENCE
DEADLINE: Rolling
The Friedman Residence, located at 475 West 57th Street, offers affordable housing for senior citizens, working professionals, and persons with HIV/AIDS. All apartments are complete with dishwasher, washer, dryer, central heating and air conditioning. Many apartments have terraces and feature spectacular Manhattan views. The Friedman Residence also features 24-hour security.
Eligibility for the building is based on federal guidelines for Low Income Housing Tax Credits. To be eligible, your income may not exceed 60% of the Area Median Income. To be eligible for a shared suite, an applicant’s income from all sources must be between $28,500 and $56,040. To be eligible for a 1-bedroom, an applicant’s household income must be between $30,000 and $64,080. One-bedroom units are prioritized for people with significant medical conditions.
Opened in 1998, The Palm View is owned by the Entertainment Community Fund and consists of three buildings surrounding a beautiful outdoor courtyard.
The development contains:
29 one-bedroom units, averaging 600 square feet
11 two-bedroom units, averaging 800 square feet
5 units with mobility features for wheelchair accessibility
2 units with communications features for people with visual or hearing impairment
A 49-space parking garage
On-site management office
Citrus garden
Courtyard with seating and a community barbecue
A separate, community bungalow that includes a large living room, meeting space, computer room and a kitchen.
Most of the residents are entertainment professionals referred by the Entertainment Community Fund. The Entertainment Community Fund provides The Palm View with a full-time social worker who offers case management, referrals to local resources, short-term counseling and community-building activities.
Eligibility requirements for the apartments at The Palm View are based on a professional history in the arts, a diagnosis of a permanent disability (applicants must be receiving disability benefits), and annual income criteria established by the federal government. A small number of units are available to non-arts professionals. Household size for a one-bedroom apartment is 1–2 people, and occupancy for a two-bedroom apartment is 2–4 people.
To qualify for a one-bedroom unit at The Palm View, residents’ annual income must be no greater than *$24,840 (for one person) or *$28,380 (for two people). The maximum incomes for two-bedroom units are *$47,300 (for 2 people), *$53,200 (for 3 people) and *$59,100 (for 4 people). *These limits are subject to change annually based on federal guidelines.
All residents of one-bedroom apartments, as well as one of the two-bedroom apartments, are eligible to apply to participate in the project-based voucher contract with the Los Angeles County Development Authority. Applicants may request an accessible unit by checking the appropriate box on the application or by making a verbal request to staff during the screening process if called for an interview. Email the Entertainment Community Fund for an application at AppsPalmView@entertainmentcommunity.org.
28. WILD CULTURE, WILD PROJECT
DEADLINE: Rolling
WEBSITE: http://www.thewildproject.org/programs/wild-culture/
Wild Culture is a program where wild project partners with a cross-section of independent, downtown performance artists to help both professional and emerging theater performers nurture, broaden and advance projects that are in various stages of development. Wild Culture gives artists free or subsidized space at wild project’s 89-seat eco-friendly theater, a stipend, box-office split, tech staff, marketing and community outreach to sustain the innovative creativity of downtown performance and unburden independent artists from prohibitive production costs. The program generally grants each project limited engagements of one to three performances. Projects that wish to submit to Wild Culture should align with wild project’s mission to enrich and educate the community, explore issues relating to female, BIPOC, and LGBTQIA+ artist communities, and demonstrate a clear performance aesthetic.
Wild Culture adapts each partnership to the specific needs and artistic vision of the project. Wild Culture is an ongoing program throughout the year. If you have a project that might be suitable for a Wild Culture partnership, please submit your work to get the conversation going to partner with us.
29. NY THEATER FESTIVAL SPRING/SUMMERFEST
DEADLINE: Rolling
WEBSITE: http://newyorktheaterfestival.com/summerfest-festivals/
ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR 2024.
We strongly believe that self producing a play or a musical can offer a very important tool for the growth of every playwright’s work. Once a playwright sees their work onstage, it provides an opportunity for the playwright to improve or modify their story. It’s also a great opportunity to invite people from the industry to see your production. People are more likely to go see a show than to read an unsolicited script, as some industry people receive on average thousands of submissions per month, and they understand that the journey for a show to be successful often goes through several productions.
Our team is completely dedicated to help get your work seen. We are always with you to help, from the first moment of your tech rehearsal to the closing of your last show. You will never be left alone during the process. We will help you to choose some of the 85 set/furniture props we offer to dress your stage for your run, and give you a complete crash course on how to use the audio/light/video system, which are intentionally very user friendly. After we show you how to use the tools we provide and how to utilize the space, you will be able to rehearse your tech rehearsal with whatever plan works best for you and your production. A team member will be present to provide prime responses to every inquiry, as well as a telephone # you can call anytime during relevant hours throughout the run of your show. In 11 years and 19 seasons we have successfully hosted 1,200 plays and 300 musicals and rewarded with cash prizes over 300 artists who participated in our Festival.
PRIZES:
We offer up to $8,000 in Prizes. $3,500 alone goes to the season’s best production (either a play or a musical)
