Creative Capital

Offers grants to individuals in the Performing & Visual Arts, Film/Video, Literature, and Emerging Fields. Creative Capital provides each funded project with up to $50,000 in direct funding and career development services valued at $40,000, for a total commitment of up to $90,000 per project.

Theatre Communications Group

• NEA/TCGCareer Development Programs for Directors and Designers – Exceptionally talented early-career artists travel, research, observe, assist and/or direct or design under the guidance of one or more designated mentors.
• Fox Foundation Actor Fellowships –Two-year pilot program established to support both emerging and established actors.Observership Program -Key staff at TCG’s member theatres apply to observe the administration and artistic work of other theatres and meet with colleagues. TCG/ITI Travel Grants Program – The Theatre Communications Group/InternationalTheatre Institute Travel Grants support cultural exchange and artistic partnerships between professionals in the United States and their counterparts in Russia and Eastern and Central Europe.
• Alan Schneider Director Award – For talented mid-career, freelance directors nominated by artistic leaders of TCG theatres. $7,500 award may be used for travel, research, or other professional development opportunities.
• American Theatre Affiliated Writers Program –Designed to stimulate high quality cultural reporting, feature writing, and theatre criticism that breaks past its own boundaries.For residents of New York City and Minnesota only.

The International Centre for Women Playwrights (ICWP)

Online resource for women playwrights that runs two funds for members (membership ranges from free to $25 per year, depending on level).

ICWP Professional Development Grants
Funds to help women playwrights attend conferences and professional development workshops abroad and in the U.S. NOTE: These grants were suspended for 2010. Check back.
International Women’s Day Grants
Funds for women theatre artists doing readings or performances of member work and work by women for International Women’s Day.

The Puffin Foundation

Grants up to $2,500; average grant is approximately $1,250. Applications will be available September 1, 2013, for the 2014 grant cycle for artists in music, photography, theater, and public interest.  Application deadline is December 27, 2013.

Franklin Furnace Fund for Performance Art

Awards grants up to $10,000 to performance artists, allowing them to produce major works anywhere in the State of New York. Artists from all over the world are invited to apply.

Ella Lyman Cabot Trust

Grants to individuals for projects (sometimes involving a departure from one’s usual vocation or a creative extension of it) with a promise of good to others. Awards are usually made on a one-year basis and are not renewed.

The American Theatre Wing

Administers programs of the former Jonathan Larson Performing Arts Foundation. Provides encouragement and financial assistance to composers, lyricists and bookwriters as well as nonprofit producing companies with a commitment to supporting the work of new musical theatre projects and musical theatre artists.

Princess Grace Awards for Theater Artists and Playwrights

Dedicated to identifying and assisting emerging young artists in theater to realize their career goals through scholarships, apprenticeships, and fellowships. Awards are based primarily on the artistic quality of the artist’s past work, his/her potential for future excellence, and the appropriateness of the activities to the individual’s artistic growth.

National YoungArts Foundation (formerly National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts)

The foundation aims to identify and support the next generation of artists, and to contribute to the cultural vitality of the nation by investing in the artistic development of talented young artists in the visual, literary, and performing arts.  YoungArts provides emerging artists with life-changing experiences with renowned mentors, access to significant scholarships, national recognition, and other opportunities throughout their careers to help ensure that the nation’s most outstanding emerging artists are encouraged to pursue careers in the arts.

Sundance Theatre Laboratory

A three-week long workshop offering playwrights, directors, choreographers, composers, solo performers, and ensembles the time, space and support to develop new plays and musicals or to explore new approaches to existing scripts.

Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation Director/Choreographer Observerships

Offers young, early-career directors and choreographers the opportunity to observe the work of master directors and choreographers as they create new productions on Broadway, off-Broadway and at leading regional theatres, primarily in New York, Seattle, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Observers often have access to the entire rehearsal process, from first rehearsal to opening night, and receive stipends of $250-$1,000.
(The foundation has other programs as well. The link below will take you to a comprehensive list.)

United States Institute for Theatre Technology

USITT is dedicated to actively promoting the advancement of the knowledge and skills of its members. Member grants and fellowships are available in performing arts design and technology.

CEC ArtsLink Inc.

ArtsLink Projects provide support to US artists, curators, presenters, and arts organizations undertaking projects in Central and Eastern Europe, the Baltic countries, Russia, Western Asia, Mongolia, and Egypt.  Applicants must be working with an artist or organization in that region and projects should be designed to benefit participants and audiences in both the US and the host country. CEC ArtsLink can assist interested applicants in identifying contacts in the region. Funds are also available for artists from the region to pursue projects in the US.

U.S./Japan Creative Artists’ Program

A partnership of the NEA and the Japan-U.S. Friendship Commission (JUSFC), allows American artists to live and work in Japan for five months.  Architects, choreographers, composers, creative writers, designers, media artists, playwrights, visual artists and solo theater artists who work with original material (including puppeteers, storytellers and performance artists) are encouraged to apply.  Artists who create original work in a multidisciplinary form are also eligible.

U.S.-Mexico Fund for Culture

Supports outstanding projects that foster cooperation and exchange between artists and intellectuals of Mexico and the U.S.  Annual open round of applications starts Mid-January and deadline is Mid-April.

Allen Lee Hughes Fellowship Program, Arena Stage, Washington, DC

Established to increase participation of people of color in professional theater. Fellowships require a 40-44 week commitment and are available to work with seasoned professionals in the areas of artistic and technical production, arts administration and Community Engagement. Arena Stage provides a modest stipend and may assist in locating housing.

National Alliance for Musical Theatre’ National Fund for New Musicals

Through the National Fund for New Musicals, the National Alliance for Musical Theatre (NAMT) supports collaborations between member theatres and musical theatre writers. Through a competitive submission process, NAMT’s National Fund provides grants to support new musicals at all stages of development, at theatres of all sizes, with the goal of bringing quality new musicals to audiences across the country. The National Fund for New Musicals provides grants to NAMT’s U.S. not-for-profit theatre members in three categories, which together reflect a musical’s trajectory from early development to full production: Writers Residency Grant, Project Development Grant, and Production Grant.

The Kleban Foundation

In honor of Edward Kleban, this award is given annually to both a librettist and a lyricist. The award will be in the amount of $100,000 to each recipient and will be payable in two annual installments of $50,000.

Jim Henson Foundation

Awards grants each year for the creation and development of innovative works of puppet theater. Project grants of $5,000 are awarded for the development of new works, and seed grants of $2,000 are made for pieces in the earliest stages of creation. Family Grants of $3,000 fund the development of new and innovative work specifically for children, families, and teenagers.

Puppeteers of America Endowment Fund

Members are eligible to apply for small projects grants. Awards range from $100-$1,000 and are made every two years.