"TCG consistently broadens the circle so that many young leaders and artists of color find a place for growth, for opportunity and for mentorship. The organization has been and continues to be a launching pad: TCG was the place I found refuge when I began my professional life in the theater."
- Jacob Padrón, artistic director of Long Wharf Theatre, New Haven, CT; founder and artistic director, The Sol Project

TCG awards approximately $2 million per year in grants, subsidies and scholarships to individuals and theatre organizations with support from a number of organizations and foundations, including the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the William & Eva Fox Foundation, The Howard Gilman Foundation, Knight Foundation and many others. TCG’s grantmaking and professional development programs help to connect and nurture theatre practitioners at various stages of their career, as well as support theatres working in diverse communities across the country. TCG has a long history of developing and administering programs that speak directly to the needs of the field and that have far-reaching impact on individuals, theatre organizations and communities in the U.S. and abroad.

Fox Foundation Resident Actor Fellowships
Program Status: Applications due November 19, 2019 Noon ET

Fox Foundation Resident Actor Fellowships support actors and their artistic and professional development. Grants are awarded to actors in two areas: Distinguished Achievement grants of $25,000 for actors with a substantial body of work and Exceptional Merit grants of $15,000 plus additional support for student loans. Host theatres receive $7,500 for costs associated with residency.

This long-running program is funded by the William & Eva Fox Foundation.

The Willa Kim Costume Design Scholarship
Program Status: Applications available October 2019

The Willa Kim Costume Design Scholarship provides exceptionally talented costume designers who are enrolled in a university or professional training program with the opportunity to supplement their fine arts training in hand drawing and/or painting. The scholarship offers undergraduate and graduate students up to $7,500 to be used towards tuition, registration, and/or supplies.

This program is funded by the Estate of Willa Kim.

Alan Schneider Director Award
Program Status: Call for nominations available October 2019

The Alan Schneider Director Award was established in honor of Alan Schneider's significant contribution to theatre in the U.S. and his lifelong concern for the development of career opportunities for freelance directors. The biannual award is designed to identify and assist exceptional mid-career directors whose talent has been demonstrated through work in specific regions, but who may not be well known nationally. The recipient receives $7,500 which may be used for travel, research or other activities specifically focused on the development of the directing craft or related career opportunities.

This program is funded by the Alan Schneider Memorial Fund.

Rising Leaders of Color
Program Status: Applications available Winter 2019-2020

Rising Leaders of Color (RLC) develops and highlights exceptionally talented early-career leaders of color across the U.S. working in all areas of theatre including theatre criticism/journalism. The program offers a year-long professional development curriculum designed to deepen the participants’ analysis of equity, diversity and inclusion, as well as develop a strong set of leadership tools.

This program has been generously funded by many partners, recently including The Howard Gilman Foundation, the Knight Foundation, The Hearst Foundations, and The Regional Arts Commission (RAC) of St. Louis. Read about them here.

Global Connections
Program Status: Timeline for next round TBA

Global Connections supports geographically unrestricted travel to foster international collaborations between US-based artists and their colleagues around the world. The program offers funding in two different categories: On the Road travel grants of up to $5,000 each and In the Lab project development grants of $10,000 each.

This program is funded by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Audience (R)Evolution
Program Status: Timeline for next round TBA

Audience (R)Evolution is a multi-year program to study, promote and support successful audience engagement and community development models for the U.S. not-for-profit theatre. Round 3 grants focus on two initiatives designed to engage “Youth” and “Multigenerational” audiences/communities: Exploration Grants of up to $5,000 to observe effective programs or consult with professionals who can advise on strategies to deepen relationships with communities served by the theatre, and Cohort Grants of $75,000 or $150,000 for teams of three or more organizations to implement and refine ways to increase audience engagement and community development in theatre for youth and multigenerational audiences.

This program is funded by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation.

Photo Credits: From top left, Di Zhu as Lucia in Another Life, by Karen Malpede, Global Connections, photo by Beatriz Schiller; Pearl Khuu, Grace Nevarez-Ortiz, Annabel Brain Hope, Celeste Zuleta, Brianna Robert, Alasia Waters, and Lewana Kidane in Artist-Investigator Jo Kreiter’s GirlFly, MetLife/TCG A-ha! Program, photo by Rapt Productions; Bruce Turk at Ecole Philippe Gaulier, Fox Foundation Resident Actor Fellow, photo by Tan Chui Mui; Mark Kidd, Megan Sandberg-Zakian, Ashley Davis, Jason Goedken, Herbert Siguenza, New Generations Future Leaders, photo by Michal Daniel; Bart DeLorenzo, Alan Schneider Award, photo by Michal Daniel.  From bottom left, Amanda Delheimer Dimond, Quentin Talley, Maureen Towey, Matt O'Hare, Diana Buirski, Leadership U[niversity] Mentees, photo by Michal Daniel; Fernando Córdova and Artús Chávez Novelo in Guerra by Seth Bockley and Devon De Mayo, Global Connections, photo by Ernesto Muñoz; Andre Lancaster, Young Leaders of Color, photo by Michal Daniel; Laurie McCants in Industrious Angels, Fox Foundation Resident Actor Fellow, photo by Cindy McBeth Collins.Top of page