2024-25 Writing Fellowship
The Playwrights Realm
DEADLINE: February 5, 2024
INFO: The Writing Fellowship is at the heart of what The Playwrights Realm does: helping writers write. Four early-career playwrights receive nine months of resources, workshops and feedback designed to help them reach their professional and artistic goals. Over the course of the season, Fellows develop a single new play. Monthly group meetings provide a collaborative, energizing setting for writers to share and refine their work.
Individual meetings with The Realm’s artistic staff support each writer’s specific artistic process. Fellows work with a director, design dramaturg, and actors over the course of two workshops to see their work come to life. Professional development resources are also an integral part of the program and are tailored to the individual group of Writing Fellows. Mentor opportunities, meet-and-greets, and professional workshops shed light on the often opaque business of theatre, and empower the Fellows to be active, informed participants in their own careers.
The culminating event of the program is our INK’D Festival, which features public readings of each Fellows’ play.
ELIGIBILITY:
To be eligible you must:
Live within commuting distance to Midtown Manhattan, and be able to make it to regular evening writers meetings, rehearsals, and events.
Have a script that would benefit from a nine-month, intensive development process.
playwrightsrealm.submittable.com/submit
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Scratchpad Series
The Playwrights Realm
DEADLINE: February 5, 2024
INFO: Scratchpad Series opens The Realm’s doors to early-career playwrights from around the country, deepening our ability to do what we do best: listening to what playwrights need, and giving it to them. Whether it’s a place to hear a rough draft aloud for the first time, space to fine tune a more mature work, or time to focus in on a particular aspect of a piece, The Realm aims to provide playwrights with what they need to thrive.
Scratchpad is a chance for The Realm to engage with an entirely new group of playwrights each year, erasing limitations of geography or access by identifying and inviting playwrights from across the country to participate. Scratchpad participants will receive dramaturgical support and a developmental workshop of up to one week during the 2024-2025 season, working with top-notch professional collaborators—director, cast, and The Realm’s artistic staff.
If the playwright is based outside of New York, The Realm will also provide support for the Playwright's travel and housing.
ELIGIBILITY:
To be eligible you must:
Have a script that would benefit from dramaturgical conversation with The Realm and 15-hour developmental reading process reading. (Plays can be anything from a rough first draft to a play that is close to production-ready.)
Be able to be present in New York City for a process of between 3-6 days, at a time agreed upon by both you and The Realm.
playwrightsrealm.submittable.com/submit
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2024 COURAGE TO WRITE GRANTS
The de Groot Foundation
DEADLINE: February 5, 2024
APPLICATION FEE: $22.00
INFO: The de Groot Foundation will award thirty COURAGE to WRITE unrestricted grants to writers in 2024.
Ten COURAGE to WRITE grants of $7000 each and twenty Writer of Note grants of $1500 each. These grants are meant to encourage and support writers as they further or complete a specific project. The Writer of Note grantees are chosen from the pool of finalists for the COURAGE to WRITE grants.
GUIDELINES: Applicants for COURAGE to WRITE grants may be writing in any genre. We welcome projects of fiction, nonfiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, YA, children’s books, plays, and screenplays.
WHO SHOULD APPLY: Writers over 18 years of age who are actively engaged in a writing project and for whom a monetary boost could help them further or complete a project.
ELIGIBILITY:
Applications:
are open to individual writers over 18 years of age regardless of race, ethnicity, gender orientation, education, economic situation, geographic origin or location.
must be submitted in English.
are not open to family, members of the board or employees of the The de Groot Foundation, Lando family members, reviewers, or the selection committee.
Applicants must be individuals. Companies or organizations are not eligible.
If you’ve already received a writing grant from The de Groot Foundation, please wait a year before applying again.
HOW TO APPLY:
Please read this section carefully before preparing or submitting your application. We receive grant applications through the Submittable platform. If you have an account already, click the button at the bottom of this page and login to apply. If you do not have an account, you will need to create a free account in order to apply. You can create an account here: https://manager.submittable.com/signup
Application
There are three parts to your application: 1) a biosketch, 2) the letter of application, 3) your writing sample
Your biosketch
a. A brief statement about you, what matters in your work, what you’ve written, what you want to write, and something about you as a person
b. Limited to no more than 100 words
c. Your biosketch will be inserted into a form on the application so have this ready to cut and paste.
2. The letter of application (2-4 pages) which must include:
a. An introduction to the writing project for which you are seeking support (1-3 paragraphs)
b. How this project is important (1-2 paragraphs)
c. How a grant at this time would be helpful to you and how you would use the funds (2-3 paragraphs)
d. Anything else you would like us to know about you as a writer (1 paragraph)
e. Please address the letter to: Dear COURAGE to WRITE Reviewers
f. Please double space your letter of application and use Times New Roman 12-point font.
The paragraph suggestions above are recommendations. Should you wish to add a paragraph in a section and have one fewer in another that is fine as long as the needed information is well conveyed.
3. Writing sample
a. Please submit an unpublished writing sample, which relates to the project for which you are requesting funds. Do not submit a previously published writing sample.
b. Your unpublished writing sample should be five pages.
c. The writing sample, like the letter of application, should be double spaced and in Times New Roman 12-point font.
d. Exceptions:
i. Poetry: Use your original poetry formatting. You do not need to double space the poems. There can be more than one poem on a page.
ii. Screenplay or a play: You may submit up to 12 pages of a sample using the standard formatting for plays or screenplays.
iii. Graphic novel: You may include up to 10 pages of prose and graphics for the writing sample. Please submit by PDF.
IMPORTANT: The letter of application and the five pages of your current writing project must be uploaded as a SINGLE DOCUMENT. Please make sure you have merged them as a SINGLE DOCUMENT before you submit.
Submit your application through the Submittable platform, which you will be directed to below. Make sure your document is ready and exactly as you want it to be before uploading. Once you have submitted an application, you are unable to change it.
Format:
Use Times New Roman 12-point font and double space your application document.
Numbering pages is optional.
Application Timeline:
Grant recipients will receive an automatic notification from Submittable once your application is received.
Finalists will be notified by the end of April 2024.
Grant awardees will be notified by the end of May 2024.
Review and Selection:
You’ll be sent a message when your application has been received.
Stage 1 Review: All eligible applications are read by teams of reviewers. Depending on the discretion of the reviewers, between 40 to 60 finalist applications are chosen.
Stage 2 Review: Finalist applications are evaluated by the final Selection Committee. This committee chooses the ten COURAGE to WRITE grantees. From the remaining applications, this committee will then pick the 20 Writer of Note grantees.
The Selection Committees are writers and writing professionals who appreciate the challenges of emerging writers. Selection Committee decisions are final. Correspondence will only be entered into with finalists and grantees.
Grantees will be asked to complete a Grant Acceptance Agreement and, if appropriate, a U.S. W-9 tax form. One year after receipt of funding, grantees agree to complete and return a one-to-three-page final report so that we can learn about your project and the grant’s impact on your work.
degrootfoundation.org/courage-to-write-grants/
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2024 LANDO GRANT
The de Groot Foundation
DEADLINE: February 5, 2024
APPLICATION FEE: $22.00
The de Groot Foundation is thrilled to collaborate with Barry Lando, award winning investigative journalist and former 60 Minutes producer, to provide the LANDO grants for immigration, migration, and/or refugee writing.
GUIDELINES: Applicants for LANDO grants may be writing in any genre. We welcome projects of fiction, nonfiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, YA, children’s books, plays, and screenplays.
WHO SHOULD APPLY: Writers over 18 years of age who are actively engaged in a writing project and for whom a monetary boost could help them further or complete a project.
ELIGIBILITY:
Applications:
are open to individual writers over 18 years of age regardless of race, ethnicity, gender orientation, education, economic situation, geographic origin or location.
must be submitted in English.
are not open to family, members of the board or employees of the The de Groot Foundation, Lando family members, reviewers, or the selection committees.
Applicants must be individuals. Companies or organizations are not eligible.
If you’ve already received a writing grant from The de Groot Foundation, please wait a year before applying again.
HOW TO APPLY:
We want all applications to be considered. Please read this section carefully before preparing or submitting your application. We receive grant applications through the Submittable platform. If you have an account already, click the button at the bottom of this page and login to apply. If you do not have an account, you will need to create a free account in order to apply. You can create an account here: https://manager.submittable.com/signup
Application
There are three parts to your application: 1) a biosketch, 2) the letter of application, 3) your writing sample
1. Your biosketch
A brief statement about you, what matters in your work, what you’ve written, what you want to write, and something about you as a person
Limited to no more than 100 words
Your biosketch will be inserted into a form on the application so have this ready to cut and paste.
2. The letter of application (2-4 pages) which must include:
An introduction to the writing project for which you are seeking support (1-3 paragraphs)
How this project is important (1-2 paragraphs)
How a grant at this time would be helpful to you and how you would use the funds (2-3 paragraphs)
Anything else you would like us to know about you as a writer (1 paragraph)
Please address the letter to: Dear LANDO Reviewers
Please double space your letter of application and use Times New Roman 12-point font.
The paragraph suggestions above are recommendations. Should you wish to add a paragraph in a section and have one fewer in another that is fine as long as the needed information is well conveyed.
3. Writing sample
Please submit a writing sample which relates to the project for which you are requesting funds. Do not submit a previously published writing sample.
Your unpublished writing sample should be five pages.
The writing sample, like the letter of application, should be double spaced and in Times New Roman 12-point font.
Exceptions:
i. Poetry: Use your original poetry formatting. You do not need to double space the poems. There can be more than one poem on a page.
ii. Screenplay or a play: Please submit a one to two page synopsis of the screenplay or play and up to 12 pages of a sample script using the standard formatting for plays or screenplays.
iii. Graphic novel: You may include up to 10 pages of prose and graphics for the writing sample. Please submit by PDF.
IMPORTANT: The letter of application and the five pages of your current writing project must be uploaded as a SINGLE DOCUMENT. Please make sure you have merged them as a SINGLE DOCUMENT before you submit.
Submit your application through the Submittable platform, which you will be directed to below. Make sure your document is ready and exactly as you want it to be before uploading. Once you have submitted an application, you are unable to change it.
FORMAT:
Use Times New Roman 12-point font and double space your application document.
Numbering pages is optional.
Grant recipients will receive an automatic notification from Submittable once your application is received.
Finalists will be notified by early April 2024.
Grant awardees will be notified by early May 2024.
degrootfoundation.org/2024-lando-grant-guidelines/
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macdowell fellowship: 2024 Fall/Winter
MacDowell
DEADLINE: February 10, 2024, at 11:59pm ET
INFO: The Fellowship application period for 2024 Fall/Winter residencies at MacDowell is now open!
MacDowell encourages artists to apply in any stage of their career, and from all backgrounds and countries. We invite applications in the following disciplines: architecture, film/video arts, interdisciplinary arts, literature, music composition, theatre, and visual arts. If your proposed project does not fall clearly within one of these artistic disciplines, contact the admissions department for guidance at admissions@macdowell.org.
We also encourage you to watch our “How to Apply to MacDowell's Residency Program” video on our YouTube channel for detailed instructions on our application process.
MacDowell has no residency fees, and to defray expenses that accrue during an artist’s stay, we provide need-based stipends to cover rent, utilities, childcare, and lost income from taking time off from employment, as well as reimbursements for travel to and from the residency.
Fall/Winter residencies will take place between September 1, 2024 and February 28, 2025.
macdowell.org/apply/apply-for-fellowship
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The Hansberry-Lilly Award
Dramatist Guild Foundation
DEADLINE: February 19, 2024 by 11:59pm ET
INFO: The Lillys’ Lorraine Hansberry Initiative, under the leadership and vision of Julia Jordan and Lynn Nottage, has generously developed this opportunity to honor the great American Lorraine Hansberry and ensure the next generation of women and or non-binary playwrights of color is able to follow in her footsteps, regardless of their economic situation.
Two Hansberry-Lilly awardees will be given stipends of $25,000 each year of their graduate education in playwriting. The award is a need-based scholarship to both acknowledge and combat the financial disparities between races and between genders. The awardees must be newly accepted to or currently enrolled in one of the designated MFA programs. The funds awarded are to be used to support cost of living expenses that are not otherwise covered by other scholarships, subsidized tuition, or fellowship monies. The Hansberry-Lilly Award was specifically created to ensure that our awardees have protected time to actually write, time to develop relationships with peer collaborators, and time to nurture relationships with mentors that will endure through their careers.
ELIGIBILITY:
Persons wishing to apply must:
Be a person of color
Be a woman or non-binary
Be a first-year/newly accepted into one of these graduate dramatic writing programs: Brooklyn College, Brown, Columbia University, Julliard, NYU-Tisch School of the Arts, Northwestern, Yale, University of California at San Diego
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Wild Words 2024: ACW Seeks Writing By North Country Teens
Adirondack Center for Writing
DEADLINE: February 29, 2024 by midnight
INFO: Submissions are now open for the 2024 Wild Words Adirondack Teen Writing Anthology, presented by the Adirondack Center for Writing (ACW). This new print publication is a place for teens living in the North Country to publish their creative writing. A public book launch is scheduled for April 27, 2024 at Harrietstown Town Hall in Saranac Lake (39 Main Street). Copies will be available for a small donation.
Teens ages 13-19 living in the North Country of New York State are eligible to submit writing for consideration in the anthology, which will be published in the spring of 2024. Last year’s 2023 anthology featured 70 teen writers from all corners of the Adirondack region, including poetry, short stories, plays, memoirs, personal essays, book excerpts, science fiction, and fantasy writing. Over 300 copies of the 2023 anthology have been distributed to date, and 200 teens, family members, friends, and community supporters attended the 2023 book launch.
ACW has provided an online toolkit for organizations and teachers who are interested in sharing this opportunity with members of their communities, available at adirondackcenterforwriting.org/wildwords. The toolkit provides marketing materials as well as accessible creative writing prompts designed to get teens writing. Submissions are due by midnight on February 29, 2024.
The Wild Words anthology is a collaboration between Visiting Writer Erin Dorney and the Adirondack Center for Writing as part of the Creatives Rebuild New York (CRNY) Artist Employment Program. CRNY, a project of the Tides Center, is a three-year, $125 million investment in the financial stability of New York State artists and the organizations that employ them. Dorney will work with ACW through June 2024 on a variety of projects designed to encourage creative writing and readership throughout the Adirondacks.
adirondackcenterforwriting.org/wild-words-2024/
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2024 Musical Theatre Submissions
Live & In Color
DEADLINE: March 1, 2024
INFO: Live & In Color is looking for playwrights, composers, and lyricists of color and/or other underrepresented communities interested in developing their new musical. The selected musical submission will have a one-week workshop in the fall at The Bingham Camp in Salem, Connecticut culminating in a staged presentation to an invited audience.
Writers receive a $1,000 stipend plus housing, meals, and travel. We provide support including a several month development period based on needs of the composer/writers leading up to the retreat. Live & In Color staff will continue the support the development of your piece beyond the retreat including a reading for industry and Broadway Alums.
MUSICAL SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:
The musical must be performed:
with 4 actors (or less)
All submissions should include:
Single page synopsis
Single page character breakdown
Demo of score (2-3 songs)
Sample of dialogue (~15 pages)
Brief production/development history (properties with prior full productions not accepted)
For any questions email Dennis Corsi at dennis@liveandincolor.org.
liveandincolor.org/musicalsubmissions