2025-2026 Artists in Residence program
Ars Nova (NYC)
DEADLINE: June 6, 2025
INFO: The Artists in Residence Program is an individually tailored, development-based residency for early career performing artists of all disciplines to explore a project in house at Ars Nova over the course of a season. The residency is a unique opportunity for artists who develop work in non-traditional ways to make use of Ars Nova’s customized, flexible support to discover new things about their project and process, and to build community and peer relationships with artists across genres in the residency cohort.
Residents will be invited to develop a specific project in house at Ars Nova for a season, working toward goals and benchmarks for that project that are defined at the beginning of the residency. The focus of an artist’s residency at Ars Nova is on a fruitful process and the development of an artistic practice, not on a finished product. Through a wide range of development tools, institutional resources and hands-on artistic support, residents are encouraged to think big, take risks and push their creative potential as they make work under Ars Nova’s roof. Residents will also have the opportunity to connect with one another and with the wider Ars Nova community through events, monthly get-togethers, and more.
Ars Nova is now accepting Intent to Apply Forms for our new 2025-2026 Artists in Residence program. We’re looking for early career artists of all disciplines, including but not limited to playwrights, composers, devisers, curators, comedians to join a cohort of creatives who will spend a season in residence with Ars Nova.
RESIDENCY EXPECTATIONS:
Resident Artists will be in residence with Ars Nova from early September 2025 throughend of June 2026;
Resident Artists will attend monthly cohort gatherings led by a member of the Ars Nova Artistic Team;
Resident Artists will work with the Artistic Team to design a development trajectory for their residency at the beginning of the season.
RESIDENCY RESOURCES:
A monthly residency stipend
A budget, managed by Ars Nova, to support their development in the residency;
Hands-on support and mentorship from the Ars Nova artistic team on their artistic trajectory;
Access to the space and resources in the Ars Nova building, including, but not limited to, rehearsal space, theater space, jump desks, printers, and more;
Participation in a retreat at some point in the season;
Complimentary tickets to Ars Nova shows;
The opportunity to present work onstage at the Ars Nova Theater.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Q: I create with a collaborator. Can I apply with them?
A: We will accept applications from individuals, duos, or trios collaborating on a project.
Q: What kinds of artists can participate in this residency?
A: We would love to receive applications from early career generative artists of all types in the performing arts. This could include—but is not limited to—playwrights, composers, devisers, curators, comedians, clowns, choreographers, and directors. Are you a generative artist who doesn’t yet have a name for what you do? We’d love to meet you!
Q: What kind of projects are you looking for in this residency?
A: Projects that are either new or in early stages of development will benefit most from the resources offered in this residency.
Q: Is this residency open to artists outside of New York City?
A: Given the frequency of cohort gatherings and onsite development work, this residency is best suited to artists who live in the New York area.
Q: What will the full application process look like?
A: Interested artists should submit an Intent to Apply form by June 6. After reviewing all submissions, Ars Nova’s Artistic Team will invite a selection of those artists to submit a full application to the program in July. A select group of those applicants will be asked to interview with the Artistic Team in August, with the goal of finalizing the cohort by the end of August for an early September start.
Q: I want to apply to Play Group, CAMP, the Vision Residency, or Maker’s Lab. When are those applications opening for next season?
A: You should apply to this program! This year, we are putting our energy into a program that connects artists working in all mediums rather than siloing them into separate programs. The Artists in Residence Program will support all the same genres of art-making that Play Group, CAMP, Vision Residency, and Maker’s Lab supported. And ideally, its flexible nature will make room for artists who might not have found a home in any of those programs!
arsnovanyc.com/ARTISTSINRESIDENCE/
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Ryan Hudak LGBTQ+ Dramatic Writing Award
New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA)
DEADLINE: June 17, 2025 at 5:00pm ET
INFO: The Ryan Hudak LGBTQ+ Dramatic Writing Award is an $8,000 cash grant to be awarded to one (1) New York State-based playwright or screenwriter who self-identifies as LGBTQ+.
The Award honors the life and work of Ryan Hudak. Ryan was a gay playwright, theater maker, filmmaker, and a valued member of NYFA’s staff who served on the executive and development teams. Tragically, Ryan passed away in May 2022 after a long battle with Leukemia at the age of 32. The Award is open to playwrights and screenwriters who live in New York State, including those who live within the five boroughs of New York City.
WHO CAN APPLY?
The Ryan Hudak LGBTQ+ Dramatic Writing Award is open to New York State playwrights and screenwriters, including those who live within the five boroughs of New York City.
Applicants must meet the following criteria:
Must be a working playwright or screenwriter. Acceptable forms of playwriting or screenwriting include stageplays, screenplays, teleplays, libretti, radio plays, and audio dramas. No audio is accepted.
Must self-identify as LGBTQ+.
Must be a current full-time resident of New York State for a minimum of 12 months at the time the application closes.
Must be at least 25 years of age at the time the application closes.
Cannot be enrolled in a degree-seeking program of any kind.
Can be past recipients of any NYFA grant or fellowship programs, except past recipients of The Ryan Hudak LGBTQ+ Dramatic Writing Award.
Cannot be a NYFA employee, members of the NYFA Board of Trustees or Artists’ Advisory Committee, and/or an immediate family member of any of the above.
nyfa.org/awards-grants/the-ryan-hudak-lgbtq-dramatic-writing-award/
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2025 Theater Production Awards
Gerbode Foundation
DEADLINE: June 18, 2025 at 4pm PST
INFO: The Gerbode Foundation is pleased to announce a $400,000 fund for the creation and development of new theater productions by California writers, playwrights, spoken word artists, and theater-makers. The new works will be commissioned and produced by Bay Area nonprofit artist-centered organizations with annual budget sizes of $60K to $3M that can apply for grants of $50,000 each.
PROGRAM GOALS:
Support the creative process involved in developing new work.
Recognize the exceptional contributions of innovative writers, playwrights, spoken word artists, and theater-makers.
Support projects that represent diversity in gender-expression & identity, race, ethnicity, culture and are inclusive of individuals of all abilities.
Support artist-centered organizations in their commitment to commission, develop, and produce new work by California artists.
To support organizations and companies that are deeply rooted in Bay Area communities and have a positive impact within these communities.
PROGRAM GUIDELINES:
GERBODE APPLICATION FORM & THE COMMON APP
The Common App is a collaboration between funders and grantmakers with unique histories and objectives. The 2025 Theater Production Awards is a part of the Common Application for the Arts – Bay Area (“Common App”) – an initiative in which participating funders use standardized questions to help create greater efficiency for grantseekers.
The information requested in our Application Form aligns with the Common App with notations in parentheses. While the intent of the Common App is to provide an easy copy-n-paste from the Common App template, be mindful of our program’s goals and criteria. Consider making minor revisions to ensure responses address the specific nuances of the 2025 Theater Production Awards program.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: Please review FAQs here.
PROGRAM CONTACT INFORMATION:
Olivia Malabuyo Tablante
Program Director
Email: special.awards@gerbode.org
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THE WATERING HOLE WINTER RETREAT
The Watering Hole
DEADLINE: June 22, 2025
SUBMISSION FEE: $10
INFO: The Watering Hole Summer Retreat is a multi-genre, virtual summer retreat that is by poets for poets. We've invited poet-facilitators who also write in another genre to come teach that other genre.
Over a three-day period, Summer Retreat participants will be able to attend two readings, evening community activities, and daily classes/workshops (3 hours each) in three major genres:
Children's Literature with Dinah Johnson
Playwriting with Stacey Rose
Poetry with Jessica Helen Lopez
Our mission is to build Tribe through genuine relationships and help poets reach their best work.
RETREAT DATES: July 18-20, 2025
WHAT IS THE APPLICATION PROCESS?
A Cover Letter (with aesthetics statement) and
A writing sample of 3 poems
ELIGIBILITY: You must be 21 years of age by July 17th.
ADDITIONAL HELP:
The poems may be written or audio. We accept a variety of file types. The poems must have been written within the last two years). Do not include your name on these materials. Judging will be blind.
The cover letter must be written (not audio). If you need help with the basic cover letter format, check out our blog post of Cover Letter Advice. The type of aesthetics statement that we ask for is a paragraph or two that details...
who influences your writing,
what challenges have you faced on your creative journey,
what you seek to accomplish in your poems,
and what The Watering Hole means to you as a writer of color.
This will contextualize the poems in your submission and help us get to know you as an artist. You may also optionally include how your writing or aesthetic informs what you do, where you work, or any work you do in the arts community or vice versa. Make certain your submission is your final version. Corrections and new versions will not be accepted.
NOTES:
***We ask for a sample of your recent poetry, because we don't want to see "hits from the '80s." We want to get to know you through your current artistic voice.
***We ask for an aesthetics statement, because once you have one written, you can use it to apply for lots of writing opportunities across the industry. Not just for TWH. It just a great tool to have in your toolbox.
What's the Review Process? New applications are reviewed and accepted by The Watering Hole graduate fellows. They have a vested interest in continuing to build TWH Tribe with a wide variety of talents, backgrounds, and aesthetics. While under review, preference is given to...
those who follow our social media pages on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter
and members of The Watering Hole Facebook Group
What if my Application is Accepted? When the time comes, The Watering Hole will send out information about online payment options and the welcome packet upon acceptance. We expect this to be by May 15th.
twhpoetry.submittable.com/submit
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FALL 2025 Trillium Arts Residency
Trillium Arts
DEADLINE: June 26, 2025 at 11:59pm EST
APPLICATION FEE: $0
INFO: Trillium Arts residencies offer secluded space for rejuvenation and creating in a beautiful, remote setting in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Our location is ideal for an individual artist to complete an existing work, or develop and incubate new material. Our facilities in the fall months are best suited to the disciplines of literary arts, photography, visual arts and arts administration.
Individual artists who do not require a rehearsal studio (such as writers and photographers) are encouraged to apply for a one week residency. Performing artists (such as choreographers and theater artists) are also welcome to apply, with the understanding that the Red Barn Studio is seasonal and availability is dependent on weather. The Red Barn Studio will not be available after October 31.
Use of the studio is an additional fee of $35 per day.
There is ample land and outdoor space available for ideation and research. We are currently unable to accommodate groups or collaboratives on the Trillium property. Individual artist residencies are on a solo adventure during their time here and your residency will not overlap with other awarded artists. If an artist would like to bring collaborators, there are a variety of AirBnB’s available for rent in the immediate area. A list of recommended AirBnB’s is available upon request.
2025 RESIDENCIES INCLUDE:
Private accommodations in a one-bedroom, ground floor suite. (Trillium Arts co-founders live upstairs but resident artists have a private entrance).
Welcome dinner with your hosts
Shared use of the grounds, including firepit, hot tub, walking paths and waterfall area
Use of onsite creative spaces that include a contemplation gazebo and a 380 square foot open air, covered workspace. Learn more about creative spaces HERE
Basic kitchen supplies and all household goods (towels, linens, paper products, etc.)
Access to high speed fiber optic internet
Laundry facilities
Mentorship services (optional for an additional fee)
DATES: All 2025 residencies are one week of seven consecutive days in length. Applications are currently being accepted for residencies one week in length during:
September 21-28, 2025, or
Anytime between October 10-November 14, 2025
A limited number of work exchange scholarships are available.
ELIGIBILITY: Artists of various disciplines (writers, photographers, visual artists, choreographers) at any stage of their careers are invited to apply.