THE PUBLIC THEATER is theater of, by, and for all people. Artist-driven, radically inclusive, and fundamentally democratic, The Public continues the work of its visionary founder Joe Papp as a civic institution engaging, both on-stage and off, with some of the most important ideas and social issues of today. The Emerging Writers Group is a component of The Public Writers Initiative, a long-term program that provides key support and resources for writers at every stage of their careers. It creates a fertile community and fosters a web of supportive artistic relationships across generations.

Every other year Clubbed Thumb invites playwrights to propose plays inspired by a particular prompt. The application is open to all, and read blind. The winning proposal(s) receive (or split) a $15,000 award and two years of development support. We are pleased to announce our next Biennial Commission. For this commission, we invite you to write using the constraints common for community theaters – smaller, non-professional theaters operating under specific constraints, in which many or most of the “makers” are not full-time theater artists. But think: Community theater with a Clubbed Thumb...

ANNOUNCING A NEW OPEN-APPLICATION COMMISSIONING OPPORTUNITY FOR WRITERS OF COLOR - Like our Biennial Commission, this application asks that writers respond to a series of prompts with a ten-page piece of initial writing and a one-page proposal for a full-length play, which will be read without the readers’ knowledge of the writer’s identity. One or more writers will be awarded (or will share) a $15,000 commission. Unlike the Biennial Commission, which is open to all writers, submissions for this award are open only to writers of color.

The Robert Rauschenberg Foundation grants program aspires to a vibrant, equitable, and sustainable world through the power of creative problem solving. The Robert Rauschenberg Foundation fosters the legacy of Rauschenberg’s life and work. The foundation supports artists, initiatives, and institutions that embody the same innovative, inclusive, and multidisciplinary approach that Rauschenberg exemplified in both his art and philanthropic endeavors.

The Robert Rauschenberg Foundation was founded by the artist in 1990, and transitioned to its current mission in 2012 – to foster the artistic and philanthropic legacy of Robert Rauschenberg through scholarship, grants, and a residency program.

Administered by New York Theatre Workshop, The 2050 Fellowship is named in celebration of the U.S. Census Bureau’s projection that by the year 2050, there will be no single racial or ethnic majority in the United States. The 2050 Fellows are early career artists who, with their unique voices, give us perspective on the world in which we live; and who challenge us all to contend with this changing world.

The Shakespeare’s Sister Playwriting Fellowship formerly at The Lark is an opportunity for a female-identifying playwright living in the United States to hone her craft and develop a new play during a year-long engagement with The Lark. The Fellowship includes a $10,000 cash prize, as well as a residency with our partners at Hedgebrook and a spot in A Room of Her Own's (AROHO) biennial Retreat for Women Writers at Ghost Ranch. The fellowship concludes with a one week project residency, as well as ongoing fellowship support with The Lark. Playwright and actor Ellen McLaughlin is the fellowship...

PEN America’s $10,000 Writing for Justice Fellowship will commission six writers—emerging or established—to create written works of lasting merit that illuminate critical issues related to mass incarceration and catalyze public debate.

Literary Action Coalition’s Writing as Activism Fellowship reimagines the role of writers in New York City, offering tools and support to produce literary work that centers activism on community and social justice issues. The fellowship will offer a six-month immersive workshop experience for six New York City-based writer-activists committed to uplifting the voices of those most marginalized in the city, including those who identify as LGBTQIA+, Black, Latinx, Asian American, disabled, low-income, and at any intersection of these and other experiences. The program will culminate with...

The Emerging Voices Fellowship provides a virtual five-month immersive mentorship program for early-career writers from communities that are traditionally underrepresented in the publishing world. The program is committed to cultivating the careers of Black writers, and serves writers who identify as Indigenous, persons of color, LGBTQ+, immigrants, writers with disabilities, and those living outside of urban centers. Through curated one-on-one mentorship and introductions to editors, agents, and publishers, in addition to workshops on editing, marketing, and creating a platform, the five-...

Cherry Lane’s marquee program is our Obie Award-winning Mentor Project. Every year we pair three early-career playwrights in season-long, 1-on-1 mentoring relatonships with experienced dramatists. Mentors guide their fellows through an intensive developmental process consisting of readings and rehearsals, while serving as a trusted source of career advice and professional support. The program culminates in fully-staged productions that remain critic-free to avoid commercial concerns that would inhibit the creative process. Each fellow receives a $5,000 stipend.

The Van Lier New Voices Fellowship, formerly at The Lark, supports playwrights of color, age 30 or under, who demonstrate financial need. During a year-long residency, Fellows will work on multiple artistic projects through an individually-tailored program of Lark play development programs, and form relationships with other theatermakers at various career stages from all parts of the world. The Fellowship includes a cash award of $15,000, plus an Opportunity Fund of $3,000 for the purposes of travel, research, autonomous workshops, or other work-related expenses, along with access to a wide...