Theatre Communications Group (TCG) has announced the deadline for 1997-98 National Theatre Artists Residency Grants. Intent To Apply Cards must be submitted by Nov. 15; completed application forms are due Dec. 16.
The five-year-old program targets accomplished artists with a significant body of work, collaborating with theatres that have adequate resources and long-range institutional planning. Approximately 10-14 grants of $50,000 or $100,000 will be awarded in 1997, "to foster closer, more productive artistic partnerships between individual theatre artists and theatre institutions."
TCG, "the national organization for the American theatre," created the National Theatre Artists Residency Grant in response to their 1988 study of the needs of individual artists seeking "The Artistic Home."). Forty-three grants have already been handed out, wherein writers work on-site at theatres for a minimum of six months (and up to two years).
Frank Kumin, overseer of the program, was quoted as saying that the expanded time provided by the residency grants and the nurturing environment offered by the theatres enabled participants to take creative risks. She also thanked the Pew Charitable Trusts for their financial support.
According to Emilya Cachapero, Artistic Programs Associate for TCG, Pew is in its second of three years sponsoring the program, though, of course, she hopes they'll renew after 1998. Among the winners of 1995 grants were: director Anne Bogart (Actors Theatre of Louisville); playwright Keith Glover (Alabama Shakespeare Festival); Tina Landau (NY's En Garde Arts); director Julie Taymor (Theatre For A New Audience); playwright Maria Irene Fornes (The Women's Project & Productions, NYC); and Gerald Gutierrez (Goodspeed Opera House, CT).
Founded in 1961, TCG "provides a variety of artistic, administrative and informational services to theatres and independent theatre artists, and acts as a forum for the profession and a resource for the media, funding agencies and the public." They are the publishers of American Theatre magazine."
For guidelines on the Residency Program, call TCG at (212) 697-5230 or e-mail them at [email protected].
- By David Lefkowitz
