It was announced today that the American Theatre Wing and their “Master Class” series have been named a Bronze Winner for Education or Literacy Program or Platform in the Education, Art & Culture category for the 6th Annual Anthem Awards.
The Anthem Award winners were selected from over 2,500 submissions from 43 countries by leaders in the International Academy of Digital Arts & Sciences. The judges include an esteemed panel of leaders from organizations and companies dedicated to social impact, including Heather Elliott (Chief Development & Marketing Officer, National 4-H Council), Angie Lawry (Chief Marketing & Communications Officer, Colorectal Cancer Alliance), Shelby Georgis (CCO, HLK), Max Friedman (Co-Founder & CEO, Givebutter), Heather Malenshek (SVP & Chief Marketing Officer, Land O’Lakes, Inc), Alex Schmider (Senior Director of Entertainment, GLAAD), Elizabeth Gray (Chief Executive Officer, National Audubon Society), Aurelia Figueroa (Chief Sustainability Officer, Breitling), Jonathan Adashek (SVP, Chief Global Affairs Officer, IBM), Megan Ranney (Dean, Yale School of Public Health), Mariko Silver (President and CEO, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts), Gwynne Gauntlett (Global Lead, Digital Giving + Engagement, United Nations Development Programme), Thiago Elias (EVP, Executive Director of Design, Edelman), and Alexandra Gordon (Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, Acumen).
“Every artist who stands in front of our students has a different story about how they got here, and that’s the point,” said Heather Hitchens, President and CEO of the American Theatre Wing. “There is no single path in this business, and the ‘Master Class’ series exists so that emerging artists can hear that truth from the people who’ve lived it. We’re grateful to the Anthem Awards for this recognition, and to our supporters for making the series possible.”
“Across the board this year, we saw a sector bouncing back from an extremely difficult 2025 with creativity and resolve,” said Patricia McLoughlin, Anthem Awards General Manager. “From grassroots nonprofits to global brands, this year’s Winners are finding new pathways for impact, like using humor to spread their message and stepping into technology to reach more people, all while staying steadfast in their mission to make the world better. Join me in congratulating the Winners of the 6th Annual Anthem Awards for setting a new standard for good.”
ABOUT ATW’S MASTER CLASS SERIES:
ATW Master Classes give rising creative professionals exclusive access to advice, insight, and training from the titans of the theatre industry. In each class, a featured artist shares their own path to success, offering attendees a firsthand look at the many ways to build a creative career in the business.
Each Master Class has an in-person and a virtual component. Students are invited to attend in person as the class is filmed for on-demand release. Each class then premieres on the American Theatre Wing’s YouTube channel, where the instructor and participants join viewers for a live Q&A and conversation.
The American Theatre Wing’s Master Class Series is produced with support from the Michael Stewart Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts.
