ATW Awarded Two Grants from the NEA Supporting SpringboardNYC and Working in the Theatre

National Endowment for the Arts Chairman Jane Chu has approved more than $82 million to fund local arts projects across the country in NEA’s second major funding announcement for fiscal year 2017. Included in this announcement are two Art Works awards to the American Theatre Wing: $35,000 to fund SpringboardNYC and the Theatre Intern Network (through the NEA’s Theater and Musical Theater discipline), and $25,000 for production of the “Working in the Theatre” docuseries (through the NEA’s Media Arts discipline). The NEA received 1,728 Art Works applications and will make 1,029 grants ranging from $10,000 to $100,000.

“The arts reflect the vision, energy, and talent of America’s artists and arts organizations,” said NEA Chairman Jane Chu. “The National Endowment for the Arts is proud to support organizations such as the American Theatre Wing, in serving their communities by providing excellent and accessible arts experiences.” “Since its founding, the National Endowment for the Arts has been integral to the development of all forms of art across this country,” said Heather Hitchens, President of the American Theatre Wing. “The work that we do at the Wing, especially in the programs that were designated grants, helps to make theatre accessible to everyone across the country no matter their background. This is vital to the cultural fabric of our nation.”

SpringboardNYC brings college actors into the epicenter of American theatre—New York City—in an intensive program that gives young talent the knowledge, tools and connections necessary to become part of New York’s vital theatre culture. An in-depth program happening in parallel to the Tony Awards, Springboard is taught by renowned members of the contemporary theatre. The Springboard curriculum includes workshops, seminars, master classes, and access to important work on Broadway and off. Springboard connects students to inside knowledge and industry players, creating major opportunities for young actors that put them at a professional advantage. Springboard forges connections between fellow actors at start of their career, building a community of contemporaries for those new to New York and theatre’s professional realm. Here, students create their own community and theatre network built on the friendships they make. The program serves as most young actors first direct contact with The Wing, initiating a lifetime connection to the organization and its extensive support.

Theatre Intern Network provides developing theatre professionals advanced education, networking opportunities, and tools for career advancement within a supportive creative community. New York City is full of theatre professionals, each with their own vision for creating or supporting important work. Theatre Intern Network (TIN) connects students, interns and young professionals to senior players, theatre companies, and prestigious organizations in New York. Our network provides exclusive events, seminars, panels, and networking opportunities, fostering a community with regular meetups for building relationships with peers and professionals.

“Working in the Theatre” is The Wing’s Emmy® Nominated documentary series produced to entertain audiences by revealing theatre’s inner-workings, profiling industry luminaries, and taking a closer look at unique stories that surround important work. Conversations, narratives, technique, and history are documented on film to excite and inform audiences about theatre, sharing and preserving knowledge of the theatre industry. Spanning four decades of programming and featuring extraordinary work across the nation, “Working in the Theatre” is the most comprehensive theatre series to date.