Download The A - American Repertory Theater

Alumni Lab Artist Grants
2010 Application Guidelines
The A.R.T. Institute Alumni Association
Graduates of the American Repertory Theatre Institute share a unique experience. We
trained and worked with some of the world’s most visionary theater artists. The past and
present leadership of the A.R.T.—Robert Brustein, Robert Woodruff, and now Diane
Paulus—are an inspiration to our alumni. They are innovative, experimental, and
independently minded artists. They forged their careers not by seeking to join the
mainstream, but rather by fighting to create their own work and redefine the theatrical
landscape. It is in this spirit of independence and bold vision that several A.R.T.
graduates came together in 2004 to found our own non-profit corporation—the A.R.T.
Institute Alumni Association. The organization helps our alumni artists survive and
flourish in the competitive and challenging world of the performing arts. We welcome the
greater theatre community to join us for many events where we can share our unique
perspective and craft new ways of thinking about artistic collaboration and theatrical
production in the American theatre.
The A.R.T. Institute Alumni Lab
Established in 2007 as the artistic arm of the Alumni Association, the Alumni Lab’s
mission is to nurture the artistic talents of our graduates and provide career
opportunities for all our alumni artists including actors, directors, dramaturgs, voice and
speech specialists, designers, and writers. We believe the best way to foster this kind of
artistic growth is to empower our artists to develop and create their own work.
In 2009, the A.R.T. Alumni Lab issued six grants of $1,000-2,000 to A.R.T. Institute
alums, helping produce two theater workshops, two fully staged productions, one
reading, and one film project. This year, Lab Grants of up to $2,000 will be open to
members of the A.R.T. Alumni Association and the extended Harvardwood community.
(Please note that only one grant will be available to the Harvardwood community for the
year 2010; however, as the fundraising responsibilities become shared between the two
organizations in the coming years, both A.R.T. graduates as well as members of
Harvardwood will be eligible for all grants.)
Timeline
Extended Application Deadline: April 15, 2010
Awards Announced: May 15, 2010
Presentation Period: June, 2010 – June, 2011
Guidelines and Eligibility
The Alumni Lab supports a wide range of project proposals including the development
of full-length original plays, adaptations, translations, musicals, solo plays,
interdisciplinary theater projects, and film scripts.1
The Project Initiator must be a full member of the A.R.T. Alumni Association or a FullMember of Harvardwood. The creative team, however, may include artists from any
background. Special consideration will be given to project proposals that include two or
more A.R.T. alumni as part of the creative team.
Recipients of Alumni Artist Grants must commit to a public reading or presentation of
the work between June, 2010 and June 2011.
Examples of possible project proposals:
 An alumni actor proposes to collaborate with a playwright to develop a new work in
which the alumni actor plays a leading role. The alumni actor meets with the writer
to select the creative team including director and cast. The Alumni Artist Grant
would be used to produce a public reading of the new work.
 An alumni director proposes to use an Alumni Artist Grant to direct a reading of a
new play, which he would like to direct as a full production in the near future.
 An alumni actor who is now the artistic director of a small theater company proposes
to use an Alumni Artist Grant to produce a public workshop presentation of a workin-progress.
1
Film projects may not apply for an Alumni Artist Grant for general funding purposes. Any screenplay applications
awarded a grant must use the funding for the purpose of a public presentation.
Criteria for Selection
Each application is reviewed according to the following criteria:
 Clarity of artistic vision
 Qualifications of the creative team
 Feasibility of producing a public reading or presentation of the proposed work (or
work in progress).
All applications will be reviewed by a panel of alumni and artistic leaders selected by the
Alumni Association. Members of the selection committee are not eligible to apply for an
Alumni Artist Grant.
How to Apply
Members of the Alumni Association or Harvardwood can initiate a project by completing
an application package. 
Your application package should include 2 copies of the following items:


Application Cover Sheet (1 page)

Description of the Project. Provide a description of the literary or theatrical style
or form of production (1 page)

Bio or Resume. Provide a bio or resume of each member of your creative team
(1 page)

Budget. Provide a budget for the development of the project through the public
presentation stage. (1 page)

For readings: 10-15 pages of your script

For Project Proposals of Alumni-led theater companies: Theatre Company
Mission and History (1 page)

For Interdisciplinary Theater Projects, please include any additional materials
you feel may be helpful in explaining your concept to the selection committee (i.e.
photos, DVDs of staging, etc.)
In order to apply you must be a dues-paying member of the Alumni Association. For information on
joining the Alumni Association please write to: [email protected] .
DEADLINE: POSTMARK DEADLINE MONDAY, MARCH 1, 2010
Mail materials to Alumni Lab Co-Director:
Shawn René Graham
A.R.T. Institute Alumni Lab
630 Lenox Avenue, Suite 10B
New York, NY 10037
Please direct any questions to Alumni Lab Co-Director Peter Richards:
[email protected] .
A.R.T. Institute Alumni Lab Artist Grants
2009 Application Cover Sheet
Project Title
Applicant Information
Project Initiator (Name of A.R.T. Institute Graduate)
Phone
Year of Graduation
Email
Website (if applicable)
Name of Alumni-led Theater Company (if applicable)
Mailing Address of Applicant
Project Information
Please select the category that best represents your project:
__
Traditional
__
Performance Art
__
Musical
__
Solo Performance
__
Translation/Adaptation
__
Film Script
__
Other _________________________________
Project Budget
Total Project Budget $:__________________ Award Request $:________________

Awards for film scripts will only cover costs of public presentations.