Theater News

Early Career Designers Can Now Apply for a $15,000 Grant From the 1/52 Project

Now in its second year, the project funnels earnings from working Broadway designers to those just starting out.

Zachary Stewart
Broadway
Beowulf Boritt is the founder of the 1/52 Project, and Toni-Leslie James is a member of the adjudication committee.
Beowulf Boritt is the founder of the 1/52 Project, and Toni-Leslie James is a member of the adjudication committee.
(© Tricia Baron)

Applications are now open for grants of up to $15,000 from the 1/52 Project. Now in its second year, the 1/52 Project encourages designers with shows currently running on Broadway to donate one week of royalties to fund grants for early-career designers, with the goal of diversifying and strengthening the next generation of theatrical designers.

"We were deeply gratified that the Broadway design community (and even many from the non-design Broadway community) donated so very generously last season to the 1/52 Project allowing us to give over $100,000 in grants to seven talented early career designers," said Tony-winning set designer Beowulf Boritt. who founded the project last year. Last year the entire design teams of Hadestown, Hamilton, and Wicked contributed to the 1/52 Project.

You can read the names of the 2022 grant recipients here.

Early donations for 2023 include Tony winners Julie Taymor, costume designer and director of The Lion King and Richard Hudson, set designer of The Lion King; Nevin Steinberg, the sound designer of Hamilton; Tyler Miccoleau, lighting designer of The Band's Visit; Emmy Award winner David Korins, set designer of Hamilton; and Drama Desk winner Tony Meola, sound designer of Wicked. Also, the entire design team of The Piano Lesson has contributed. Among the non-designer contributors is director/author James Lapine.

The 2023 grants will be adjudicated by a committee of professional designers: David Bengali (projection designer), Amith Chandrashaker (lighting designer), Jiyoun Chang (lighting designer), Wilson Chin (set designer), Alan C. Edwards (lighting designer), Justin Ellington (sound designer), Kai Harada (sound designer), Rachel Hauck (set designer), Toni-Leslie James (costume designer), Cookie Jordan (hair & wig designer), Sun Hee Kil (sound designer), Hana S. Kim (projection designer), Nikiya Mathis (hair & wig designer), Elaine McCarthy (projection designer), Kimie Nishikawa (set designer), Alejo Vietti (costume designer), and Anita Yavich (costume designer).

The deadline for applications is May 15. Click here to apply.