Theatre Writer Opportunities for December 2025
Exciting festivals, grants from Minnesota, NAMT, etc.
Sair here! I know we’re all excited to curl up by the fire with a mug of cocoa, but as the year comes to a close, there are definitely a few opportunities you’ll want to keep your eye on. December 2025 is flush with deadlines for grants, awards, residencies, and more. Here are the highlights.
Funding
McKnight National Residency and Commission
A fellowship for an established writer to create new work in Minneapolis.
Residency in Minneapolis, $15,000 stipend, and a $5,000 commission for new work.
Deadline: Dec 11th
Van Lier New Voices Fellowship
A year-long artist development program for playwrights of color located in NYC and Minneapolis.
Fellows receive mentorship, development opportunities, a $35,000 stipend and $5,000 for artistic development.
Deadline: Dec 23rd
Small grants for early-career artists to support project-specific expenses, such as studio rental, demo production, etc.
Grants range in the low thousands.
Deadline: Rolling
A Note on Grant Applications: I took a webinar last month which went over best practices for grant applications. One of the things our expert had to say was that almost every application wants to know the same thing about your project - What is it? Why is it important now? How is it relevant to our mission? Always take a second to familiarize yourself with the core values of an organization; it will help you to explain why you/your project are a good fit.
Residencies
The Ground Floor’s 2026 Summer Residency
A 1-2 week residency at Berkley Repertory Theatre. Artists are provided with space, time, and developmental support for new works.
Free to apply, small honorarium if selected.
Deadline: Dec 12th
Greywood Arts Creative Process Residency
A self-directed artist residency of varying length, at an historic Georgian house in rural Cork County, Ireland.
Free to apply. Up to $350/week residency fee if selected. Travel not included.
They will provide letters of support if you apply for funding elsewhere. (Such as from the Lighton International Artists Exchange Program.)
Deadline: Dec 15th
A week-long wooded residency in Maine with a summer camp vibe, devoted to the development of new work.
Free to apply and attend.
Deadline: Dec 31st
Development
An annual festival in NYC featuring new short-length and full-length works (not to exceed 70 min).
Selected playwrights receive stipends between $800 and $1,200, with the potential for an additional $1,000 award for best short-length, best full-length, and audience pick. Financial and other support also available for creative team, rehearsal space, and more.
Free to submit.
Deadline: Dec 8th
San Diego State University New Musical Initiative
A long-term development opportunity including a few weeks in residence at SDSU to mount your show with grad students.
Not much info provided on stipends/compensation, but this seems like a great opportunity nonetheless.
Deadline: Dec 12th
National Alliance for Musical Theatre Festival of New Musicals
NAMT’s annual Festival showcases 45-minute excerpts from eight new full-length musicals before an industry audience in New York City.
Free to apply, all production costs covered if selected.
Deadline: Dec 16th
International film and writing festival, accepting submissions for stageplay and stageplay or musical for kids.
$50 application fee
Reward is mostly laurels and bragging rights.
Deadline: Dec 31st
Now, on to The List - my comprehensive compendium of all upcoming opportunities for which theatre writers are eligible. A massive THANK YOU to everyone who subscribes - every dollar of your subscription fee goes toward the production of new work. Like season 1 of The Reality Shaper: A Musical Podcast! (:
Please enjoy this expanded collection of 60+ opportunities:
