The Gerbode Foundation is pleased to announce a Theater Production Awards for the creation and development of new theater productions by California writers, playwrights, spoken word artists, and theater-makers.
Donor Name: Gerbode Foundation
State: California
County: Alameda County (CA), Contra Costa County (CA), Marin County (CA), Napa County (CA), San Francisco County (CA), San Mateo County (CA), Santa Clara County (CA), Santa Cruz County (CA), Solano County (CA), Sonoma County (CA)
Type of Grant: Awards and Prizes
Deadline: 06/18/2025
Size of the Grant: $100,000 to $500,000
Grant Duration: 2 Years
Details:
Program Goals
- Support the creative process involved in developing new work
- Recognize the exceptional contributions of innovative writers, playwrights, spoken word artists, and theater-makers
- Support projects that represent diversity in gender-expression & identity, race, ethnicity, culture and are inclusive of individuals of all abilities
- Support artist-centered organizations in their commitment to commission, develop, and produce new work by California artists
- To support organizations and companies that are deeply rooted in Bay Area communities and have a positive impact within these communities.
Funding Information
$400,000 is available.
Grant Period
The project must be completed/presented between June 2026 and December 2028.
Eligible Projects
Proposed projects must meet the following criteria:
- Proposed projects must be new and original. Revisions of existing work are not eligible, unless it is substantially revised
- Project budgets must include either:
- a minimum lead artist commissioning fee of $12,500
- a minimum of $25,000 in artist fees if it is a collaborative or devised theater process
- Proposed projects can be at any stage of development except a work-in-progress already in rehearsal
- The following is a list of eligible projects and final presentation formats (this list is suggestive but not exhaustive):
- Company-devised projects
- Solo work
- One-acts
- World premiere
- Fully staged reading
- Workshop production
- Full-length play
- Puppet theater
- Musicals and musical theater
- Hip hop theater
- Participatory theater
- Experimental theater
- Streamed theater
- Projects that incorporate AI technology
- Online experiences.
Eligibility Criteria
- Eligible producing organizations:
- Theater companies
- Theater ensembles
- Interdisciplinary arts presenters
- Community-based arts organizations
- Organizations with a demonstrated history of working with theater-based artists
- The producing organization must meet the following criteria:
- Commit to developing, producing, and fundraising for the proposed project
- Artist-centered, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that has been in operation for at least 2 years
- Located in Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, San Francisco, San Mateo, Solano, or Sonoma County
- Has an organization budget between $60K and $3M
- Will pay a minimum fee of $12,500 to the commissioned lead artist or a minimum of $25,000 for artist fees if the project is a collaboration or devised theater process
- Demonstrates a history of producing and/or presenting theater-based projects
- Does not have a current open grant in Gerbode’s Special Awards in the Arts program
- Submit only one application.
- Lead Artists:
- Lead artists at any career stage – emerging, mid-career or legacy – are eligible:
- Writers
- Playwrights
- Spoken word artists
- Puppeteers
- Theater ensembles
- Collaborative Teams
- Devised-theater practitioners
- Musical Theater Writers.
For more information, visit Gerbode Foundation.
