Design Action Announces Return of Springboard to Design Program

Design Action has announced the return of Springboard to Design, a program designed to encourage and mentor high school students from underrepresented communities to explore the many facets of American theatre design.

This year's program will take place from July 6th through July 12th, 2025, at the Harvey Fierstein Theatre Lab housed at The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts in the heart of New York City. 

Led by renowned professionals in the contemporary theatre scene, Springboard to Design offers an immersive experience through hands-on workshops, insightful seminars, and educational access to some of the most exciting theatrical work, and the people that create it, on and off Broadway. Students will learn from award-winning artists, gaining unique insight into costume, set, lighting, projection, and sound design in a collaborative and inspiring environment. 

This summer, Springboard to Design is proud to partner with The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, who is hosting the events in their building on the Lincoln Center campus. In addition to events at the Library, students will have opportunities to engage with professionals in multiple design disciplines working on Lincoln Center's Summer for the City festival. Design Action has continued appreciation for the American Theatre Wing for incubating this program and for the vital support over the past three years. This year we're also collaborating for the first time with the teaching artists from the Studio School of Design. 

Applications for Springboard to Design will open to the public in November 2024. We encourage passionate, curious students to apply and take the first step into the world of theatrical collaboration and innovation. Past experience in theatre is not required. 

For more information and updates on the application process, visit the Design Action website. https://www.design-action.com/ 

About Design Action 

Design Action is an intergenerational coalition of BIPOC and white designers working to end racial inequities in the North American Theater by confronting racism in our workplace and forging new pathways into the industry for rising designers of color.

About Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts 

Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (LCPA) is a cultural and civic cornerstone of New York City. LCPA presents hundreds of programs each year, offered primarily for free and choose-what-you-pay, including many specially designed for young audiences, families, and those with disabilities. 

About The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts 

The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts is dedicated to enhancing access to its rich archives of dance, theater, music, and recorded sound—to amplify all voices and support the creative process. As one of The New York Public Library's renowned research centers—and one of the world's largest collections solely focused on the performing arts—the Library's materials are available free of charge, along with a wide range of special programs, including exhibitions, seminars, film screenings and performances. The collection at the Library for the Performing Arts includes upwards of eight million items, notable for their extraordinary range and diversity—from 11th-century music, to 20th-century manuscripts, to contemporary hip-hop dance. 

About Studio School of Design 

Studio School of Design, a not-for-profit 501c3 community-based learning organization, announces that they will hold their fourth annual Intensive program in Lighting Design for Tri-State area High School students in July 2025 in New York City. This very popular, one-week in-person free workshop features hands-on professional training with experienced professional lighting designers and educators in a full studio environment. The workshop covers console training, design principles, experience creating realized designs, access to a wide range of working professionals, and college/professional preparation. 

Stipends available for qualified students. 

Registration will open in January, 2025. 

More information about Studio School of Design is available at studioschoolofdesign.org.