The Shubert Foundation Gives Record $37.6 Million To 609 Arts Organizations Nationwide

The Shubert Foundation announced today a record $37.6 million in unrestricted grants to not-for-profit theatres, dance companies, academic theatre training programs, and related service agencies. As a leader in funding for the arts the Foundation has also made two $1 million gifts to create endowed scholarships for Theatre students at the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Spelman College and Morehouse College.

"We are delighted to increase both our funding and the number of our grantees this year," said Diana Phillips, President of The Shubert Foundation. "While it has been exciting to see life return to the performing arts, Covid has dealt a terrible blow and there remains enormous need everywhere."

Ms. Phillips continued, "Responding to this need, and committed as we are to broadening access and eliminating barriers, we welcomed smaller budgeted first-time applicants without requiring audited financial statements this past year. I am pleased to announce that 18 of the 50 new grant recipients were added to our roster because of this change."

"The Shubert Foundation has long supported education in the performing arts, both through our relationship with The New York City Public Schools and our Shubert Scholars Program at colleges and universities," said Chairman Robert E. Wankel. "This year, to further expand opportunities for college students of color to gain broad experiences in the performing arts, our Board approved two $1M endowments for scholarships at two HBCUs," added Mr. Wankel.

In acknowledging this $1M gift from The Shubert Foundation, Mary Schmidt Campbell, Ph.D., President of Spelman College said, "Spelman College is honored to receive such a generous endowment gift from The Shubert Foundation in support of the developing theater artistry of women of color. With the College's expansion and renewal of our theaters and performing spaces underway, the support of our promising young students is the perfect complement."

David A. Thomas, Ph.D., Morehouse College President said, "Creativity is the most important talent the world will need in the future. This gift will ensure that men of color are able to use their unique artistic talents to communicate ideas, bridge cultural barriers, problem-solve, and serve as catalysts for motivation, excitement, reflection, and introspection. Leadership in the arts is one of the most critical fulfillments of the Morehouse mission."

The Shubert Foundation is a leader in providing general operating support to professional resident theatre and dance companies that develop and produce new American work. As always, funds are unrestricted, empowering the organizations supported to utilize the funds as they see fit. To ensure support to the widest range of recipients, The Shubert Foundation maintains an open-door policy. The Shubert Foundation is also the largest funder of theatre education for the NYC Public Schools. Additionally, the Shubert Scholars Program provides scholarships for students in university programs in theatre arts.

The Shubert Foundation was established in 1945 by Lee and J.J. Shubert, in memory of their brother Sam. Today, the Foundation is the nation's largest funder of unrestricted aid for not-for-profit theatre and dance companies. Since the establishment of The Shubert Foundation grants program in 1977, more than $575 million has been awarded to not-for-profit arts organizations throughout the United States. For more information, visit https://shubertfoundation.org.

The Foundation also continues to expand the Shubert Archive. Created in 1976, the Archive contains more than a century's worth of production designs, scripts, sheet music, publicity materials, photographs, correspondence, business records and architectural plans. The collection is available to researchers, writers, historians and theatre professionals. For more information, visit https://shubertarchive.org.

Morehouse College is the largest men's college in the United States and the only college with a mission to educate Black men. A private, liberal arts institution founded in 1867, Morehouse is the nation's top producer of Black men who go on to receive doctorates and the top producer of Rhodes Scholars among HBCUs. The home of notable alumni, including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock, Morehouse has the top-rated core curriculum of any HBCU nationwide, according to the American Council of Trustees and Alumni, and Academic Influence named Morehouse one of the two most influential HBCUs of the 21st century. For more information, visit: https://morehouse.edu.

Founded in 1881, Spelman College is a leading liberal arts college widely recognized as the global leader in the education of women of African descent. Located in Atlanta, Spelman is the country's leading producer of Black women who complete Ph.Ds in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). The College's status is confirmed by U.S. News & World Report, which ranked Spelman No. 54 among all liberal arts colleges, No. 24 for undergraduate teaching, No. 4 for social mobility among liberal arts colleges, and No. 1 for the 15th year among historically Black colleges and universities. For more information, visit: https://spelman.edu.

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