New Victory LabWorks Applications Now Open For The 2024-2025 Cohort

New Victory Theater's LabWorks program applications are now open for the 2024-2025 cohort. Established in 2012, New Victory LabWorks explores, devises, and reimagines what theater for families can be by supporting New York-based artists in making original works that challenge preconceptions commonly held about theater for young audiences. Since 2020, the program is for artists of color, including those who identify as LGBTQIA+ and those who identify as disabled.

Each New Victory LabWorks artist receives a $15,000 stipend in addition to opportunities for professional development, networking, and community building. Artists also have the opportunity to hold invited rehearsals for industry professionals, fellow artists, and family audiences followed by facilitated feedback sessions. By connecting directly with New Victory families and education partners while garnering invaluable feedback from their intended audiences, New Victory LabWorks artists can hone their craft, expand their skills, make contacts in the field and take artistic risks while developing their work. The program has supported over 100 artists on their journey, more than half of which have developed their projects into full productions that have toured across the country and around the world.

Applications for the 2024-25 New Victory LabWorks program are open through January 31, 2024. 

All applications are reviewed by a panel of artists, industry professionals and New 42 staff including New Victory Teaching Artists and members of New 42 Youth Corps. A select group of applicants will be contacted to participate in an interview with members of the New Victory Artistic Programming team. From there, final applicants will be notified of their acceptance. All applicants will receive notification of final decisions. Four artists are selected each year to participate in New Victory LabWorks.

Program Requirements

• Artist(s) must have a primary residence in NYC and be available to participate between August 2024 - June 2025.
• Artist(s) must identify as a Person of Color.
• Artist(s) must be 18 years of age or older.
• Artist's work must be intended for family audiences (artist does not need prior experience in creating work suitable for families).
• Artist's project(s) must be in development, but may be at any point during development, including initial concept.
• Artist(s) must be able to attend monthly meetings in Manhattan.
• Artist(s) must be interested in actively participating in all aspects of the New Victory LabWorks program, including professional development, monthly meetings with the 2024-25 LabWorks cohort, peer-based exchange and peer and/or audience feedback.

Application Instructions

Those interested can review the application questions and required materials before applying and apply HERE.

The New Victory opens new worlds to young people and families through extraordinary performances, education and engagement programs. Bringing kids to the arts and the arts to kids since 1995, this nonprofit theater has become a standard-bearer of quality performing arts for young audiences in the United States. Reflecting and serving the multicultural city it calls home, The New Victory is committed to arts access for all communities of New York to experience and engage with the exemplary international shows on its stages. A global leader in arts education, youth development and audience engagement, the New Victory Theater has been honored by the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities with the National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award, by Americans for the Arts with a national Arts Education Award, and by the Drama Desk for "providing enchanting, sophisticated children's theater that appeals to the child in all of us, and for nurturing a love of theater in young people."

Under the leadership of President & CEO Russell Granet, New 42 is a cultural nonprofit whose mission is to make extraordinary performing arts a vital part of everyone's life from the earliest years onward. Driven by a deep commitment to performing arts access, New 42 connects people to world-class performances, essential education and employment programs, and creative communities that push culture forward. Through New Victory and New 42 Studios, the nonprofit serves artists, educators and New Yorkers of all ages with invaluable arts engagement and resources in and beyond the performing arts. Together with our supporters, New 42 opens new perspectives, incubates new works and creates new opportunities to move us all.

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