Deadline: May 31, 2026
2027 Open Stage Space Grant Application Form.
For over 100 years, EAG has provided emergency financial aid and career support to New York City’s professional performing artists. We take pride in our ongoing effort to find new ways to support our vibrant performing arts community. Understanding how challenging it is for emerging theatre companies to find affordable space for creating work in NYC, we introduced the Open Stage space grant in 2017. With Open Stage, we can support theatre companies by giving them an opportunity to create and present work without the challenges that come with finding and maintaining affordable space.
When a NYC theatre company is awarded an Open Stage grant, they will receive:
- a $6,000 credit to be used towards booking up to 80 hours in our historic theatre space at our EAG member rate of $75/hour during a two-month residency at Guild Hall (1 East 29th Street, NYC 10016),
- $1,000 from EAG's Teri Black Performance Fund to be used towards performer/director stipends, AND
- limited additional funding (amount TBD) for some specific line items in their production budgets thanks to NYSCA and NYC's DCLA.
- During a grantee's residency, they can use their time booked in Guild Hall to meet, develop, devise, rehearse, tech, and perform the piece of their choosing. Each residency must culminate with 4-8 ticketed public performances in Guild Hall. The gross proceeds from these performances will be split evenly between the grant recipient and the charitable programs of EAG.
This year, we are accepting applications for ONE Winter 2027 (January/February) Open Stage grant and ONE Summer 2027 (July/August) Open Stage grant.
For our 2027 Open Stage grants, EAG is specifically looking to support NYC theatre companies that are seeking a residency to present:
- a staged reading of a new/original work with a larger cast,
- a developmental workshop of a new/original work with a smaller cast, OR
- a more fully realized production of a new/original solo show or two-hander.
- After several years of offering Open Stage grants, we believe that these options for the scale of a piece/presentation provide the most flexibility to grantees to successfully develop and explore a new work in our unique space while making mindful use of everyone's time and paying everyone equitably.
What makes for a successful Open Stage application?
A strong mission,
A demonstrated need,
A commitment to equitable pay for artists, AND
A demonstrated ability to achieve stated goals for the project (appropriate levels of staffing and funding to see the proposed project through, etc.)
You can preview the questions asked on this year's application here. All applications must be submitted online through this form in order to be considered for this opportunity.
TIMELINE
Application due: Sunday, May 31, 2026. No applications will be accepted after the deadline.
Finalist Interviews (in person at Guild Hall): The week of July 6, 2026.
Announcement of grant recipients: The week of July 13, 2026.