Springboard to Design Announces 2026 Cohort

	"What's exciting about this program is the curiosity these students bring with them," Zinn says.

Springboard to Design has selected students for its 2026 cohort after attracting more than 4,500 applications from 70 countries and territories. The program will take place July 19-25 at The Harvey Fierstein Theatre Lab housed in The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts (NYC).

Springboard to Design is a tuition-free, immersive weeklong program that empowers high school students from diverse communities to explore careers in theatre design through workshops, mentorship, and exclusive Broadway experiences. It is presented by Design Action, the organization devoted to ending racial inequities in the North American theatre, and led by the designers Clint Ramos and David Zinn. Through hands-on workshops, seminars, and access to Broadway and Off-Broadway productions, students will explore set, costume, lighting, projection, sound, and makeup design under the mentorship of award-winning theatre professionals. The program includes free tuition, housing, and supplies.

The 2026 cohort reflects the program's expanding national and international reach, with students selected from 13 US states and territories and three countries. Participants cited the opportunity to collaborate with peers and learn directly from professional designers as a primary motivation for applying.

"Programs like Springboard to Design are essential because they introduce young artists to the full scope of what theatre design can be," Ramos says. "Design is storytelling. It's about building the world of a production and collaborating with others to bring an idea to life. Seeing students from around the world eager to explore that process is incredibly inspiring."

"What's exciting about this program is the curiosity these students bring with them," Zinn adds. "Theatre design thrives on imagination and collaboration, and Springboard to Design gives young artists a place to experiment, ask questions, and begin discovering their own creative voices. For many of these students, this program represents their first opportunity to study theater design in a professional environment."

With a fundraising goal of $50,000, Springboard to Design invites supporters to make donations either at givebutter.com/Cs4A3U or by mailing a check to Producer Hub, 315 West 39th Street, Suite 103, New York, NY 10018. Please specify "Design Action: SB2D" in the memo line.