The 1/52 Project Announces Fifth Year of Financial Grants for Early-Career Designers

	Grant applications from early-career designers will be accepted from February 2 until March 15.

Designer Beowulf Boritt, founder of The 1/52 Project, announces that applications for the program's fifth year are now open for the 2026 cycle. Grant applications from early-career designers will be accepted from February 2 until March 15. Applicants will be chosen based on talent, creativity, innovation, financial need, and potential for future excellence in the professional theatrical field.

Semifinalists will be notified by early May. Recipients will be notified after Labor Day.

The program provides grants of up to $17,500 to encourage early-career designers from historically excluded groups.

"I'm pleasantly shocked to be launching the fifth year of the 1/52 Project," Borrit says. "The idea seemed almost unrealistically idealistic when we created it. But a half million dollars in donations later, with 35 talented recipients working in the industry, these grants are clearly helping answer a financial need for early career designers, and allowing the extraordinary generosity of the Broadway community to help meet that need."

Candidates of diverse backgrounds representing the full spectrum of theatrical activity, including those who have worked in non-traditional venues, are encouraged to apply to this program. The 1/52 Project considers all women as part of a historically excluded group. Candidates must be citizens or permanent residents of the US or hold employment-based nonimmigrant and immigrant visas at the time of application. They must have designed professionally for a minimum of three years. Candidates enrolled in, or on leave from, a university or conservatory training program period are not eligible.

The 1/52 Project was awarded a 2024 Obie Award Theatre Grant for their honorable work in helping to change the face of theatre. It has given out over $500,000 in grants in the past four years to 35 early-career set, costume, lighting, sound, projections, hair, and makeup designers.

Businesses that are part of the Broadway community have generously participated as community partners. In the past year, these include Christie Lites, 4Wall Entertainment, Hudson Scenic Studios, Global Scenic Services, The John Gore Organization, IWEISS, Masque Sound, The Miranda Family Fund, The Morgan Fund, PRG, Proof Productions, The Rockwell Group, Rose Brand, and Showman Fabricators.

68th Obie Awards: The 1/52 Project Acceptance Speech

The 1/52 Project works with Players Philanthropy Foundation as its fiscal sponsor.

Anyone is welcome to make a tax-deductible contribution at: www.oneeveryfiftytwo.org/contribute. For application criteria, please visit: www.oneeveryfiftytwo.org/criteria. To apply, please visit: www.oneeveryfiftytwo.org/apply.