Top Scholarships, Fellowships, And Awards To Watch In 2024

On June 25, 2026, American Theatre published a roundup of industry recognitions, highlighting the latest Hansberry-Lilly Fellows and new commissions from the Hermitage Artist Residency Program and Manhattan Theatre Club. These awards provide financial support and creative space for playwrights to develop new theatrical works.

The report identifies these awards as part of a broader trend of targeted funding for emerging and established voices in the American theatre landscape. According to American Theatre, the current cycle of fellowships and commissions emphasizes the creation of new scripts that challenge traditional narrative structures.

Who are the Hansberry-Lilly Fellows?

The Hansberry-Lilly Fellowship is designed to support Black playwrights in the development of new stage plays. The program combines the legacy of Lorraine Hansberry with funding provided by the Lilly Endowment to remove financial barriers for artists of color.

Recipients of this fellowship receive a stipend that allows them to focus exclusively on writing without the need for outside employment. According to the program’s guidelines, the fellowship prioritizes writers who demonstrate a commitment to exploring the Black experience through a contemporary lens.

The fellowship’s structure differs from standard grants by providing a sustained period of support rather than a one-time payment. This model is intended to mirror the stability required for complex, long-form playwriting.

What are the Hermitage and MTC commissions?

The Hermitage Artist Residency Program and Manhattan Theatre Club (MTC) have partnered to provide commissions that blend physical residency with professional development. These commissions allow playwrights to live and work in a secluded environment in Vermont before transitioning their work into the MTC development pipeline.

According to the announcement, the Hermitage portion of the award focuses on the “deep work” phase of writing, offering a distraction-free environment. The MTC component provides the structural support of a major Off-Broadway institution, including dramaturgical assistance and potential paths to production.

This partnership creates a two-stage development process. Writers first isolate to generate raw material at the Hermitage and then refine that material through MTC’s industry-standard workshop processes.

How do these awards compare to traditional theatre grants?

Traditional theatre grants often reward completed works or provide small sums for specific project milestones. In contrast, the Hansberry-Lilly and Hermitage/MTC programs focus on the process of creation.

The Hermitage/MTC model provides a physical asset—housing and studio space—which is a rarity in modern arts funding. Most grants are purely monetary, leaving the artist to secure their own workspace and living arrangements.

The Hansberry-Lilly Fellowship specifically targets a demographic that has historically been underfunded by major arts councils. By naming the fellowship after Lorraine Hansberry, the program ties current financial support to a historical precedent of Black excellence in American drama.

Why does this funding impact the industry?

The availability of these fellowships affects the “pipeline” of new plays that eventually reach commercial stages. When playwrights have guaranteed income and space, they can take greater creative risks that might be avoided under the pressure of commercial deadlines.

According to industry standards, the transition from a commission to a full production is often where new works fail. The MTC partnership mitigates this risk by embedding the writer within a professional organization from the start of the writing process.

This shift toward “holistic” support—combining money, space, and mentorship—represents a change in how the industry views the labor of writing. It recognizes that the physical and mental environment of the writer is as critical as the final script.

The June 25, 2026, roundup suggests that these programs are becoming the primary vehicles for discovering new talent in an era where traditional regional theatre budgets are tightening.