Overview

The Small Theatres Fund is a two year grant, and the grant period will be July 1, 2026 - June 30, 2028. Grantees will be required to report on the grant in the summer of each year. 

Timeline

Application Opens: October 7, 2025 at 10am ET

Office Hours: October 7 - November 21, 2025

Application Closes: November 25, 2025 at 5pm ET

Notifications Round 1: March 2026

Application Round 1 - Open Application

The first stage of the open application process is completing the Howard Gilman Foundation - A.R.T./New York Small Theatres Fund application. The applications from the Open Application period will be paneled by a group of NYC-based theatre-makers and administrators in Winter 2026. All applicants will be notified about the status of their application by March 2026. 

Application Round 2 - Invited Application 

Based on the scores and discussions of the panel, a group of 40 applicants will be invited to submit a final application for the grant program. All invited applicants will be notified of the funding decisions in June 2026. Applicants who submit an application in the final round will receive a stipend of $250. 

Eligibility

To be eligible for the Small Theatre Fund, applicants must:

• Be a theatre company, organization, or artist collective creating, developing, or presenting theatre for at least two years;

• Applicant may be a 501c3, LLC, fiscally sponsored, or unincorporated entity that is “non-profit in spirit”.

• A.R.T./New York has an expansive definition of “theatre” as a discipline of live performance. If you call your art theatre, then you are eligible to apply for this grant! However, keep in mind as you write your application that a panel of theatre-makers will be evaluating your application for this theatre-based grant.

• Have annual expenses totaling between $15,000 - $250,000 for its most recently completed fiscal year (excluding any regrants or artist relief the theatre may have distributed);

• Be primarily producing, developing, or presenting work in the five boroughs of New York City;

• Companies that create work in New York City and then tour nationally and internationally are eligible for this grant program.

• Not be funded directly by the Howard Gilman Foundation. 

Evaluation Criteria

Reviewing evaluation criteria is a crucial step in the grant writing process. Please keep the following evaluation criteria in mind when completing your grant application:

Artistic Merit (25%)

Artistic merit is not a measure of whether an artistic product is “good” or “bad”, but a tool to measure whether companies have created work with intentionality, integrity, and rigor, whether the work contributed to the theatrical culture of New York, and whether the production is achieving artistic success by the definition of the company. A.R.T./New York supports an expansive definition of theatre as a discipline of the performing arts and rejects the idea that service to the Western European artistic canon is a core component of artistic merit.

Organization Identity (25%)

 Who are you, what do you do, and why do you do it?

 Clearly articulate your theatre’s mission, vision, goals, and core programming and state how your artistic programs align.  There are many different ways of writing about the organizational identity of a company. Please clearly define the driving values and programming behind your theatre’s work. 

Impact on and Service to the Community (25%)

Explain how your theatre distinguishes itself from other theatres in the city in creating work and programming that impacts artists, audiences, and others who you define as your community. Explain the impact your theatre has on the local theatrical field. Talk about any intentional steps around audience and community building.

Need and Impact of the Grant (25%)

Explain the impact receiving this grant would have on your theatre, artists, and community.  Make an effective case for the grants impact on your ability to stabilize and/or build capacity. Make a clear case for funding.