Deadline: 29-Jan-2026
The National Endowment for the Arts, in partnership with Arts Midwest, invites applications for the Shakespeare in American Communities: Juvenile Justice program to support theater companies that collaborate with the justice system to engage young people through Shakespeare-based education programs.
Shakespeare in American Communities is a theater program of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest. This opportunity, Shakespeare in American Communities: Juvenile Justice, provides grants to theater companies that partner with the justice system and engage young people in theater education programs that illuminate the works of Shakespeare.
Grants ranging from $15,000 to $25,000 will be awarded to support innovative theater education programs that reach young people in the juvenile justice system. Applicants must ensure they have no overdue reports or funding moratoria with Arts Midwest to be eligible for consideration.
The Shakespeare in American Communities: Juvenile Justice initiative aims to use the power of theater and the works of Shakespeare to inspire, educate, and rehabilitate young people within the juvenile justice system. By fostering creative expression, communication, and emotional understanding through theater education, the program seeks to open new pathways for personal growth and transformation among participants.
Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) non-profit professional theater companies based in the United States or Native Nations that share this geography. To qualify, organizations must have at least two years of experience partnering with the justice system to deliver theater education programs.
For more information, visit Arts Midwest.
