Opens: January 15
Closes: February 15
Identifying and Nurturing
Extraordinary Emerging Artists in
Theater, Dance, and Film
The Princess Grace Foundation-USA is dedicated to upholding the legacy of Her Serene Highness Princess Grace of Monaco, (née Grace Kelly). Her commitment to advance the arts in the United States is sustained by the Princess Grace Awards which supports and elevates extraordinary early career artists in theater, dance and film through game-changing grants; and nurtures and supports Princess Grace Award winners throughout their careers.
Values of the Princess Grace Foundation:
- The Princess Grace Foundation is interested in artists’ unique voices and trajectories and evaluates each artist through the lens of their individual journey.
- The Princess Grace Foundation believes that extraordinary talent is found across diverse groups of artists and is committed to identifying and supporting diversity in all its forms: gender, race, sexuality, accessibility, geography, etc.
- The Princess Grace Foundation is committed to curating Selection Panels that reflect the diversity of the artistic landscapes considering form and geography as well as the diversity of artists, including gender, race, sexuality, accessibility, etc. in its selection of Panelists.
Please scroll down to learn about the 2025 Princess Grace Awards application. If you have specific questions, you may use the buttons to get you to a specific section directly.
For additional questions, please email grants@pgfusa.org.
2024 Application Information Session
Pictured: Princess Grace Award winner Zhen Li (Film 2023)
The Nomination Process
Applicants must be nominated in order to apply. In the application process, the nominated artist will begin the application and asked to fill out their nominator information, including an email. Once the email is completed, the nominator will be notified via email to submit their nomination.
Nomination can come from:
Academic Institutions
Universities, colleges and non-profit professional training programs must meet the following criteria:
- Nominations should be on behalf of the entire department and come from the Dean/Chair of the School/College
- Professional training program or accredited university
- Universities/Colleges may only nominate 1 undergraduate artist and 1 graduate artist per category of theater, dance, choreography, film, and animation
- Should the University have separate colleges or schools with programs that contain eligible applicants, each college or school may nominate an applicant
- Non-profit training programs may only nominate 1 artist per year per category of theater, dance, choreography, film, and animation
Non-profit theater companies, dance companies, media arts centers
Non-profit theater companies, dance companies, and media arts centers must meet the following criteria:
- Nominating institutions must be arts related non-profits that support theater, dance or film artists
- Nominations should come from the Artistic Director or Executive Director. We do not accept nominations from the Board of Trustees. Artistic Directors cannot nominate themselves.
- Be in continuous operation as an independent 501(C) (3) company or have a fiscal sponsor
- Employ professional administrative staff
- Theater companies, dance companies and media arts centers may only nominate 1 artist per year per category of theater, dance, choreography, film, and animation
Princess Grace Award winners and honoraria
As of 2021, individual Princess Grace Award winners and honoraria are eligible to nominate.
- Nominations from Award winners do not need to be within their discipline. However, Award winners should be able to speak authoritatively regarding the nominee’s artistic practice.
- Princess Grace Award winners and honoraria may only nominate 1 artist per application cycle
Who Is Eligible
The Princess Grace Awards recognize both creative generators (including but not limited to theater directors, designers, choreographers, film directors, etc.) and performance-based creatives (including but not limited to actors, dancers, etc.). A Playwriting Fellowship* is offered through a partnership with New Dramatists.
For Playwrights: The Princess Grace Foundation-USA offers a separate opportunity exclusively for playwrights, the Playwriting Fellowship in partnership with New Dramatists. The Playwriting Fellowship is administered by New Dramatists and is a separate application process that does not require a nomination. Applications are accepted March 1, and the application window will stay open until March 15 or until they receive 350 complete submissions, whichever comes first.
The Princess Grace Award is an unrestricted cash grant of $15,000 paid directly to the artist.**
- Open to U.S. based artists currently living and working in the United States. Applicants who are not U.S. citizens must have permanent work authorization from USCIS
- All applicants must be nominated by a non-profit university, organization, media arts center or previous Princess Grace Award winner. Self-nominations are not allowed.
- An artist can only be nominated by 1 organization or individual in a given year. Applications are evaluated on the individual artist’s artistic merits
Applicants self-identify the discipline(s) in which their work lives, and also self-identify in which discipline(s) they would like their work reviewed. Applicants self-identifying as multidisciplinary select a primary discipline and then any secondary disciplines.
Multidisciplinary artists: It is strongly advised for applicants that identify as multidisciplinary and would like to be reviewed in multiple disciplines ONLY select disciplines in which they have work samples that reflect those disciplines. i.e., if you are a director who works in theater and film, but you only have samples of your film work, you should not ask to be reviewed by the theater panel.
*The Playwriting Fellowship is administered by our partners, New Dramatists.
**For information on how the grant is paid please visit our FAQ.
Pictured: Princess Grace Award winner Tiler Peck (Dance 2004)
Evaluation of Emerging and Extraordinary
The Princess Grace Awards are for emerging artists, or artists at the onset of their careers. The Foundation looks to be a pivotal part of an artist’s trajectory. As part of the selection panel’s evaluation they may consider how the Princess Grace Award may help provide an opportunity and/or propel the artist’s career forward.
Evaluation of emerging in the application: The selection panel expects there to be enough of a body of work that the “promise of extraordinary” is evident but the artist is still at the beginning stages of their career. In its evaluation the selection panel considers the aggregate of the applicant’s work, including any shifts or recent momentum.
Please note that if the artist has received numerous awards, residencies, fellowships and/or has had numerous opportunities to present or exhibit their work especially on national/international stages and venues, the selection panel may deem the artist to have emerged.
Evaluation of extraordinary in application: In its consideration of the mission during the evaluation of Princess Grace Award applicants, the selection panel considers the promise and potential of the applicant to be extraordinary; evaluating “extraordinary” with a multi-prong definition: artistic intentionality, demonstration of technique in artistic practice, potential for innovation or impact of the artist on their field. Applicants are not expected to already be extraordinary but demonstrate the promise of extraordinary.
Pictured: Princess Grace Award winner Paul Tazewell (Theater 1993)
The Application
The Princess Grace Awards is a 2-part application process.
Round 1: The Nomination
Deadline: February 15
(11:59 pm Pacific Time)
Artists are nominated and together with their nominator submit their nominator’s letter of recommendation, artist statement, and a short work sample.
Invited artists are invited to continue in the application process by March 31.
Round 2: Full Application
Deadline: May 1
(11:59 pm Pacific Time)
Applicants invited to continue in the application process submit additional written material and work samples.
Pictured: Princess Grace Award winners Patrick Page (Theater 1988) as Hades in Hadestown, Oscar Isaac (Theater 2004) as Marc Spector in Marvel’s Moon Knight, and Moses Ingram (Theater 2018) as Inquisitor Reva in Disney’s Obi-Wan
Round 1: Nomination & Artist Statement
Deadline: February 15 (11:59 pm Pacific Time)
Application Materials
1. Application
Your application will be completed using our grants software, Submittable. You will need to make an account.
2. C.V.
Your C.V. should include all relevant experience and include dates. Unlike when you apply for a job and select key pieces of your CV/resume to best market yourself for the opportunity, the selection panel wishes to see the entirety of your experience.
3. Recommendation letter from Nominator
Please tell us why you consider your nominee to be deserving of a Princess Grace Award. The recommendation should include how the artist has demonstrated their promise of extraordinary talent based on the Princess Grace Foundation’s multi-prong definition of artistic intentionality, demonstration of technique in artistic practice and potential for innovation or impact of the artist on their field.
Not to exceed one page; minimum font 12pt; 1″ margins.
4. Applicant Artist Statement
This may be written or video. Please describe your current artistic work, career trajectory, and the ambitions and aspirations you hold for your artistry.
Written: Not to exceed 650 words.
Video: Not to exceed 3 minutes. If you select video format, applicants should still address the prompt above. The video should not include a presentation of your work or be highly edited in any way, and the applicant should speak directly to the camera.
5. Work Sample
Length Time: 2 minutes
Submit 1 work sample. You are encouraged to submit your best work. Please review the guidelines carefully below.
Round 2: Full Application from Invited Applicants
Deadline: May 1 (11:59 pm Pacific Time)
Application Materials
Panelists will still have access to Round 1 materials.
1. Application
You will use the same Submittable account for Round 2.
2. Creative Process
Submit a statement describing your process or approach to the creation (Creative Generators) or performance (Performance-based creatives) of one of your work samples included in your application. The statement should help the panel understand how you approached the work and your process to achieve your vision. Not to exceed one page; minimum font: 12pt; 1” margins.
Performance based creatives: Address your process to bring a role to life, and how your artistry helped you connect with the role and achieve your desired performance.
Creative Generators: It is helpful to include a brief description of the work, and collaboration with any key collaborators/project partners to achieve your vision.
3. Additional Letter of Recommendation
Applicants must submit 1 additional letter of recommendation from a teacher, mentor or peer in their field.
Not to exceed one page; minimum font 12pt; 1″ margins.
4. Work Samples
Length Time: 10 minutes (cumulative for ALL samples submitted)
Number of Samples: Up to 3 work samples
In Round 2, you may submit up to 3 work samples. The cumulative time of the work samples is 10 minutes. If the total length of time for all samples exceeds 10-minutes, they will not be viewed. Please review the guidelines carefully below.
5. Full Work (OPTIONAL)
There is an option to submit a full work (film, choreographic piece, etc) as supplemental viewing material. Supplemental material can be a complete version of one of your work samples or a different work samples, and does not count toward your 10-minute sample limit. The full work may not exceed 20 minutes.
Pictured: Princess Grace Award winners Camille A. Brown (Choreography 2006), director Jon M. Chu (Film 2001) on the set of Crazy Rich Asians, and American Ballet Theatre principal dancer Isabella Boylston (Dance 2009)
Work Sample Guidelines
Round 1 work sample
Length: 2 minutes
The work sample should be a continuous selection from 1 work sample.
- The sample cannot exceed 2 minutes. Any sample longer than 2 minutes will not be viewed.
- The sample should be continuous. We do not accept cue points from a longer sample. If you are looking for video editing software, we suggest utilizing iMovie, Vimeo, Clipchamp, or Lightworks.
- The work sample should be created within the last five years. Please do not submit samples older than the last five years as it will not be competitive.
- For theater, dance and choreography artists, we encourage you to think about submitting a work that represents a complete performative thought.
- Please make sure the link submitted is live and accessible by February 15, 2024 through July 31, 2024. We strongly recommend that that live streaming links be secure and the password provided to the Princess Grace Foundation-USA.
Performance-based creatives, in particular dancers: It is highly recommended that your work sample be a solo. This can be performance footage or filmed in a studio with or without costume.
Round 2 work samples
Length Time: 10 minutes (cumulative for ALL samples submitted)
Number of Samples: Up to 3 work samples
- Please make sure links submitted are live and accessible through July 31, 2024. We strongly recommend that that live streaming links be secure and the password provided to the Princess Grace Foundation-USA.
- Adjudicators have limited time in which to view your work samples, and may not be able to view the work in its entirety. It is helpful to keep that in mind when selecting work samples, and you may provide specific cue points in your description for the panel to use as viewing reference.
- Adjudicators will not view promotional videos, trailers, commercials or PSA’s.
- The panel views all work samples on a single channel screen with aspect 16:9 ratio.
For performance-based creatives: The Adjudicators will not view media-enhanced, highly edited, or promotional-type submissions. Please do not use works edited with jumpcuts, dissolves, etc.
For creative generators: You should describe how your work was originally viewed and how it is intended to be seen by the audience. This will allow the Review Panel to envision the work as it is intended to be seen. Space will be provided in the work sample component of the application.
Pictured: Princess Grace Award winners Leslie Odom Jr. (Theater 2002) as Aaron Burr in Hamilton, director Chinonye Chukwu (Film 2009) on the set of Till, and Stephen Hillenburg (Film 1991), creator of SpongeBob SquarePants
Tips for Successful Work Samples
Work samples are a significant component of your application and we urge you to use care in selecting the samples you submit.
Creative Generators
The Princess Grace Foundation considers theater directors, film directors, choreographers, designers (set, sound, costume, lighting, projection, etc.) as creative generators.
- Applicants should submit work samples that best represent their artistic style.
- Submit only samples created/directed by the applicant.
- Competitive applicants, in general, submit at least one continuous scene of their work.
- In the work sample section, applicants are provided space to describe their sample. It is recommended that applicants take the time to provide a robust description and include how that sample relates to your Artist Statement.
- Applicants can submit a work in progress. Only include as a work sample if the material is far enough along to accurately represent your work. Concisely and carefully describe its relevance and where you are in the creation process.
- Live performance footage: It is helpful to use footage that is well lit and framed on screen.
- Photos: Should you submit photos of a production, you are best served by submitting multiple photos from a variety of scenes.
- Theater Directors/Designers: It is strongly recommended that applicants include at least one video from a production as work sample. We understand providing video can be a challenge, but if possible, we encourage you to send at least 1 video sample.
- Designers: When submitting photos, submit multiple photos from each production, including if possible, renderings, sketches, and photos of fully realized productions.
- Sound designers: Specify if you are the composer of the music included in the work sample and how the sound was utilized in the performance and venue.
- Film Directors:
- Though panelists appreciate viewing a range of your body of work, you may decide to submit multiple scenes from one film if you feel that film best represents the current state of your work and artistry.
- In general, it is not advisable to submit class exercises as work samples, unless it is a good representation of your artistry and trajectory as a filmmaker addressed in your Artist Statement.
Performance-based Creatives
The Princess Grace Foundation considers actors, dancers, etc. as performance-based creatives.
It is strongly recommended that the applicant submit contrasting work samples (in round 2) in terms of genre and style and work samples that highlight their range of artistic abilities. Competitive applicants, in general, do the following:
Acting:
- Submit at least one monologue and one scene work sample.
- Work samples can be performance footage or filmed in studio specifically for your work sample.
- Ensure that the performer is clearly visible.
- In at least one piece, position the camera to enable a static shot framing the performer’s body from the waist up.
Dance:
- Submit at least 1 solo.
- It is recommended that the applicant submit contrasting work samples in terms of style and choreography within the genre and repertory of the artist.
- Work samples can be performance footage or filmed in studio specifically for your work sample.
- Ensure that the performer is clearly visible. If submitting a sample of a group piece, clearly identify the applicant.
- It is not recommended to use the nominee’s own choreography, unless you have selected to be reviewed in the choreography discipline as well.
Optional Full Work:
In round 2, there is an option to submit a full work as supplemental viewing material that is optional for the Adjudicators to view. The full work may be up to 20 minutes max and can be a complete version of one of your work samples or a different work. The Adjudicators have limited time to review your full length work and it is helpful to indicate your preferred viewing sections of the supplemental material.