Congratulations to the 2026 Creative Opportunity Fund recipients!
The New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) and the Alliance of Resident Theatres/New York (A.R.T./New York) are delighted to announce the 77 recipients of the 2026 NYSCA-A.R.T./New York Creative Opportunity Fund (A Statewide Theatre Regrant Program). Through this regrant program $240,000 was distributed via flexible, general operating support grants to small theatres across New York State.
We received a record 175 applications for the Creative Opportunity Fund. Recipients of the Creative Opportunity Fund were determined by a panel of theatre-makers from New York City and across the state. Nominations for panelists were solicited from the community, and 20 panelists met virtually to discuss, score, and allocate funding.
A.R.T./New York is thrilled to partner with the New York State Council on the Arts to continue to build and strengthen the theatrical field statewide. Read what a few of our past recipients have to say about the Creative Opportunity Fund.
Erika Mallin, Executive Director of the New York State Council on the Arts said,
NYSCA is proud to support A.R.T./New York’s Creative Opportunity grants reaching 77 theaters with flexible operating support. Our nonprofit theaters are a powerful component of New York’s world-class arts and culture sector, producing challenging works and reaching new audiences with fresh perspectives. Congratulations to all the grantees, we look forward to all you will accomplish this year.
The Creative Opportunity Fund is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.
NYC Recipients of the 2026 Creative Opportunity Fund:
24/6: A Jewish Theater Company
Around The Block / Al Doblar La Esquina
The Fantastic Experimental Latino Theater
New Ambassadors Theatre Company
Salvatore Larussa Dance Theatre
Something from Abroad
STEPS Theatre
Future River/Superhero Clubhouse
Taproot Creatives
The Episodic Theatre Project
The Negro Ensemble Company
The Workshop Theater
UNITITLED Musical Project
Village Playwrights
WhyWOW Studio
Outside-NYC Recipients of the 2026 Creative Opportunity Fund:
Black Theatre Troupe of Upstate NY
Will Kempe’s Players Cooperative
Panelists for the 2026 Creative Opportunity Fund:
Leah S. Abrams
Co-Founder and Executive Director of Undiscovered Works.
Pamela Billig
Artistic Director, Caught in the Act Theater Festival (OBIE Grant)
Vanessa Cappuccio-Baer
Co-Founder, Definitely Human Theatre & Funding Coordinator, Arts Mid-Hudson
Catherine Gold
Director
Jose Ignacio Vivero
Artistic Director, PinProductions
Neophytos Ioannou
Program & Communications Manager, Queens College School of Arts
Grants Manager, Kupferberg Center for the Arts
Adam Mummery
Grants Manager at The Pierre and Tana Matisse Foundation
Rula A. Muñoz
Director, Performer, Producer & Writer
Jolene Noelle
Dramaturg & Director of Institutional Giving, St. Ann’s Warehouse
Samantha Ozeas
Director
Karina Camile Parker
Co-Founder of Killer Queen Opera
Sarah Reny
Founder & Artistic Director of Catskill Mountain Shakespeare
India Shanelle
Strategic Projects & Exec. Support Manager of IndieSpace
Mike Spara
Actor, Writer and Educator
Joseph Therrien
Boxcutter Collective Founding Member
Nick Thomas
Actor, Writer, Producer, spit&vigor theatre co.
Cindy Tsai
Performer, Producer, and Arts Administrator
Lauren Wagner
Executive Director, Long Island Arts Alliance
Kiera Wolfe
Marketing Manager, Ensemble Studio Theatre & Prose Editor, Mudroom Magazine
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