BLY CREATIVE FELLOWSHIP | BLY CREATIVE CAPACITY GRANT

Bly Creative Capacity Grants

Through the inspiration and generosity of Mark Bly, one of North America’s trailblazers in the field of theatrical dramaturgy, the Literary Managers and Dramaturgs of the Americas (LMDA) created the Bly Creative Capacity Grants. Between 2014-2017, LMDA provided two innovative granting opportunities to support artists as they continue to chart new dramaturgical territories. Many of these projects are still active and full reports on all grant activities will be available in the future.

LMDA sought projects exploring and expanding the boundaries of dramaturgy in the Americas.

Please explore these exceptional dramaturgs and their projects funded by the Bly Grants program.

2017
- mia susan amir
- Amy Brooks
- Haley Nelson
- Rose Oser
- Hannah Hessel Ratner

For more details on the 2017 recipients, click here.

2016
- Phaedra Scott
- Amrita Ramanan and Alison Carey
- Kate Bredeson

For more details on the 2016 recipients, click here.

2015
- Sarah Elkashef
- Kelly Kerwin
- Sally Ollove
- Sarah Garton Stanley

For more details on the 2015 recipients, click here.

2014
- Philippa Kelly and Amrita Ramanan
- Janice Paran
- Heidi Taylor and Jan Derbyshire
- Katalin Trencsényi

For more details on the 2014 recipients, click here.

The Bly Creative Fellowship and Bly Creative Capacity Grant are designed to identify and offer significant financial support for artists who are creating new approaches to dramaturgy and/or are generating programs that are committed to exploring the unknown. With these grants, funded by a generous donation from Mark Bly, LMDA committed to facilitating the creative dreams of independent or institutional artists who are defining new ways of conducting dramaturgical activities. The grants are administered by LMDA.

Since 1985 LMDA has defined its mission as affirming the function of dramaturgy, exploring its practice, and promoting the profession. LMDA has made its mark on North America’s theatrical landscape by serving its constituency (including but not limited to literary managers, institutional and freelance dramaturgs, educators, students and other theatre artists), contributing as a leader in the fields of dramaturgy and literary management, and advocating for the role of dramaturgs across all performing arts disciplines and beyond.

LMDA encouraged a range of artists and institutions to apply. The criteria for selection were broad by design. LMDA wanted to ensure that the Fellowship and Capacity Grant are accessible to visionary individuals for their projects.

According to Mark Bly, “Ta-Nehisi Coates in his letters to his son in Between the World and Me writes ‘You have been cast into a race in which the wind is always at your face and the hounds are always at yours heels.’ A heightened wind of racism has begun to blow and the rabid hounds of conservatism in the aftermath of the 2016 Election have been set loose. In the face of this we were pleased to award LMDA Bly Grants and Fellowships in 2016 for Projects that helped to unite Black Theatres, to champion the Arts through Dance Dramaturgy, and to have an impact by funding Environmental Dramaturgy in the face of disastrous climate change and a national leadership that ignores incontrovertible evidence. Phaedra Scott’s ‘Black Theatre Commons Project’ unites Black Theatres and artists through an innovative online national platform. Kate Bredeson’s ‘Portland in Motion: Dance Dramaturgy’ seeks to introduce institutional dance dramaturgy into the Portland community through year long conversations, workshops, collaborative and solo projects. And finally, Amitra Ramanan and Alison Carey’s ‘Environmentalism in Action Through Contemporary and Classical Plays’ demonstrates how dramaturgs through a Greenturgy Bootcamp and returning to their own respective theatres can have a significant impact on their community's future environment through their dramaturgical work. All of these projects reflect LMDA's growing desire to have an impact beyond traditional dramaturgical boundaries and we look forward to receiving more projects of consequence from our members in the upcoming year.”

Grant Details:

• LMDA grants between $5,000 and $20,000 for individual projects (Fellowships) and for individual and institutional partnerships (Creative Capacity Grants).

• To be eligible, applications must come from individuals or institutions based in the Americas.

• Individuals who apply for a Fellowship must be members in good standing of LMDA. “In good standing” means that individual or student/intern membership dues are paid in full by the date of the application deadline and throughout the project process.

• Creative Capacity Grants are available to LMDA Institutional or Spotlight Members in good standing. An Institutional or Spotlight member applying for a Creative Capacity Grant is required to be a not-for-profit institution.

• Grantees should complete the project no later than 12 months from its initial funding by LMDA. Grantees are expected to attend a subsequent LMDA annual conference, to participate in a conference session related to their project, and to document their work on the project for the LMDA REVIEW and other targeted publications.

• Grantees must submit a written report, including final budget accounting, to the LMDA Board of Directors no later than 60 days after the completion date for the project.

• Grantees will be assigned (by LMDA) a Project Liaison who will serve as a link to LMDA and assist with project logistics, conference attendance, and other grant-related matters. Travel subsidies to the LMDA conference may be awarded on a case-by-case basis.

Note: institutional activities and programs that are already in progress are not eligible for Fellowships or Creative Capacity Grants.

Application Process

** We are not currently accepting applications. Stay tuned for updates and final reports. **