News & Notices
Time to Prepare Grant Applications
Have a project that would benefit from financial support? The USITT Grants & Fellowship Committee is seeking applications for new grant funding for projects to be carried out by members. While the application deadline is not until January 10, this is the time those considering a proposal need to think about the types of projects to be funded and how to make a successful application.
Any member of USITT may submit an application and participate in the Grants & Fellowships process. These programs provide funding for individuals interested in completing research in a specific area of study related to the design/technical elements of the entertainment industry. This may come through conducting research into historical or cultural elements of theatrical design and technology, exploration of significant (both known and unknown) theatre artists and crafts people, or research towards the development of a new technology.
The Grants & Fellowship program is open to all USITT members. In alternating years, it offers significant funding for either Project Grants or Fellowships. This year the committee will consider Grant projects. Grant applications will be accepted for the 2012 funding cycle until January 10, 2012. Anyone interested in the Fellowship program is encouraged to visit the USITT website. Those interested may also contact any of the Grant & Fellowship Committee members.
For more than 25 years USITT has awarded grants and fellowship funding through the Edward F. Kook Fund. The fund was created specifically to provide assistance to USITT members who are fostering creativity in technical theatre practice. Through Edward Kook and the efforts and financial contributions of a number of other individuals, a special fund (the Edward F. Kook Fund) was created to provide these monetary resources.
More than $250,000 has been provided to members to conduct a wide variety of research. While this funding provides the means of bringing an individual’s research into reality, it benefits the rest of the membership and the industry. As a stipulation of receiving funding, researchers are expected to share their research with the rest of the membership and professional community through articles for TD&T and making panel presentations at national conferences.
Recent recipients of USITT Fellowship or Grant Funding have shared such diverse topics as touring and analyzing many of China’s recently constructed, state-of-art performance facilities (Haibo Yu); exploring Bollywood and the Indian film industry’s costume houses along with conducting personal interviews with a number of leading Indian costume designers (Cheri Vasek and Deepsikha Chatterjee); and Robert Gerlach’s research into the color rendering abilities of LEDs as a light source, which became a significant element of the Selador LED lighting system.
Individuals and corporate members interested in continuing this important mission of the Institute may make tax deductible contributions to the Edward F. Kook Fund by contacting the National Office at 800-938-7488, ext. 102 or making an online contribution.
