Tim Kelly, Co-Chair of the USITT Grants & Fellowship Committee announced two new proposals have been approved for funding for the coming year on the last day of the 2010 Annual Conference. The two grants totaling almost $20,000 were recommended to and approved by the Board of Directors in April.

Tim Kelly
Co-Chair, Grants & Fellowship Committee

The Grants & Fellowships Committee received nine grant applications for the 2010 round of awards. After considerable deliberation, the Committee recommend to the Board of Directors two proposals for funding. The Board ratified these recommendations at its meeting on April 2.

Primary researcher Haibo Yu made a proposal to study the current building boom in theatres in China. His research will investigate areas of design, technology, financing, and management to aid an understanding of the working environment in China. This project will be funded in the amount of $9,000. The results of Mr. Yu's work may be reported to the membership in the form of resentations at USITT Conferences, an article to be published in TD&T (as well as other journals), and potentially a book.

Cheri Vasek and Deepsikha Chatterjee submitted a proposal that would allow them to research the costume designs in the Bollywood Indian film industry. They will examine costume designers and fashion stylists: their working methods, research process, visual communication tools, sourcing, and costume production facilities. The researchers are to present a Costume Commission session for the USITT 2011 Conference & Stage Expo in Charlotte, will submit article for publication in TD&T, and will make a presentation to the Costume Society of America. This project will be funded in the amount of $10,500.

Both of these projects will be conducted under the guidelines of a Letter of Agreement between the investigators and USITT. These guidelines stipulate periodic reporting as well as a financial report at the conclusion of the project. The Grants & Fellowship Committee will monitor the progress of this work and will provide reports to the Board of Directors throughout the project grant period.

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