Jerome Fellowship for Early Career Playwrights – Playwrights' Center

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Thursday, December 3, 2026

FELLOWSHIP PERIOD: July 1, 2027–June 30, 2029

ORGANIZATION: Playwrights' Center

LOCATION: Minnesota | Twin Cities Area

AWARD: $25,000 Annual Salary + Employee Benefits + $3,000 Annual Play Development Support

ELIGIBILITY: Early Career Playwrights, Ages 18+

The Playwrights' Center is accepting applications for its 2027–2029 Jerome Fellowship, a two-year professional development opportunity supporting early career playwrights who demonstrate exceptional artistic potential, creative vision, and a commitment to developing new work.

The fellowship provides financial stability, professional mentorship, and access to theater industry resources, allowing playwrights to focus on their creative practice while building connections with producers and other theater professionals.

Fellowship Benefits Include:

• $25,000 annual salary ($50,000 over two years), paid biweekly

• Employee benefits, including employer-sponsored health insurance

• $3,000 annually for customized play development ($6,000 total)

• Workshops with professional actors and creative teams

• Individual consultations and mentorship with experienced theater artists

• Opportunities to collaborate with Playwrights' Center artistic staff and fellow playwrights

• Professional networking and connections with producers of new work

• Affiliated Writer status upon completion of the fellowship

Residency Requirements

Selected fellows must reside in Minnesota throughout the two-year fellowship period and actively participate in Playwrights' Center programming. Fellows may spend no more than 10 weeks per year outside Minnesota.

Fellows are classified as part-time employees and are expected to complete 15 hours of work activities each year in support of the Playwrights' Center. Housing and relocation expenses are not provided.

Eligibility

Applicants must be at least 18 years old and legally authorized to work in the United States during the fellowship term.

Eligible playwrights may have had no more than two different plays fully produced by professional theaters as of the application deadline. Co-written and ensemble-created works do not count toward this limit.

Previous Jerome Fellows may apply if they have received no more than one year of Jerome Fellowship support. Additional eligibility requirements apply.

Application Information

New for 2026, the Jerome and Many Voices Fellowship applications have been combined into one application. Applicants may indicate whether they wish to be considered for the Jerome Fellowship, Many Voices Fellowship, or both, provided they meet the respective eligibility requirements.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: December 3, 2026.

MORE INFORMATION & APPLICATION DETAILS: Playwrights' Center