OVERVIEW: The Shubert Foundation is the nation’s largest foundation providing unrestricted grants specifically to theater and dance companies. Shubert also runs signature theater education programs for New York City’s public schools and funds a limited number of scholarships for graduate theater education.
IP TAKE: The Shubert Foundation is one of the most important theater and dance funders in the U.S., and its influence has grown as its grantmaking footprint continues to expand. While Shubert isn’t a “large” funder compared to the billion-dollar foundations, in the world of arts and culture funding, Shubert is essential. It extends grants to hundreds of performing arts organizations across the U.S. every year. According to Inside Philanthropy arts reports Mike Scutari, Shubert was an early proponent of providing general operating support (rather than project-limited support) to theater and dance companies. In an era when government funding for the arts continues to decline, a funder like Shubert is a vital part of the performing arts ecosystem.
Shubert is an accessible funder that gives unrestricted grants for theater and dance companies of all sizes. Organizations may contact the foundation with questions, though they are encouraged to first consult the detailed program information provided at the website. This is a rare arts funder and an important one to know. Explore lists of past grantees on each program page to see if your organization is a good fit.
PROFILE: Founded in 1945, the Shubert Foundation was created by renowned Broadway theater producers Lee and J.J. Schubert to honor the memory of their brother, Sam. Its affiliate, the Shubert Organization, owns and operates 24 theaters, including 17 on-Broadway and six off-Broadway in New York City along with the Forrest Theatre in Philadelphia. The Shubert Foundation is “dedicated to unrestricted funding of not-for-profit theatres and dance companies.” Its grantmaking is national in scope.
Grants for Theater
Shubert’s support for theater comes from its Theater Grants program, which accounts for approximately 70% of its annual grantmaking budget. The Shubert Foundation does not make grants to individuals and only supports U.S. organizations, which must have current 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status.
- Additionally, grantees must have a proven history of artistic, administrative and fiscal responsibility.
- The foundation invites grantseekers with a shorter history to make contact in order to discuss their situation in more detail before applying.
- This program accepts grant requests with a due date in early December each year. Guidelines are linked to the program page.
- Theater grantees include the Alliance Theatre Company of Georgia; the Children’s Theater of Madison, Wisconsin; San Francisco’s Crowded Fire Theater; North Carolina’s Cape Fear Regional Theatre and New York City’s Bedlam.
Grants for Dance
On average, Shubert’s Dance Grants program funds around 70 dance companies across the nation each year, with around $4 million in total dance grants. Typically, the foundation prioritizes ballet, but Shubert is interested in other forms of dance as well. Supported organizations must have a proven history of artistic, administrative, and fiscal responsibility.
- This program accepts grant requests with a due date that falls in October of each year. Guidelines are linked to the program page.
- Dance grantees include the Big Muddy Dance Company of St. Louis, the Washington Ballet, the National Institute of Flamenco, the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and the Houston Ballet, among others.
Grants for Arts and Culture
Each year, the Shubert Foundation makes grants to other Arts Related Organizations primarily in New York City. Grants provide general operating support to organizations that have a broad impact and demonstrate “commitment to underserved audiences and/or underrepresented voices.”
- The foundation accepts grant requests from arts organizations with a due date in the autumn of each year. Guidelines are linked at the program page.
- Past grantees include New York City’s Apollo Theater, the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz and Theatre for Young Audiences.
Grants for Arts Education
The Shubert Foundation is the largest supporter of theater education in New York City’s Department of Public Education. The foundation runs three signature programs for public school students.
In collaboration with Musical Theatre International, the foundation runs the Broadway Junior Program, through which 100 schools are chosen each year to participate in a musical theater development program. The program targets “underserved low-arts schools” and aims to help schools develop thriving theater programs.
The foundation’s High School Theatre Festival “celebrates five outstanding high school student productions from the current school year, selected from more than 20 productions across the city.”
Finally, the All In(clusive) All-City Teen Theatre Ensemble “brings together NYC high school student artists from diverse races, ethnicities, gender identities, abilities, and points of view to collaborate, compose, devise, rehearse, and perform an original musical based on their collective experiences and imagination.”
The Shubert Foundation also awards Shubert Scholarships to “to preeminent graduate drama programs of universities for scholarship assistance.” The foundation accepts applications for scholarship funding from MFA programs in relevant fields including but not limited to acting, directing, playwriting, producing and stage design. The application due date falls in October. Application guidelines are linked to the program page.
Important Grant Details:
The Shubert Foundation’s grants typically range from $15,000 to $275,000. In addition to its grants for theater and dance companies, the foundation makes some grants for other arts education and theater education programs in New York City.
This funder appears to prioritize organizations that have a broad impact and appeal. Applicants must have 501c3 status. Open grant cycles occur annually, typically in the fall. Interested grantseekers should check the website for information about this year’s grant application cycle.
This funder accepts requests for funding for its grantmaking programs, but guidelines and due dates vary by program.
Examples of past grantees are available on program pages and its annual grant reports.
- The foundation can be reached by telephone at (212) 944-3777.
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