Performance Project Fellowship 2026/27 Offers Mentorship, Rehearsal Support, Professional Development, and Paid Public Performances in New York City
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The NYC performance fellowship at The Performance Project @ University Settlement is accepting applications from New York City based, early emerging performing artists age 18 and older for its 2026/27 cohort. The year-long Fellowship combines creative career mentoring, cohort meetings, professional development, rehearsal support, and opportunities to develop and present original performance work. Fellows can receive up to $900 in explicitly listed stipends across the program, June 2027 Fellows SHARE!, and October 2027 FlowFest performances. Applications close Friday, September 18, 2026 at 11:59pm EST.
OF THE FIELD.
NYC Performance Fellowship Snapshot
What: Year-long creative career mentoring fellowship for early emerging performing artists
Who: New York City based early emerging performing artists age 18 and older who are not currently in a degree-earning program at a higher education institution
Where: New York City, with rehearsal time at Speyer Hall, 184 Eldridge Street, as available
Award / Support: $500 stipend at completion of the Fellowship Program, additional $100 stipend for performing in the June 2027 SHARE, and additional $300 stipend for performing in the October 2027 FlowFest
Application Fee: FREE
Residency Duration: 2026/27 year-long Fellowship culminating in October 2027
Deadline: Friday, September 18, 2026 at 11:59pm EST
Official Link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdZ_io1fbxoqe-i93ceNiDsUsaEuwNYNP5RPuuQYfN_xPTQqA/viewform
Strategy Coach Notes: https://www.patreon.com/pformart/posts/performance-2026-167545491
Get The Application Strategy
This application asks applicants to explain their artistic development, professional ambitions, current challenges, intended social impact, and relationship to an audience. Applicants also submit a two-to-five-minute sample of performance work they created. These materials create a clear opportunity to show how your current practice connects to the Fellowship’s mentoring, peer-feedback, professional-development, and public-presentation structure. Contemporary Performance’s Strategy Coach Notes break down each application question, the work sample, the role of availability, and ways to connect the complete application into one coherent argument for selection.
About the NYC Performance Fellowship
The Performance Project @ University Settlement works with young local artists and emerging professional artists through programs focused on developing multidisciplinary practices, building relationships, and publicly presenting new work. The Fellowship is its year-long creative career mentorship program for local early emerging artists. The program supports performing arts practices including spoken word, music, dance, theater, and interdisciplinary approaches.
For the 2026/27 Fellowship, participants will meet as a cohort to discuss their artistic development, challenges, and progress. Fellows also meet individually with the Artistic Director each month and participate in required workshops. The Performance Project and HERE Arts Center will collaborate on three cohort professional-development sessions. Fellows will also receive invitations to events and dress rehearsals in HERE’s 2026-2027 season.
What Is Offered
- $500 stipend at completion of the Fellowship Program
- $100 additional stipend for performing as part of the June 2027 Fellows SHARE!
- $300 additional stipend for performing as part of the October 2027 FlowFest
- Individualized creative career coaching
- Support developing a resume, bio, and performance reel
- Support expanding professional networks and identifying opportunities for additional professional credentials
- Development workshops held online or in person
- Three professional-development sessions facilitated by HERE Arts Center’s team
- Additional workshops facilitated by 2026/27 Performance Project Artists in Residence
- Invitations to events and dress rehearsals during HERE’s 2026-2027 season
- Rehearsal time in Speyer Hall at 184 Eldridge Street, as available
- Opportunities to create, document, develop, and publicly present performance work
- Referral to University Settlement services including housing advocacy, workforce development, and individual counseling support
Who Should Apply
The Fellowship is open to New York City based early emerging performing artists age 18 and older. Applicants cannot currently be enrolled in a degree-earning program at a higher education institution such as a BA or MFA program.
The application accepts a wide range of performance practices. Its work-sample instructions specifically reference spoken word, music, theater, ensemble performance, monologue, directing, writing, dance, choreography, solo improvisation, and other performance work created by the applicant.
Applicants should also consider the program’s substantial daytime scheduling requirement. Required in-person meetings and workshops are scheduled on weekdays, Monday through Friday, generally between 10am and 2pm, based on Fellows’ availability. The application asks applicants to provide their Monday through Friday availability between 10am and 3pm.
NYC Performance Fellowship Timeline
September 18, 2026, 11:59pm EST: Application deadline
2026/27: Year-long Fellowship period
Monthly: Cohort meetings and individual meetings with the Artistic Director
June 2027: Fellows SHARE! Participants present one 5 to 10 minute work-in-progress performance of new work
October 2027: FlowFest. Fellows present two 20 to 30 minute performances of the developed work
Why The NYC Performance Fellowship Matters
The Performance Project Fellowship combines artistic development with the practical work involved in establishing a professional performance practice. Fellows develop new work across a sustained period while building professional materials, receiving individual career guidance, expanding networks, working alongside a peer cohort, and moving toward public presentation. The Fellowship also creates a clear developmental progression. Artists begin with ongoing mentorship and feedback, present a shorter work-in-progress at the June SHARE!, and continue developing that material toward two longer performances during FlowFest in October 2027.
The collaboration with HERE Arts Center adds three professional-development sessions and access to selected events and dress rehearsals during HERE’s season.
OF THE FIELD.
Apply to The NYC Performance Fellowship
Apply through the official 2026/27 Performance Project Fellowship application:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdZ_io1fbxoqe-i93ceNiDsUsaEuwNYNP5RPuuQYfN_xPTQqA/viewform
Deadline: Friday, September 18, 2026 at 11:59pm EST
Explore More Opportunities
Find current artist grants, residencies, fellowships, commissions, open calls, and performance opportunities at ContemporaryPerformance.com.
