Campers perform at Adventure Theatre’s summer academy. (Photo by Bruce Douglas)
NEW YORK CITY: Theatre for Young Audiences USA (TYA/USA), has announced the creation of the TYA Fund, a new fund to support midsize theatre organization members of TYA/USA with unrestricted grants of $5,000 to $10,000. This funding is supported by the Theater League of Kansas City, a nonprofit civic performing arts organization dedicated to enhancing the quality of life in the communities it serves with the thrill of live theatre. The fund is being administered by TYA/USA.
Grants of $5,000 to $10,000 will provide unrestricted funds to 19 professional theatre organizations who meet the following criteria: They have budgets between $300,000 and $3 million, produce at least three TYA shows per season featuring professional actors, and lease, rent, or own theatre space.
“We are deeply grateful to the Theater League for their visionary support, especially at a time when our TYA theatres are facing unprecedented challenges,” TYA/USA executive director Sara Morgulis said in a statement. “This generous funding is not just a financial boost—it is a powerful affirmation of the vital role these theatres play in shaping the future of our cultural landscape. As we navigate an uncertain future for the arts, the Theater League’s investment underscores the enduring importance of theatre for young people across the nation, and we are incredibly excited to partner with them in this effort.”
“We’re thrilled to work with TYA/USA to support the important work of mid-size organizations introducing young people to the theatre,” said Theater League president Mark Edelman in a statement. “TYA’s audiences of today will keep the tradition of great theatre alive for generations to come.”
The full TYA Fund awardee list includes:
- Filament Theatre in Chicago
- Austin Scottish Rite Theater in Texas
- Metro Theater Company in St. Louis
- Birmingham Children’s Theatre, Alabama
- Oklahoma Children’s Theatre in Oklahoma City
- Teatro SEA in New York City
- New York City Children’s Theater
- Lexington Children’s Theater, Kentucky
- The Growing Stage in Netcong, N.J.
- StageOne Family Theatre in Louisville, Ky.
- South Carolina Children’s Theatre in Greenville, S.C.
- Wheelock Family Theatre at Boston University
- Adventure Theatre MTC in Glen Echo, Md.
- Nashville Children’s Theatre
- Honolulu Theatre for Youth in Hawaii
- Children’s Theater of Madison in Wisconsin
- Magik Theatre in San Antonio
- Chicago Children’s Theatre in Chicago
- Oregon Children’s Theatre in Portland, Ore.
Theatre for Young Audiences/USA (TYA/USA) is a national service organization with the mission to promote professional theatre for young audiences through excellence, collaboration, and innovation across cultural and international boundaries. With a membership comprising 1,450 independent artists, educators, and both commercial and nonprofit performing arts institutions across 47 states, TYA/USA provides advocacy and resources to strengthen and diversify the field of theatre for young audiences. TYA/USA hosts an annual national festival and conference and offers a range of professional development opportunities, both for its membership and the greater field.
Theater League of Kansas City is a nonprofit civic performing arts organization dedicated to enhancing the quality of life in the communities it serves with the thrill of live theatre. Founded by Mark Edelman in Kansas City in 1977, the organization has presented the Best of Broadway in theatres across the country to well over a million patrons. Today the League supports a broad range of professional theatre through grants, student ticket subsidies, and new-works development in its hometown of Kansas City and performing arts organizations around the country. The League is also a long-time supporter of the Coterie Theatre and KC Theatre for Young America.
