WASHINGTON, D.C.: The National Endowment for the Arts has announced the first round of recommended awards for the 2021 fiscal year, totaling $27,562,040. The Grants for Arts Projects (GAP) awards range from $10,000 to $100,000 and cover 14 artistic disciplines, including theatre and musical theatre.

“The creativity and resilience of artists and arts organizations across the country have inspired American during this challenging year,” said Arts Endowment acting chairman Ann Eilers in a statement. “These projects represent the vitality and perseverance of arts organizations small and large to overcome significant challenges, transform to new ways of engagement, and forge new relationships that benefit the diverse populations in neighborhoods and cities throughout the United States.”

In February 2020, the NEA received 1,674 eligible GAP applications and the organization approved funding for 1,073 projects. Applications are reviewed by a panel of experts with knowledge and experience in each area under review. Recommendations are then made to the National Council on the Arts, which in turn makes recommendations to the chairman, who makes the final decision on all awards.

For theatre, 134 projects received grants totaling nearly $2.8 million, while musical theatre projects received 25 grants totaling $440,000. A full list of awardees by discipline is available here, while a state-by-state breakdown is available here.

Panelists who reviewed the applications include Vicky Holt Takamine, Katie Sonnenborn, Z.J. Tong, Melanie VanHouten, Kali Wasenko, Rachel Adams, Philip Himberg, Margaret Perkins-McGuinness, Benjamin H Rex, Alina Santillan, and Bently Spang.

Additionally the NEA announced $1.2 million in literature fellowships for creative writers and translators, as well as $833,000 in research grants in the arts. Five NEA research labs were also recommended for $645,790 in funding.

Grant guidelines and deadlines are now available online for those wishing to apply.