Today, Arts Midwest announced the recipients of $1,060,000 in Shakespeare in American Communities grants for the 2026–2027 cycle.
Now in its 23nd year, Shakespeare in American Communities is a program of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest.
The initiative brings high-quality Shakespeare productions and educational activities to communities across America, and supports theater apprenticeships for early-career professionals.
“The joy, humor, and heartbreak of Shakespeare’s work continue to inspire and speak to audiences across the centuries, reminding us of the enduring power of great art,” said Mary Anne Carter, chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts. “By supporting theater companies bringing performances and learning opportunities directly into communities, Shakespeare in American Communities ensures that young people can experience the magic of live theater regardless of where they live.”
Since its inception, Shakespeare in American Communities has reached thousands of communities in all 50 states. In that time, more than 150 participating theaters have offered 18,000+ performances and 60,000+ educational activities
“Shakespeare’s work continues to exhilarate audiences and creators with its questions and ideas,” says Carlianne Jorve, Arts Midwest Grants Manager. “This year’s grantees are making sure live theater reaches young people in places where it doesn’t always go, from rural schools to juvenile justice facilities.”
Shakespeare in American Communities Supports Three Distinct Grant Tracks:
Apprenticeships
16 nonprofit theaters have received a total of $472,300 to support apprenticeship programs for early-career administrators and technicians working across theater sectors.
Among these grantees is Honolulu Theatre for Youth in Honolulu, Hawaii. Their Production and Design Apprentice will be mentored by an ensemble of professional designers, performers, and educators.
As Hawaii’s only full-time professional theatre, Honolulu Theatre for Youth is the largest provider of arts education in the state and very often the only exposure to professional arts within the communities where they perform.
Schools
18 professional theater companies partnering with schools have received a total of $412,000 to support productions and education programs rooted in the works of William Shakespeare.
Among these grantees is Riverside Theatre in Iowa City, Iowa. They will tour a trunk-show production of Romeo & Juliet to rural Iowa schools that have little access to professional arts programming.
Each visit includes hands-on workshops centered on performing Shakespeare’s language, empowering students to speak, move, and connect with the text through active participation.
Juvenile Justice
7 nonprofits have received a total of $174,070 to provide theater education for students in juvenile justice settings.
Among these grantees is Prison Performing Arts in St. Louis, Missouri. They provide year-round arts education to approximately 220 system-impacted youth annually across four juvenile justice facilities in the St. Louis region.
In partnership with the St. Louis Shakespeare Festival, a touring production of “The Two Gentlemen of Verona” will visit facilities, accompanied by teaching artist-led instruction and a Living Study Guide that makes Shakespeare accessible and relevant to young people today.
Explore all grantees in Arts Midwest’s searchable grantee database.
Grantee DatabaseShakespeare in American Communities: Apprenticeships
Grants to support paid apprenticeships for early administrators and technicians working at theaters throughout the United States.
| Organization | City | State | Grant Award |
|---|---|---|---|
| TheatreSquared | Fayetteville | AR | $30,000 |
| Capitol Hill Arts Workshop | Washington | DC | $30,000 |
| Folger Shakespeare Library | Washington | DC | $30,000 |
| Synchronicity Theatre | Atlanta | GA | $30,000 |
| Honolulu Theatre for Youth | Honolulu | HI | $30,000 |
| Gateway Regional Arts Center | Mt. Sterling | KY | $30,000 |
| Pangea World Theater | Minneapolis | MN | $30,000 |
| Mixed Blood Theater | Minneapolis | MN | $30,000 |
| PlayMakers Repertory Company | Chapel Hill | NC | $29,800 |
| Frost Fire Summer Theatre | Walhalla | ND | $30,000 |
| The Public Theater | New York | NY | $30,000 |
| Cleveland Public Theatre | Cleveland | OH | $30,000 |
| The Human Race Theatre Company | Dayton | OH | $22,500 |
| Trinity Repertory Company | Providence | RI | $30,000 |
| Shakespeare Dallas | Dallas | TX | $30,000 |
| Key City Public Theatre | Port Townsend | WA | $30,000 |
| Total | $472,300 |
Shakespeare in American Communities: Juvenile Justice
Grants to support theater education programs in juvenile justice facilities that illuminate the works of Shakespeare and address his work in a modern context.
| Organization | City | State | Grant Award |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shakespeare at Notre Dame | Notre Dame | IN | $24,200 |
| Youth Arts: Unlocked | Flint | MI | $25,000 |
| Shakespeare Behind Bars | Macatawa | MI | $25,000 |
| Prison Performing Arts | St Louis | MO | $25,000 |
| ¡Oye! Group | Brooklyn | NY | $25,000 |
| South Dakota Shakespeare Festival | Vermillion | SD | $24,870 |
| Texas Shakespeare Festival | Kilgore | TX | $25,000 |
| Total | $174,070 |
Shakespeare in American Communities: Schools
Grants to support performances of Shakespeare and related educational activities for students from five or more schools.
| Organization | City | State | Grant Award |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) | San Francisco | CA | $25,000 |
| Denver Center for the Performing Arts | Denver | CO | $25,000 |
| National Theatre of the Deaf (NTD) | Washington | DC | $25,000 |
| Delaware Shakespeare | Wilmington | DE | $15,000 |
| Orlando Shakes in partnership with UCF | Orlando | FL | $25,000 |
| Riverside Theatre | Iowa City | IA | $20,000 |
| Idaho Shakespeare Festival | Boise | ID | $25,000 |
| Kentucky Shakespeare | Louisville | KY | $25,000 |
| Shakespeare & Company | Lenox | MA | $25,000 |
| Mississippi Shakespeare Festival | Jackson | MS | $25,000 |
| The Rose Theater | Omaha | NE | $15,000 |
| The Acting Company | New York | NY | $25,000 |
| Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival | Center Valley | PA | $25,000 |
| Tennessee Shakespeare Company | Cordova | TN | $25,000 |
| Brave Little Company & Tee Zee Productions | Houston | TX | $15,000 |
| Utah Shakespeare Festival | Cedar City | UT | $25,000 |
| ROŪGE: Theater Reinvented | Norfolk | VA | $22,000 |
| American Players Theatre | Spring Green | WI | $25,000 |
| Total | $412,000 |