“Theatre is a voyage into the archives of the human imagination” - Natasha Tsakos

Sometimes a specific work of art created by a dancer, a musician, an actor, a writer, is unfinished unless it has one more added and important piece: an audience. Café Royal Cultural Foundation NYC awards performance grants to individuals focused on the production of theater, dance, and performance art.

Description: Café Royal Cultural Foundation NYC will award a Performance Grant to individuals focused on the production of theatre, dance and performance art (all of which can be accompanied by music).

Submissions: To ensure that each submission receives the attention it deserves we will be only accepting 40 application for each of our categories.

Deadlines: Our Winter 2025 Grant cycle is open and will close on Monday February 3, 2025 or if we reach our limit of 40 applications, which ever comes first.

Amounts: Up to $10,000.00  

Eligibility:

Performer(s) of theatre, dance and performance art (all of which can be accompanied by music).
Grants awarded in this category do not fund costs associated with the creating/composition of new work.
Performer(s) applying must be a United States Citizen or Resident Alien and a resident of New York City and have lived in New York City for a minimum of one year prior to applying and plan to be a resident through the completion of their project.
If your performance is a play, it must be a full production. Readings will not qualify.
We would prefer that the performance of your project take place in New York City’s five boroughs, or in a location in close proximity to New York City that has been discussed and approved by Café Royal Cultural Foundation. Email caferoyaldigital@gmail.com for inquiries.
Applicants can only apply with the same project twice.
Applicants can only apply to only one category during a grant cycle.

Application Requirements: 

• Up to and no more than 5 videos links of works/performances for the Café Royal Cultural Foundation Selection and Executive Committees to view or download. Please make sure your links are correct and not password protected. If they are not correct or have password protection your application will be declined and not reviewed by the Selection Committee.

• If available, letter of intent from the venue with a date of planned performance. Please note that you do not have to have a commitment from a venue to receive a grant.

• A short description of the performance / project.

• A short artistic biography of the person(s) involved.

• Budget must not exceed the amount of $10,000.00.

• List of costs of how you plan to use the grant funds.
  (Please review our lists of Approved and Ineligible Budget Items for Performance Grant Funds, located below)

• You cannot apply for a group or an organization. We want you to be aware that Café Royal Cultural Foundation’s grant-making procedures are to individual grant recipients, referred to as an expenditure responsibility grant. The Funds disbursed to grantees must comply as "direct grants to individuals" and "payments made directly to individuals." You, as an individual, will be responsible for all payments requested in your budget.

• If a previously awarded grantee is an actor/director/producer you wish to hire they cannot receive additional funds.

• You cannot include any fees related to you, the applicant, in the list of costs.

• You cannot pay yourself artist fees. 

• If you are an actor, you cannot include an Actor Fee for yourself.

• If you are the producer, you cannot include Producer Fees.

• If you are a director, you cannot pay yourself a director fee, etc.

• Performer(s) applying must be a United States Citizen or Resident Alien and a resident of New York City and have lived in New York City for a minimum of one year prior to applying and plan to be a resident through the completion of their project.

• We ask that the start date of your performance is no sooner than 90 days after this application's due date (no sooner than May 4, 2025) and no later than 12 months after your grant’s award date (no later than March 24, 2026).

• Applicants can only apply with the same project twice.

• You may apply in a later cycle with a different project.

• We would prefer that the performance of your project take place in New York City’s five boroughs, or at a location within proximity to New York City that has been discussed and approved by Café Royal Cultural Foundation before you apply,
  please email caferoyaldigital@gmail.com for inquiries.
  

  Please review the list of costs that will be and will not be approved.

Review Procedures: The Café Royal Cultural Foundation Selection Committee Judges will review and score all applications. The top five scored applications will move to a next round and will be reviewed Executive Committees. In recognition of the time, effort, and professional expertise that our Selection Committee Judges devote to the grant selection process, Café Royal Cultural Foundation provides a stipend to honor their commitment.

The following criteria will be applied in evaluating grant proposals:

• Quality of the original or adaptive material and the performance / performers

• Importance of the Project/Cultural Relevance

• Promise of future achievements in performance arts

 
Grant Applications: 

We accept applications all year round, please view our submission dates in our Grant Schedule.

We ask that the start date of your performance is (no sooner than May 4, 2025) and no later than 12 months after your grant’s award date (no later than March 24, 2026).

Good Luck!