The Jonathan Larson Grants 2026 are now open for emerging musical theatre composers, lyricists and librettists. The American Theatre Wing offers these annual grants to professionally working musical theatre artists, providing unrestricted support to help them develop their careers and creative work. Applications close on September 4, 2026.
Jonathan Larson Grants 2026
Applications for the 2026 Jonathan Larson Grants are now open, offering an opportunity for emerging musical theatre writers to receive support for their creative careers.
The programme is administered by the American Theatre Wing and is designed to recognise composers, lyricists and librettists who demonstrate artistic merit, professional commitment and the potential to contribute meaningful new work to musical theatre.
Unlike a traditional academic scholarship, the Jonathan Larson Grant is intended as an unconditional investment in individual artistic talent. Successful recipients can use the grant resources according to their professional and creative needs.
The 2026 application deadline is Friday, September 4, 2026.
About the Jonathan Larson Grant
The grant honours the legacy of musical theatre writer and composer Jonathan Larson, whose work helped shape contemporary American musical theatre.
According to the American Theatre Wing, the programme supports musical theatre composers, lyricists and librettists, as well as eligible writing teams, particularly those who are early in their careers.
The grant does not focus on funding one specific production or project. Instead, it is intended to support the artist’s broader creative development and long-term career in musical theatre.
The programme is now housed permanently at the American Theatre Wing, with support from the Jonathan Larson Performing Arts Foundation and the Larson family.
Who Can Apply?
The Jonathan Larson Grants are intended for emerging musical theatre artists who are working professionally in the field.
Eligible applicants may apply as:
- Composers
- Lyricists
- Librettists or bookwriters
- Individuals working across multiple disciplines
- Collaborative musical theatre writing teams
Regular collaborators are encouraged to consider applying together when their work is developed collaboratively. Teams with more than three members are advised to contact the American Theatre Wing before submitting.
Citizenship and Location
United States citizenship is not required. However, applicants must be eligible to work in the United States and must reside or work there on at least a part-time basis.
Submitted work should also be predominantly in English.
There is no age restriction, although the programme particularly focuses on artists in the early to mid-career stages who have not yet achieved a significant level of recognition or income in their field.
Previous applicants are allowed to apply again. However, previous Jonathan Larson Grant recipients are not eligible.
What Does the Grant Support?
The Jonathan Larson Grant provides general support rather than requiring applicants to request funding for a particular expense.
The American Theatre Wing explains that there are no restrictions on how recipients use the grant award. The purpose is to provide resources that can help artists advance their careers and creative work.
This makes the opportunity particularly relevant to professional musical theatre writers who need flexibility while developing new work, strengthening their portfolio or advancing their careers.
The programme is not a scholarship, and applicants are expected to be working professionally in musical theatre.
Application Requirements
Applicants must submit their materials through the online application portal.
The required materials include an Artistic Statement, a Creative Curriculum Vitae and a Work Sample List.
Artistic Statement
Applicants must describe their achievements and career goals as a creative artist or collaborative team.
The application guidelines specifically state that applicants should not make specific monetary requests in their artistic statement.
Creative CV
Applicants must provide a creative curriculum vitae covering areas such as:
- Productions
- Workshops
- Readings
- Educational history
- Awards
For collaborative applications, a CV should be supplied for each member of the team, combined into one PDF or DOC file.
Work Sample List
Applicants must provide a comprehensive list of their submitted work samples, including authorship information.
The samples should correspond to the discipline or disciplines for which the applicant is applying.
For example, a composer-only applicant should focus on music samples, while a lyricist or bookwriter should submit work relevant to that particular area.
Work Samples
Work samples are one of the most important parts of the application.
For composers and lyricists, applicants can submit selected songs that demonstrate their strongest work. Audio submissions can be provided in accepted formats including MP3, MP4, WMA, WAV, M4A and FLAC.
Applicants submitting librettos or musical books should provide a one-act sample, or an excerpt of no more than 60 pages where the work does not have a traditional act structure.
A one-page synopsis of the complete show may be included at the beginning of the libretto.
The American Theatre Wing recommends selecting work that best represents the applicant’s abilities rather than attempting to predict exactly what the selection committee wants to see.
What Type of Work Is Eligible?
The Jonathan Larson Grants specifically focus on musical theatre.
Applicants may work in several artistic disciplines, but the representative work submitted for consideration must be musical theatre work.
The guidelines state that submissions such as oratorios, operas, symphonic scores or film scores will not be considered for the grant.
Applicants submitting adapted material must also provide proof of the appropriate rights for the adaptation.
Selection Criteria
Applications are assessed on several key considerations.
The selection committees evaluate applicants based on:
- Artistic talent
- Artistic merit
- Commitment to a career in musical theatre
The programme is intended to recognise artists who demonstrate a serious and sustained commitment to developing their careers within musical theatre.
Can Students Apply?
No. The Jonathan Larson Grants are not scholarships.
The American Theatre Wing states that applicants should be working professionally in the musical theatre field. Therefore, students seeking academic funding should look for scholarships or education-specific opportunities instead.
Can Collaborative Teams Apply?
Yes. Collaborative teams can apply together as composers, lyricists and/or librettists.
The programme particularly encourages collaborators who regularly work together to submit a joint application.
However, an applicant can only appear on one application during the grant cycle. An artist cannot submit one individual application while simultaneously appearing on another team application.
2026 Application Deadline
The Jonathan Larson Grants 2026 application deadline is:
Deadline: Friday, September 4, 2026
Applications are currently open according to the American Theatre Wing’s official programme information.
Applicants should carefully review the complete guidelines and prepare their artistic statement, CV and representative work samples before submitting.
How to Apply
Applications are submitted online through the American Theatre Wing’s application portal.
Official application: Apply for the 2026 Jonathan Larson Grants
Applicants with unusual questions concerning collaborative teams, work samples or application formatting can contact the American Theatre Wing’s programmes team using the contact information provided in the official guidelines.
Final Thoughts
The Jonathan Larson Grants 2026 provide an important opportunity for professionally working emerging musical theatre writers seeking flexible support for their creative careers.
The programme is particularly suited to composers, lyricists and librettists who already have professional experience and strong representative work to submit. Because the grants are not scholarships, students who are not yet working professionally in musical theatre should consider other funding opportunities.
With applications open and the deadline set for September 4, 2026, eligible artists should begin preparing their strongest work samples and application materials well before the closing date.
Source: American Theatre Wing — Jonathan Larson Grants.
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