The Chicago-based arts funding organization United States Artists has named their 2026 theatre and performance fellows. Fifty artists across 21 states and 10 creative disciplines will receive an unrestricted cash prize of $50,000.

Theatrical artists amongst the 2026 class of USA Fellows are directors and artists Jeanette Oi-Suk Yew, Mei Ann Teo, Mina Morita, Tanya Orellana, and Ty Defoe.

This year’s fellowship announcement also marks the fellowship’s 20th anniversary. Since 2006, the organization has given more than $53 million to artists across the nation. The unrestricted cash prize awarded annually to fellows is encouraged to be put towards anything that will support the fellows as artists, whether that is fostering new works, paying rent, reducing debt, obtaining healthcare, or supporting their families.

Previous fellows include the Tony Award-winning scenic design collective dots, Tony Award-winning playwright Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, Tony Award-nominated choreographer Ayodele Casel, Tony Award-winning designer Clint Ramos, and many more.

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