Purpose

AGE is proud to announce the return of its originative initiative, the AGE Legacy Playwright Grants (ALP)in 2023! In our continuing commitment to the social justice arts movement, AGE Founder Jane Mantiri created  the ALP Grant to continue the AGE legacy of investing in artists who have been underrepresented and underserved because of age, race, and gender. Plays produced and directed by these artists on Broadway and national theatre companies are rare, and this lack of representation negatively impacts BIPOC artists of marginalized gender* even more. American Theatre has to do better. Our solution? Invest directly in those telling the stories. 

AGE seeks to change the equity landscape of the American Theatre canon by increasing the representation of BIPOC playwrights 40+ years of age of marginalized gender. Additionally, in our creation of this initiative, we aimed to amplify the integrity of the recipients.  AGE is therefore intentional in making sure that three playwrights receive individual unrestricted grants of $10,000 each.  When funders dictate how grant money is used and require complex systems of documentation, oversight, and conditions, it can disempower the recipient. We are mindful of the layered history of oppression, trauma, and disempowerment for BIPOC people of marginalized gender. At AGE, equity means creating environments where everyone can achieve their goals. Giving agency to the recipients is how we practice equity. The recipients will determine the course of their professional journey and we are honored to witness and invest in their success.