My Many Voices Mentorship year was one of the most formative years for me not only as a writer, but as an artist. And honestly, not only as an artist, but also as a person. I came into the year with some concrete goals, and I did accomplish them – but gained so much more, more than I could have expected.
Many Voices Mentorship
The Many Voices Mentorship is intended to support Minnesota-based Black artists, artists of color, and/or Indigenous artists (what’s this?) who are new to playwriting but demonstrate artistic potential and an interest in learning more about the craft, and who will be able to take advantage of the resources that Playwrights’ Center provides.
The mentorship provides a $2,000 stipend, $850 in funds to develop work, and free access to over $3,000 in services designed to introduce beginning playwrights to the craft of playwriting. These services can include a staged reading with professional actors, multi-week classes taught by leading playwriting professionals, an array of one-night seminars, and a two-year Playwrights’ Center membership. At the end of the mentorship term, the mentee will become an Affiliated Writer of Playwrights’ Center.
Previous recipients include: Ansa Akyea, ShaVunda Brown, Michelle de Joya, Eponine Diatta, Johanna Keller Flores, Morgan Holmes, JuCoby Johnson, Jamil Jude, Taous Claire Khazem, Nora Montañez, Junauda Petrus, Atlese Robinson, Eric “Pogi” Sumangil, James A. Williams.
Eligibility
Applicants must be over the age of 18 and must be residents of Minnesota at the time of application. Recipients must maintain residency in Minnesota, within 75 miles of the Twin Cities, during the mentorship year (July 1, 2026-June 30, 2027) and have the legal right to work in the United States. (Applicants based farther away in the state of Minnesota may apply, but if selected they are responsible for all transportation and housing related to program participation.) Applicants must not have had any plays fully produced by a professional theater by the time of the application. Productions which open after December 4, 2025, do not count, and co-written or ensemble-created works do not count. Current or past Playwrights’ Center Core Writers or recipients of other Playwrights’ Center playwriting fellowships are not eligible to apply. Previous McKnight Theater Artist Fellows may apply, as long as they meet all other eligibility requirements. Playwrights may not receive more than two Many Voices Mentorships. Previous Many Voices Mentees applying for an additional term must submit a different writing sample from the one included in their previous successful application. Staff and board members of the Jerome Foundation and Playwrights’ Center and their immediate family members are not eligible. Students who will be in K-12 education programs during the mentorship year are not eligible. Students enrolled in undergraduate and graduate degree programs are eligible.
Recipients are encouraged to participate in at least two multi-week classes over the course of the year.
Application Materials
NOTE: The primary language used by evaluators during the selection process is English. If a text intentionally does not include an English translation, a line of context may be helpful to an evaluator but is not necessary. Playwrights’ Center acknowledges this is an ethnocentric practice. While most Fellowship activities and engagements are conducted in English, Playwrights’ Center staff are available to discuss additional support and resources as necessary.
01
Application form
Including contact details, eligibility, and demographic information
02
Resumé or biography
Any legible format, maximum three pages
03
Artistic statement & goals
One page
Please attach a statement of no more than one page that addresses the following questions: What is your interest in and/or experience with playwriting? How will this mentorship aid in your artistic development? What are your goals during the mentorship year? This statement, along with your writing sample, should reflect your vision as an artist.
04
Writing sample
Please attach a writing sample of no more than 30 pages. Any genre of text-based work is acceptable (play scripts, screenplays, poetry, fiction, nonfiction, etc.). If you have a play script to send, this is generally the strongest sample for the panelists to evaluate. The sample may be a selection of shorter works totaling no more than 30 pages.
05
Letters of recommendation
Please request two letters of recommendation from individuals who are familiar with your work as an artist in any medium. You will be sending a request through the application portal below. Letters must be received by the application deadline: December 4, 2025. You may request letters through the application system before finishing your final application, so we recommend that you click on the link below and begin your application sooner rather than later to give your recommenders time to complete their letters. Letters of recommendation from previous applications cannot be re-used for this program. Letters of recommendation may not be written by current Playwrights’ Center staff or board members.
Note: You will need to make a SlideRoom account in order to apply. If you are a Playwrights’ Center member, your login will not automatically log you in to SlideRoom—they are two different systems. If you already have a SlideRoom account, you should be able to access the application using your existing login. For a video tutorial on using SlideRoom, please click here.
An information session about the Many Voices Mentorship was held on Wednesday November 5, 2025. The recording of that information session is available on the right. Read the full transcript here.
Click here to read advice from previous successful applicants.
We are offering a free Working Session in partnership with Springboard for the Arts on the topic of creating artist statements on Monday, January 12 at 6:00pm CT to help prepare for your application. Click here to register for the session. If you are unable to attend but would like to receive materials after the class, please email juliab@pwcenter.org.
Artistic Programs Manager Julia Brown will be joining the Professional Resources and Education team for open office hours from 12:00–3:00 p.m. on the following dates to answer your application questions: November 19, December 3, December 17, January 14, March 18.
Questions may be addressed to Artistic Programs Manager Julia Brown at juliab@pwcenter.org or 612-332-7481 ext. 1115.
DEADLINE: Thursday, December 4, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. CT
