THE FLEA THEATER ANNOUNCES THE LAUNCH OF NEW PRODUCTION COMMISSION AND SPACE GRANT PROGRAMS
Press Contacts:
Rick Miramontez / Morgan Zysman
rick@omdkc.com / morgan@omdkc.com
212 695 7400
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, PLEASE
THE FLEA THEATER
ANNOUNCES
NEW PRODUCTION COMMISSION
AND
SPACE GRANT PROGRAMS
SUPPORTING ARTISTS YEAR-ROUND
WORKING IN THEATER, PERFORMANCE,
AND INTERDISCIPLINARY FORMS
New York, NY (March 24, 2026) – The Flea Theater announced today the launch of its year-round Production Commission and Space Grant programs, reinforcing its commitment to supporting experimental artists and the development of bold, original performance work by Black, brown, and queer voices.
Together, these two programs provide financial investment, essential access to space, and vital infrastructure for artists working in theater, performance, and interdisciplinary forms—addressing one of the field’s most urgent needs: sustained execution support. Access to these programs is now available year-round at theflea.org.
More details on each program can be found below.
PRODUCTION COMMISSION PROGRAM
The Flea’s Production Commission program provides direct financial support to artists and ensembles developing new work intended for full production. This program successfully launched a world premiere each year since The Flea’s refounding in 2021, including Zora Howard’s HANG TIME (2023), Jésus I. Valles’ BATHHOUSE.PPTX (2024) and Jenn Kidwell and the blackening’s we come to collect: a flirtation, with capitalism (2025). It is designed to underwrite the real costs of making ambitious work—artist fees, design, rehearsal time, and production expenses—while offering institutional partnership and visibility through a world premiere at The Flea.
Commissioned projects receive:
- A world premiere at The Flea
- Commissioning Fee
- Dramaturgical and artistic guidance from The Flea’s artistic team
- Technical and producing collaboration with The Flea’s staff
- Alignment with a mission-driven audience known for championing experimental and artist-led work
SPACE GRANT PROGRAM
The Space Grant program offers up to a week of free access to The Flea’s performance spaces for artists at critical stages of creation. Grants prioritize projects-in-process that would otherwise lack access to affordable, professional-grade space in New York City.
Space Grants support:
- Rehearsals, workshops, readings, and showings
- Emerging and established artists alike
- Work that is exploratory, process-driven, or in early development
A COMMITMENT TO ARTIST-LED WORK
“These programs reflect The Flea’s belief that artists don’t just need ideas—they need the conditions to execute them,” says Dr. Lauren Britt-Elmore, Executive Director. “With these two programs that combine funding with space and institutional partnership, we’re investing in the full lifecycle of making work.”
Both programs can be accessed through an application process designed to be transparent, accessible, and artist-centered. Selection is based on artistic vision, feasibility, and alignment with The Flea’s mission to support experimental art by Black, brown, and queer artists.
APPLICATIONS AND INFORMATION
Applications for the Production Commission and Space Grant programs now open year-round. Full guidelines, eligibility criteria, and application details are available at theflea.org.
ABOUT THE FLEA
Founded in 1996, The Flea Theater is a New York City–based nonprofit theater dedicated to supporting adventurous artists and producing bold new work. In 2021, The Flea was refounded with a new mission to support and invest in experimental art by Black, brown, and queer artists. The Flea provides space, financial support, producing partnership and other resources so that they may develop and share their vision in community with audiences. The Flea owns and operates a state-of-the-art, LEED-certified performance center in Tribeca that houses three distinct, intimate theaters designed to encourage creativity while supporting production economies of scale. Recent world premieres include WE COME TO COLLECT: A FLIRTATION, WITH CAPITALISM by Jennifer Kidwell, BATHHOUSE.PPTX by Jesús I. Valles and HANG TIME by Zora Howard.
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