More Success for Steppenwolf

By Amy Mikel in Arts & Entertainment on Oct 15, 2008 9:45PM

Congratulations to Steppenwolf, who was recently named the recipient of two major grants – each helping to fund unique initiatives and programs within the company.

The Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and the Nonprofit Finance Fund have awarded grants to ten performing arts companies nationwide, part of the foundation’s Leading for the Future: Innovative Support for Artistic Excellence. Each company will receive funding over five years for individual proposed projects. Steppenwolf’s $1,075,000 grant will support new programming meant to help young artists with creating new work with a broader audience appeal, as well as with the company’s Visiting Company Initiative, which gives other theater companies the opportunity to use Steppenwolf’s performing space.

Separately, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation has bestowed on Steppenwolf a three year, $600,000 grant to help fund components of the theater’s New Plays Initiative, which helps to commission and develop new work. With the grant, the theater plans to develop a playwriting residency program and enhance its general play development process. The New Plays Initiative is directly responsible for the creation of the resoundingly successful play August: Osage County – the recipient of multiple Tony’s and a Pulitzer.