Emergent Artist Residency
The EMERGENT ARTIST RESIDENCIES will recognize & support the work of two (2) QTPOC artists from September 2025 - June 2027. The chosen artist(s) work in both residencies must demonstrate exceptional artistic merit, an understanding of their own personal aesthetic, and self-directed project development. We are in an ever-evolving process of decolonizing the relationship between artists & producers, which manifests in a commitment to artist-led Residencies; selected artists are expected to be equal partners in communicating their artistic needs, planning and reaching goals for their projects, and shaping the Residency alongside TTO’s Programs & Producing Staff, and fellow cohort members. The Emergent Artist Residency culminates in the Queer (Re)Public Festival, showcasing the work of our Resident Artists alongside EAR alumni, True Colors Ensemble, and partners engaged with the program.
2025-2027 Emergent Artist Residency Applications
Level 1 Resident Artist
The selected emergent artist Level 1 will receive:
A stipend of $3,000 for the emergent artist.
$1,000 towards Professional Development (including but not limited to attendance at conferences, workshops, intensives, wellness ventures, etc. that will further the artist’s artistic endeavors).
$2,000 to put towards an artistic project exploration (including workshops days, community engagement events led by the artist, public offering, Story Circle, etc.).
An optional Work In Progress Showing and/or Workshop led by the artist at the 2027 Queer (Re)Public Festival.
The EMERGENT LEVEL ONE (1) Resident Artist must:
Have a project proposal and/or thesis that is either in development or has not been fully produced. Projects that have received workshops, readings, etc. are all eligible.
Be ready to discuss how TTO’s values of Edge, Queering, Questioning, and Ambidextrous(detailed below) shows up in your work and yourself as an artist.
Level 2 Resident Artist
The selected emergent artist Level 2 will receive:
A stipend of $5,000 for the emergent artist.
$5,000 to put towards an artistic project exploration (including workshops days, community engagement event led by the artist, public offering, Story Circle, etc.).
Artists choice of Workshop or Full Production of their work at the 2027 Queer (Re)Public Festival.
Professional Development opportunities to engage with and present to different artists, performances, and theater producers through TTO’s resources & national partnerships (including but not limited to National Performance Network, Theater Communications Group, NEPA, and more).
The EMERGENT LEVEL TWO (2) Resident Artist must:
Have a project proposal that has had at least 1-2 workshops and/or Work-In-Progress Showings, either produced by an institution or self-produced.
Have engaged in vigorous artistic practice of their choosing.
Have experience in new work creation & development.
Have an understanding of iterative producing/artistic steps and learnings.
In addition, each artist will receive:
Accounting, Budgeting, Banking, and Taxes courses for freelance artists.
Administrative support; Access to studio space, printing, and all TTO in-kind resources.
Direct production support from TTO’s Program Team.
Archival & Documentation & Graphic Design Support from TTO.
Mentorship sessions with other artists, consultants, cultural workers, etc. that the artist may deem helpful to aid in personal aesthetic/project development.
Double Edge Residency Intensives
The Theater Offensive and Double Edge Theater are engaged in Harvest Partnership—an exchange of resources, artistic development, and mutual organizational learning—which includes two-three (2-3) 1-2 week long intensives with our Resident Artists & their creative teams and/or mentors at their facilities in Ashfield, MA.
Expectations and responsibilities regarding these Intensives include:
Attendance at each 1-2 week long Residency Intensives during April 2026, September 2026, and April 2027 (exact dates TBD).
Collaboration with TTO Producers on goals & weekly schedule for independent projects for each Intensive week to further the development of their project, artistic exploration, and cohort building.
Use of Double Edge’s rehearsal/performance spaces, grounds, and other facilities.
Artist-curated Cohort Exchanges for sharing knowledge, practices, & artistic explorations with fellow artists.
End-of-week Share Out of in-progress work, and Share Out for feedback & questions to further the work.
Additional stipends, per diems, housing, food, and transportation provided for each Resident Artist and affiliated creative teams/mentors.
ELIGIBILITY, CONDITIONS, & REQUIREMENTS:
All Resident Artists, regardless of Level, must:
Self-identify as a Queer and/or Trans person of color or ally
Demonstrate self-direction, strong collaboration skills, and an ability to understand and articulate artistic needs & goals.
Have housing within the Greater Boston area during the duration of the Residency, between September 2025 - June 2027.
Commit to spending the 22-month residency period by actively participating in The Theater Offensive’s community and staff.
Commit to being present and actively participating during all aspects of this residency, including 1-on-1 meetings with TTO’s Producers, monthly cohort meetings, attendance at Double Edge Residencies, and a willingness to be present for cohort shares & outings. If emerging artists do not show active participation, the residency will be canceled at the discretion of the Director of Programs.
Serve on the Selection Committee for the 2027 - 2029 EMERGENT ARTIST RESIDENCY.
SELECTION PROCESS:
Artists that apply for the EMERGENT ARTIST RESIDENCIES are screened for eligibility by The Theater Offensive’s Programs Staff, and are then evaluated by a selection committee made up of TTO’s Staff and previous Resident Artists who will select finalists. The selected finalists receive an interview with TTO’s Programs Team, who will then evaluate the finalists and make a final decision.
Selection for this residency is based on development of the artist’s queer aesthetic, commitment, originality, and need. The selections are guided by TTO’s mission, guiding values, and Queer Liberatory Aesthetics:
GUIDING VALUES:
OUTness creates and transforms space for queer and trans people of color, and the world around us.
Design Justice engages those most directly affected to be leaders at the forefront of our movement and telling stories.
Shared Power guides our programming, pedagogy and organizational structure.
Youth Leadership centers youth perspectives, amplifies youth voices, and supports youth of color as the current leaders of our movement.
Experimentation & Innovation keeps our work adaptive, iterative and relevant.
QUEER LIBERATORY AESTHETICS:
Innovation, Disruption and Subversion/Unrealities
Lineages and Time Travel
Emotional Risk and Tenderness, Wholeness
Edge, Queering, Questioning, Ambidextrous
Space & Segregation: Honoring the Kitchens, Piers, and Community Centers
Medicinal/Healing
(Be)longing
We invite you to read more about our Aesthetics here prior to applying to this Residency.
TO APPLY:
Using the subject line [Initials] FY26 EMERGING ARTIST RESIDENCY [Level One or Level Two], send an email to apply@thetheateroffensive.org with a single PDF document, containing the following elements in sequence:
AN APPLICATION COVER SHEET with the following information presented in clear format:
NAME
COMPLETE MAILING ADDRESS
HOME PHONE, OTHER PHONE
EMAIL ADDRESS
PROJECT TITLE
PROJECT SYNOPSIS
AN ARTISTIC SAMPLE: Additional Materials that support and expand upon your project proposal (i.e workshop outlines, video of a performance, compilation video of your artistic work, images and or photographs of artwork, writing samples, or an excerpt of a script and/or monologue, reach write ups you have done in consideration of this piece, project timeline proposal using the requirements above). The submitted materials must be a complete draft that represents your best work.
Answer these following questions:
What inspires you and your work? [250 words max]
How important is collaboration and emergent strategy in your process [250 max]
Why are you interested in doing this residency now? Incorporate three goals you wish to obtain after going through a process like this [500 words max]
How do our above values show up in your work? [500 words max]
ARTISTIC RESUME [listing all productions, readings, awards, commissions, and other relevant artistic information]
RECOMMENDATIONS: Each application needs to submit a letter of recommendation from an industry professional that can speak to your work ethic, creativity, and character. In addition to this, each applicant needs to submit 2-3 references that the TTO Staff can call if the applicant is advanced to becoming a finalist. The one page of recommendation needs to be submitted with the application.
Name the application packet file as follows: [Last Name]_EARFY26_[L1 or L2].pdf
Example: Application packet sent by Jael Smith = Smith_EARFY26_L1.pdf]
Email your application packet to apply@thetheateroffensive.org by January 31st 2025
No late application will be accepted.
Receipt of application materials will be confirmed via email.
DEADLINES & IMPORTANT DATES:
Applications live: November 18, 2024 -January 31, 2025
Finalists notified: February 17th 2025
Finalists Interviews: Week of March 3rd 2023
Recipient(s) notified on: May 12th 2023
Residency Term: September 2025 - June 2027
QUESTIONS:
Contact: Des Bennett at des@thetheateroffensive.org
True Colors Out Youth Theater
True Colors: Out Youth Theater, launched in 1994, is an out-of-school program that uses a community-based theater approach to train and activate lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and allied youth leaders ages 12-25. True Colors Residency Program, piloted in July 2021, is dedicated solely to queer & trans young artists of color, whose work demonstrates artist merit and inquisitive exploration of their personal queer aesthetics. Through the True Colors Residency Program TTO will engage one young artist with a background in youth ensemble work from our TTO’s True Color’s Programming or beyond. Alongside TTO’s Programs Director & Staff, the selected young artist will develop an aspiring project, work on career and professional development during a 22-month residency cycle.
2025-2027 True Colors Residency Applications
The True Color Residency will recognize one (1) QTPOC young artist from September 2025 - June 2027. The chosen young artist must demonstrate a commitment to artistic exploration, and artistic vigor & practice.
The selected True Colors Artist will receive:
A stipend of $3,000 for the True Colors artist;
Administrative support; Access to studio space, printing, and all TTO in-kind resources;
Direct support & mentorship form TTO’s Program Team;
Accounting, Budgeting, Banking, and Taxes courses for freelance artists;
Mentorship sessions with other artists, consultants, cultural workers, etc. that the artist may deem helpful to aid in personal aesthetic/project development.
Teaching Artist, Assistant Director Apprenticeship, or Workshop with True Colors Troupe;
$1,000 towards Professional Development (including but not limited to conferences, workshops, intensives, wellness ventures, etc that will further the artists artistic merit);
An artistic community engagement event (ie. Story Circle, Facilitating Liz Lerman Critical Response Process, a Workshop, or Offering).
Sessions with our Programs Director and Queer (Re)Public Programs Manager on their personal aesthetics and artist community engagement event outline and execution.
An optional Work In Progress Showing and/or Workshop led by the artist at the 2027 Queer (Re)Public Festival.
Double Edge Residency Intensives
The Theater Offensive and Double Edge Theater are engaged in Harvest Partnership—an exchange of resources, artistic development, and mutual organizational learning—which includes three (3) 1-2 week long intensives with our Resident Artists & their creative teams and/or mentors at their facilities in Ashfield, MA.
Expectations and responsibilities regarding these Intensives include:
Attendance at each 1-2 week long Residency Intensives during April 2026, September 2026, and April 2027 (exact dates TBD).
Collaboration with TTO Producers on goals & weekly schedule for independent project for each Intensive week to further the development of their project, artistic exploration, and cohort building.
Use of Double Edge’s rehearsal/performance spaces, grounds, and other facilities.
Artist-curated Cohort Exchanges for sharing knowledge, practices, & artistic explorations with fellow artists.
End-of-week Share Out of in-progress work, and Share Out for feedback & questions to further the work.
Additional stipends, per diems, housing, food, and transportation provided for each Resident Artist and affiliated creative teams/mentors.
ELIGIBILITY, CONDITIONS, & REQUIREMENTS:
The True Colors Resident Artist must:
Self-identify as a Queer and/or Trans person of color/ally
Be between 18 - 25 years of age;
Live in the Greater Boston area;
Have housing within the Greater Boston area during the duration of the Residency, between September 2025 - June 2027.
Commit to spending the 22-month residency period by actively participating in The Theater Offensive’s community and staff.
Commit to being present and actively participating during all aspects of this residency, including 1-on-1 meetings with TTO’s Producers, monthly cohort meetings, attendance at Double Edge Residencies, and a willingness to be present for cohort shares & outings. If emerging artists do not show active participation, the residency will be canceled at the discretion of the Director of Programs.
Serve on the Selection Committee for the 2027 - 2029 EMERGENT ARTIST RESIDENCY.
SELECTION PROCESS:
Artists that apply for the EMERGENT ARTIST RESIDENCIES are screened for eligibility by The Theater Offensive’s Programs Staff, and are then evaluated by a selection committee made up of TTO’s Staff and previous Resident Artists who will select two finalists. TTO’s Program Director, Executive Director, and Queer (Re)Public Programs Manager then evaluate the finalists and make a final decision. The selected finalists receive an interview with TTO’s Program Director, Executive Director, and Queer (Re)Public Programs Manager, who will then evaluate the finalists and make a final decision.
Selection for this residency is based on development of the artist’s queer aesthetic, commitment, originality, and need. The selections are guided by TTO’s mission, guiding values, and Queer Liberatory Aesthetics:
GUIDING VALUES:
OUTness creates and transforms space for queer and trans people of color, and the world around us.
Design Justice engages those most directly affected to be leaders at the forefront of our movement and telling stories.
Shared Power guides our programming, pedagogy and organizational structure.
Youth Leadership centers youth perspectives, amplifies youth voices, and supports youth of color as the current leaders of our movement.
Experimentation & Innovation keeps our work adaptive, iterative and relevant.
QUEER LIBERATORY AESTHETICS:
Innovation, Disruption and Subversion/Unrealities
Lineages and Time Travel
Emotional Risk and Tenderness, Wholeness
Edge, Queering, Questioning, Ambidextrous
Space & Segregation: Honoring the Kitchens, Piers, and Community Centers
Medicinal/Healing
(Be)longing
We invite you to read more about our Aesthetics here prior to applying to this Residency.
TO APPLY:
Using the subject line “[Initials] FY26 TRUE COLORS RESIDENCY PROGRAM”, send an email to ricky@thetheateroffensive.org with a single PDF document, containing the following elements in sequence:
AN APPLICATION COVER SHEET with the following information presented in clear format:
NAME
COMPLETE MAILING ADDRESS
HOME PHONE, OTHER PHONE
EMAIL ADDRESS
ARTISTIC AREA INTERESTED IN EXPLORING
IDEAS FOR LEARNING
AN ARTISTIC SAMPLE: Additional Materials that support and expand upon your project proposal (i.e workshop outlines, video of a performance, compilation video of your artistic work, images and or photographs of artwork, writing samples, or an excerpt of a script and/or monologue). The submitted materials must be a complete draft that represents your best work.
Answer these following questions:
What inspires you in the arts? [250 words max]
What are your thoughts on arts at the intersection of social justice? [250 max]
Why are you interested in doing this residency now? Incorporate three goals you wish to obtain after going through a process like this [500 words max]
Artists that inspire your work [500 words max]
RECOMMENDATIONS: Each application needs to submit a letter of recommendation from an industry professional and/or teacher that can speak to your work ethic, creativity, and character. In addition to this, each applicant needs to submit 2-3 references that the TTO Staff can call if the applicant is advanced to becoming a finalist. The one page of recommendation needs to be submitted with the application.
Name the application packet file as follows: [Last Name]_TCRFY26].pdf
Example: Application packet sent by Jael Smith = Smith_TCRFY26.pdf]
Email your application packet by January 31st 2025
No late application will be accepted.
Receipt of application materials will be confirmed via email.
DEADLINES & IMPORTANT DATES:
Applications live: November 18, 2024 - January 31, 2025
Finalists notified: February 17th 2025
Finalists Interviews: Week of March 3rd 2023
Recipient(s) notified on: May 12th 2023
Residency Term: September 2025 - June 2027
QUESTIONS:
Contact: Des Bennett at des@thetheateroffensive.org
INTERNSHIPS
We are always looking for motivated people who are excited about arts activism, looking to develop comprehensive skills, and are dedicated to our mission! We allow flexible schedules, we give you varied responsibilities to give you more experience, and we empower you to do exciting work with us. Our internships can be geared towards folks of all experience levels. We strongly encourage LGBTQ people of color to apply!
True Colors Troupe Internship - Collaborate with and serve as Assistant Director to the True Colors Troupe Director in the devising process. Outside of rehearsal, spearhead outreach and recruitment for Troupe, along with additional administrative tasks as needed.
Development and Communications Internship- Learn about the granting and donorship cycle as well as marketing methods of nonprofits. Assist with data entry, in-kind donation solicitation, mailing, event logistics, outreach initiatives, phone banking, mailers, and market research. Other tasks include grant research, press research, calendar listings and social media research and postings.
Other (please be specific) - Take a moment to learn about The Theater Offensive. If you would like to do something outside of the above descriptions, tell us how you envision contributing to our work and what you hope to gain in your internship.
All internships with The Theater Offensive come with a fixed stipend amount that is calculated based off of Massachusetts minimum wage.
Applications are currently closed, but please email Operations Associate Jasmine Reed at jasmine@thetheateroffensive.org for information on the next round.
Resources for Women of Color Internship Applicants
Women of color internship applicants looking for funding are encouraged to review information about Shatter the Ceiling and apply for $1000 to support your internship.
Other Resources
Want to spend a semester living, studying and volunteering in Boston? Sophomores, Juniors and Seniors at University of New Hampshire or Clark University with at least a 2.5 GPA are eligible to take part and receive a full semester's credits. Get details and learn how to apply for the College for Social Innovation program here.
VOLUNTEER
We love our volunteers!
Whether ushering at a show, serving food at a youth event, helping backstage, or building a puppet, we appreciate the energy and passion of people who are as excited about arts, activism and queer issues as we are.
Contact us here to join our volunteer listserv and to find out about upcoming opportunities to get involved.