Kurt Weill Foundation for Music Grants

Kurt Weill Foundation for Music Grants is sponsored by Kurt Weill Foundation for Music. Offers grants for projects related to Kurt Weill and Lotte Lenya, including research, performance, and educational outreach in music.

Grants Program and Collaborative Initiatives - The Kurt Weill Foundation for Music Skip To Content Grants Program & Collaborative Initiatives The Foundation's Grant and Collaborative Initiatives Programs award financial support to individuals and not-for-profit organizations for projects related to Weill, Lenya, or Marc Blitzstein.

Since 1983 the Foundation has awarded more than $5,000,000 in grant funding to hundreds of organizations and individuals worldwide. Proposals are accepted in the following categories: Professional Performance, College/University and Amateur Performance, Media, Scholarly Symposia and Conferences, Publication Assistance, Research & Travel, and the Kurt Weill Dissertation Fellowship.

Street Scene by the Janiec Opera Company of the Brevard Music Center, part of a sponsored summer-long Kurt Weill festival. Photo: John Allen Collaborative Initiatives The annual application deadline is 1 November for proposals for projects and performances taking place on or after 1 January of the coming year and before 1 July of the year following.

For example, the application deadline is 1 November 2026 for proposals for projects and performances taking place on or after 1 January 2027 and before 1 July 2028. (Proposals for retroactive funding of projects or performances will not be accepted.)

An additional application deadline of 1 June is primarily intended for College/University Performance grants for productions taking place in the following academic year, however applications in all categories are welcome at this time. Applications for support of major professional productions/festivals/exhibitions, etc., may be evaluated on a case-by-case basis without application deadlines.

Funding may be requested by professional opera companies, theater companies, dance companies, orchestras, ensembles, and other concert groups for performances of musical works by Kurt Weill and/or Marc Blitzstein.

College/University and Amateur Performance Funding of up to $15,000 may be requested by colleges, universities, and amateur performing arts organizations in support of general production expenses for performances of Kurt Weill's and/or Marc Blitzstein's stage works, and to cover musical expenses in connection with performances of Weill's or Blitzstein's concert works.

Support may be requested for radio, television, video, film, audio, or multimedia projects that feature Kurt Weill's, Lotte Lenya's, or Marc Blitzstein's life and/or music.

Scholarly Symposia and Conferences Performing and educational organizations may request funding for scholarly or educational activities (workshops, symposia, scholarly conferences, secondary and college-level educational initiatives, etc.) focusing on Weill, Lenya, and/or Blitzstein.

Funding may be requested by authors and not-for-profit publishers to subvent expenses related to preparing manuscripts for publication in a recognized scholarly medium, including editing, indexing, design, and reproduction fees. Topics must be related to Kurt Weill, Lotte Lenya, and/or Marc Blitzstein.

Funding may be requested to support research and travel expenses to the Weill-Lenya Research Center and other locations of primary source material. Applicants must be researching a topic related to Kurt Weill, Lotte Lenya, and/or Marc Blitzstein.. Kurt Weill Dissertation Fellowship Doctoral candidates may apply for dissertation fellowships to assist in research activities on Weill, Lenya and/or Blitzstein-related topics.

Fellowships are reserved for candidates with extraordinary potential for contribution to the field evidenced by recommendations from the academic community. The applicant's project should address significant lacunae in Weill, Lenya, and/or Blitzstein research.

Collaborative Initiative Programs As a counterpart to its Grant Program, the Kurt Weill Foundation partners in select cases with both professional arts organizations and educational institutions, and consortiums thereof, to realize projects that advance the strategic goals of the Foundation.

Realization of these partnership projects requires the Foundation to be involved at the earliest stages of the planning processes, with ongoing timely and extended collaborative discussions. Resources offered by the Foundation in order to enable such undertakings include both substantial funding as well as expertise concerning repertoire, casting, and other facets of the project.

The amount of financial support available through this program is flexible and commensurate with the scale of the project and its potential for significant impact. Projects usually center on the production or performance of one or more of Kurt Weill’s or Marc Blitzstein’s compositions, but may include ancillary activities designed to advance more general awareness and appreciation of their works.

For more information, contact Secretary of the Foundation and Director of Programs and Business Affairs Frequently Asked Questions Evaluation Criteria and Award Notification 100 Low Normal High Muted We don't support Internet Explorer Please use Chrome, Safari, Firefox, or Edge to view this site.