Fellowships at The Kennedy Center
Fellowships at The Kennedy Center
Congratulations to the UNCSA students selected for the Fellowships at the Kennedy Center for 2026-27: Gabriela Hertel, D&P - Costume Design; Ava Downs, D&P - Scenic Design; Max Grenadier, D&P - Scenic Painting; and Michael Diaz.
Applications for 2027-28 internships will open on February 12, 2027, and be accepted through March 31, 2027.
William R. Kenan, Jr. Fellowships at The Kennedy Center, now in its 26th year, seek to provide emerging theater artists with a wide variety of experiences bridging their academic training with the professional theater community. Kennedy Center Fellows are placed on projects with professional companies in Washington, D.C., including Mosaic Theatre Company, 1st Stage Tysons, The Shakespeare Theatre, Folger Theatre, Studio Theatre, Theatre J. Arena Stage and others, and with partner theaters across the country.
Applicants with strong cross-disciplinary or arts-education interests will be strongly considered. The most recent Fellows have been in Scenic, Costume, Lighting, Projection, and Sound Design, Directing, Stage Management, and in Arts Administration. See specific application criteria below.
Fellows at The Kennedy Center receive a salary of $800 per week and reimbursement for moving expenses to and from the Fellowship (up to $500 each way).
Up to four candidates will be selected for the Fellowship beginning in Fall 2027. Students and graduates of UNCSA’s high school program are not eligible.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Application Portal Opens | February 12, 2027 |
| Application Portal Closes | March 31, 2027 |
| Zoom Interviews | Starting March 5, 2027 |
| Fellowships Announced | May 1, 2027 |
Please carefully read through the Application Criteria and instructions before completing the application below for the William R. Kenan, Jr. Fellowships at The Kennedy Center. We recommend gathering all required materials before completing the online application.
Application Criteria for 2027-28
- The Kenan Fellowships at The Kennedy Center are open to graduates and current students of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) undergraduate and graduate degree programs from the Schools of Drama and Design & Production. All applicants must be members of the classes of 2022-2027.
- Candidates must be self-motivated, demonstrate strong communication, time management and organizational skills in order to maintain a complex schedule; demonstrate a desire to learn and grow as an artist and individual; have curiosity and interest in the Washington, D.C. theatre community; and be highly collaborative.
Required Application Materials
For your online application, submit a single PDF that includes the following:
- Cover Letter: No longer than one page that addresses these questions:
- Why are you interested in the fellowship?
- What do you hope to learn or achieve from this experience?
- What are your artistic goals for the future?
- Resume or Curriculum Vitae
- List of References: Names and contact information of three current references, with at least one from UNCSA faculty
- Portfolio (required only for designers, directors or stage managers). Portfolios can be included
or linked to in the single PDF application file:
- Designers: a representative portfolio of your design work
- Directors: a representative portfolio of directing projects
- Stage Managers: a representative sampling of your paperwork
- Costume Shop Managers: representative portfolio of your work in construction, costume technology, and/or "crafts" (should include paperwork and materials demonstrating your organizational skill)
For questions or additional information contact:
- Kennedy Center: Gregg Henry at 202-416-8864 or ghenry@kennedy-center.org
- UNCSA: Rebecca Pancoast at pancoastr@uncsa.edu
- Office of Career Readiness & Community Engagement: careerreadiness@uncsa.edu
Application for 2027-28 Fellowships