Recommender Grants
for Theatre Creators
Since 2010, Studio 180 Theatre has had the privilege of being one of the recommending organizations for the Ontario Arts Council’s Recommender Grants for Theatre Creators, which assists theatre creators in developing new work.
Over the years, we have been introduced to countless incredible artists through this program, and have been proud to support many projects that have gone on to receive full-scale productions, as well as several that have continued to be workshopped through our Studio 180 IN DEVELOPMENT program.
Deadline: Stay tuned for the 2025 deadline!
Studio 180 Theatre has once again been invited to be a third party recommender for the Ontario Arts Council’s Recommender Grants for Theatre Creators program. We’re seeking submissions from playwrights and collectives developing work that engages audiences and invites them to become part of an ongoing dialogue about issues and ideas of social relevance. Submissions may range from new, unexplored ideas to scripts further along in the development process, but in each case the funding priority will be to “buy time” for writers and artists to pursue, hone and explore projects that function as more than mere entertainment. Our focus is to support text-based proposals that reinforce Studio 180’s commitment to provocative and insightful explorations of contemporary social and political issues.
Grant requests may range from a minimum of $1,000 to a maximum of $3,000. Studio 180 reserves the right to recommend artists for funding at a lesser amount than requested.
PLEASE NOTE: All artists will submit applications to recommenders through Nova, OAC’s online application and grants management system. Applications outside of Nova will not be accepted. Some exceptions may be possible based on OAC’s Inclusive Application Process Policy.
The Nova application is a standardized form which will permit you to submit a resume and writing sample. You will also have the opportunity to answer some questions regarding your work in progress. We are interested in learning about you, your idea and how you hope it will affect audiences. Use these questions to let us know what your project is all about and why it should be of interest to us.
Questions regarding Studio 180’s priorities and involvement in the program can be directed to Artistic Director, Mark McGrinder at mark@studio180theatre.com. Questions regarding the NOVA system should be directed to the Ontario Arts Council.
ALL SUBMISSIONS MUST BE SUBMITTED TO THE NOVA SYSTEM NO LATER THAN 1:00 PM EST ON THE DEADLINE DATE.
For program guidelines and further information about the Recommender Grants for Theatre Creators program, please visit the Ontario Arts Council site. All applicants will be notified of results via the NOVA system no later than January 10, 2026.
Past recipients
2024
Anahita Dehbonehie – Beast Mode
Izad Etemadi – Bloated
郝邦宇 Steven Hao – Fog of War
Amy Nostbakken – Teenage Girls
Sepehr Reybod – Lamb
2023
Rebecca Auerbach – Discount Dave and The Fix
Curtis Campbell – Blake & Clay’s Gay Agenda
Sadie Epstein-Fine – Other Daughter(s)
Carolyn Fe – The Scream
Stephanie Fung – As A Former Fat Kid
Graham Isador – TRUCK
Michael O’Brien – DRIVEN
Keshia Palm – The Amazing Chase Canada
Zorana Sadiq – Really Great Cook
Andrea Scott – Truthfully, Jackie
2022
Michael Ross Albert – All New Things
Lara Arabian – Ship of Fools
Carly Billings and Patrick Michael Teed – Uninvited Guests
Katherine Cullen – Kennel
Cameron Grant – Inheritance (Or Where mi money dey)
Laura Mullin – The Official Facebook Group of Theatre Educators
Marissa Orjalo – twice blessed
Dalbir Singh – Five Red Hands
2021
Ghazal Azarbad & Marie Farsi – REAL
Marie Beath Badian – Common Part III: Chester Breaks His Glasses
Katia Café-Fébrissy – A Summer With My Karen
Sara Farb – Love Us Most
Rebecca Gibian & Natasha Mumba – Sarah Forbes Bonetta
Naomi Tessler – Camp
Caroline Toal – Survivors
Taylor Trowbridge – Tool For Rebellion
2020
Lauren Brotman – her room
Rachel Ganz – Kibbitz
Amanda Lin 林美珠 – Between a Wok and a Hot Pot
Rachel Mutombo – 6×10
Sarena Parmar – The Untitled Witch Project
Ali Joy Richardson – Dad
Julie Tepperman – Man Up!
2019
Bad Muse Collective, Love You Wrong Time
Maheen Hyder, When Armed Birds Fly
Jason Maghanoy, Big
Robert Motum, Future Tenses
Rose Napoli, Legacy
Ngozi Paul, The 1st Time Project Presents – A Documentary Play
The Henry G20 Group, Henry G20
Jennifer Wigmore, Measure²
2018
Isad Etemadi-Shad, We Are Not The Others
Yolanda Bonnell, White Girls in Moccasins
Bilal Baig, blue eyes killed him without blinking
Sunny Drake, CHILD-ISH
Sam Kalilieh, Palestineman
Broadleaf Theatre (Kevin Matthew Wong & Mirka Loiselle),
The Chemical Valley Project
Andrea Scott, Controlled Damage
Natasha Greenblatt & Rimah Jabr, Two Birds One Stone
2017
Alison Lawrence, The Right
Amy Rutherford, Mortified
Daniel Bennett, Views
Darrah Teitel, Behaviour
Polly Phokeev, How We Are Part III: Lecture
2016
Lisa Karen Cox, From The Ashes
Sehar Bhojani, Intifada
Jason Sherman, Ariel’s Wall
Sunny Drake, Sweetie 3.0
Paula Wing, Carl
2015
Sean Devine, Daisy
Caroline Gillis, Don’t Fall Down
Diane Flacks, Unholy
Audrey Dwyer, Calpurnia
Johnnie Walker, Shove it Down My Throat
2014
Jordan Tannahill, This is Not a Bomb
Kate Cayley, Student
Nada Humsi, My Name is Dahkel Faraj
2013
Damien Atkins, Michael Rising
Alex Poch-Goldin, Internazionale
Anusree Roy, Little Pretty and the Exceptional
Eric Woolfe, Man of Mystery
2012
Paul Dunn, Memorial
Andrew Kushnir & Alan Dilworth, Small Axe
Pamela Sinha, Happy Place
2011
Marie Beath Badian, The Good Work of Armando the Apostle
Jenn Buffett, Small Soldiers
Natasha Greenblatt, The Peace Maker
Jonathan Seinen, Redway, California
2010
Ravi Jain (Why Not Theatre), Komagata Maru
Sonja Mills (Union Eight Theatre), Oil Man
Liza Balkan, Out the Window
Christopher Morris (Human Cargo), Petawawa