Scholarships

Piven Theatre Workshop is committed to accessibility in theatre.

We are proud to offer scholarships every year to students who would not otherwise be able to participate in theatre programs. We believe that theatre must be accessible and open to all. A large focus of our mission is to break down barriers in arts education and to create a welcoming space for individuals of all backgrounds. As a result, we consistently offer scholarships for youth and adults to take classes with us. This initiative is an essential part of our mission and speaks to the ethos of our organization.

The Piven methodology is built on the celebration of different backgrounds and inventive modes of storytelling. The Story Theatre technique developed by our founders Joyce and Byrne Piven pushes actors to take risks, find the emotional truth of the story, and build an intimate connection with the audience. We believe that this acting training provides students with essential skills that they can apply to many different parts of their lives.

The theatre arts encourage the development of valuable skills such as creative expression, critical thinking, reading, comprehension, innovation, imagination, collaboration, and effective verbal and non-verbal communication. Piven Theatre Workshop’s focus on text and creative play contributes to reaching the whole individual and developing each of these skills regardless of their capacity to pay.

In order to support our diverse arts, educational and outreach programming across Chicago and Evanston, Illinois, we are committed to providing theatre training scholarships to underserved youth and adults. Because of this, Piven Theatre Workshop provides vital arts education to all students who wish to enroll. As a result, low-income applicants are awarded scholarships 100% of the time. We award over $50,000 annually in theatre training scholarships.

To apply for a theatre training scholarship, please fill out this form and email it to info@piventheatre.org with the subject line “Scholarship Application” or send it to Piven Theatre Workshop, 927 Noyes St, Suite 104, Evanston, IL 60201. Scholarship applications can take up to two weeks to process, so please take the first date of your desired theatre classes into consideration when applying. Visit our Theatre Classes for Adults, Youth Classes, or Summer Theatre Camps pages for more information on dates.