PEN/Laura Pels International Foundation for Theater Award Grant

PEN/Laura Pels International Foundation for Theater Award Grant

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: PEN America
Amount: US $10,000
Last Updated: November 21, 2025

Summary

The PEN/Laura Pels International Foundation for Theater Award recognizes an American playwright in mid-career with a $10,000 cash prize. Established to honor excellence in American theater, this award reflects Laura Pels's commitment to supporting outstanding literary achievements. PEN America, founded in 1922, advocates for the freedom of expression and celebrates diverse voices in literature through various awards, fellowships, and grants, totaling over $370,000 annually.

Overview

PEN America Founded in 1922, PEN America is the largest of the more than 100 centers worldwide that make up the PEN International network. PEN America works to ensure that people everywhere have the freedom to create literature, to convey information and ideas, to express their views, and to access the views, ideas, and literatures of others. Our strength is our Membership—a nationwide community of more than 4,500 novelists, journalists, nonfiction writers, editors, poets, essayists, playwrights, publishers, translators, agents, and other writing professionals, as well as devoted readers and supporters who join with them to carry out PEN America’s mission. Our mission is to unite writers and their allies to celebrate creative expression and defend the liberties that make it possible. PEN America Literary Awards Founded in 1963, the PEN America Literary Awards honor the most outstanding voices in literature across diverse genres, including fiction, poetry, science writing, essays, sports writing, biography, children’s literature, and drama. With the help of our partners, PEN America confers over 20 distinct awards, fellowships, and grants each year, awarding over $370,000 to writers and translators annually. The PEN America Literary Awards program celebrates literary excellence, encourages global discourse, champions important voices, and brings new books to life through our publication awards. From exciting new voices to underrecognized masters of their craft, PEN America honors challenging, thought-provoking, genre-defying writers. PEN/Laura Pels International Foundation for Theater Award Each year, the PEN/Laura Pels International Foundation for Theater Award confers upon an American playwright in mid-career, with an outstanding voice working indisputably at the highest level of achievement, a $10,000 cash prize. The award was developed to reflect Laura Pels’s dedication to supporting excellence in American theater, as well as PEN America’s commitment to recognizing and rewarding the playwright’s literary accomplishments.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website.

Ineligibility

Writers who are also current PEN America staff or interns, trustees, or chairs of Member committees are not eligible for any of the Awards and/or Grants offered by the Literary Awards Program. Additionally, all current members of the Literary Awards Committee are ineligible.