Proposals may be submitted through the form linked below between May 15 and June 30, 2025.

Award applicants must be (or represent) emerging or established choreographers whose body of work reflects quality, craft, creativity, and innovation and who are proposing a collaborative partnership with a specific, established Dance for Parkinson’s class community anywhere in the world. The culmination of this partnership shall be a live performance or film project featuring the choreographer’s work performed by people living with Parkinson’s.

The review committee welcomes choreography based on any and all dance genres and in any style.

Please review the award’s terms and conditions:

I. Application

Applications may be completed by a choreographer, or by a program administrator applying on behalf of a choreographer who is interested in working with a specific program. Applications are due by June 30, 2024 and must be submitted through the form linked below. Neither emailed submissions nor late or incomplete applications will be accepted. For questions about the application process, please send an email to admin@danceforpd.org.

II. Selection process

The selection process comprises three stages:

1. A selection committee of teaching artists and choreographers will review and score applications on artistic merit.

2. The selection committee will present three finalists to Dance for PD administrative staff, which will then review applications for feasibility based on proposed budget, established production history, and organizational capacity.

3. The selection committee will then independently make a final decision based on the remaining pool of candidates. Recipients for the 2024-25 season will be announced in October 2024.

III. Funding, eligible expenses and payment

Up to $12,000 USD will be awarded according to the terms below.

Allowable project expenses include:

-Choreographer and choreographic assistant fees
-Music licensing or composer fees
-Filmmaker and film crew (if project is film based)
-Space rental for the project
-Travel costs
-Theater rental
-Production costs (lighting design, stage manager)
-Costume design and production
-Fees for performers, including musicians
-Marketing for performance
-Videography

Award funding may not be used for:

-Any fees (including teaching artist fees and studio rental costs) related to the on-going delivery of regular Dance for Parkinson’s classes that are not directly related to the choreography/performance project
-Scientific research
-Fees for choreographers not listed on original application

The payment process for award recipients/receiving organizations is as follows:

1. The award recipient/organization submits a detailed budget for projected expenses, as well as other sources of support if available, related to the project stated in the application. Total expenses minus other sources of support may add up to but not exceed $12,000 USD; this net amount is referred to as the Award Budget. For example:

Total project expenses: $14,500
Other sources of support (donations, ticket sales): $5,000
Award Budget requested: $9,500

2. Once received, an initial advance equal to 50% of the Award Budget will be disbursed.

3. Once the project is complete, and a public performance, screening or showing of the project has taken place, the award recipient/organization will submit the following:

– A full video of the choreographed dance with evidence of an audience in attendance
– A printed program describing the performance event
– A brief written report (one page or less) that includes a description of the performance, the number of performers and number of audience members in attendance.
– If the project is film-based, the film itself must be submitted in addition to evidence (through number of views and a report of a public screening) that it has been shared publicly.

Once these presentation requirements have been satisfied, the final payment representing the remaining 50% of the Award Budget will be disbursed. Every effort will be made to process payments within 21 business days of required submissions.

IV. Timeline

It is expected that the entire project should be completed within 12 months of a choreographer receiving the award. However, we understand that unavoidable delays occur and that projects may require additional time. No-cost extensions of up to four months may be requested via email and may be granted on a case-by-case basis. Projects that are not completed and/or do not result in some kind of public performance/screening will be asked to return all expenses minus any hourly fees that have been paid to choreographers, choreographic assistants, composers/musicians, or members of the cast.

The production team, including the choreographer, will be asked to schedule a 30-minute mid-way check-in via Zoom with members of the Bowen Award selection committee and Dance for PD staff. This will be an opportunity for the award recipients to report on progress, ask questions, receive guidance as needed, and provide a real-time update on progress. We ask that you include an approximate date for this check-in on your application.

V. Marketing

All marketing and promotion related to the project, as well as any printed or online programs, must mention refer to the Award using the following language: “This project is made possible by the Lucy Bowen Award, which is administered by Mark Morris Dance Group’s Dance for PD® program”.

By completing the application process, you acknowledge that you have read and will abide by the terms above.