We pride ourselves on being a workplace that puts the health and safety of our staff and guest artists first.

It is now increasingly clear that the best way we can protect our workplace and our employees moving forward is with COVID-19 vaccines. Vaccines have been proven to protect against serious illness from the novel coronavirus, as well as lessen the rates of transmission. Vaccines provide stronger, longer, and better protection against infection from the novel coronavirus than the antibodies a person produces after they’ve been infected with COVID-19. It is for all these reasons, plus the legal requirement by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s General Duty clause to provide each worker “employment and a place of employment which are free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm,” that we are implementing a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy for our workplace. 

In general, people are considered fully vaccinated:

• 2 weeks after their second dose in a 2-dose series, such as the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or
• 2 weeks after a single-dose vaccine, such as Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine

What is the timeline for the application, interview, and selection process?
The application process is from December 6, 2021, through February 11, 2022, interviews will be held in March-April and offers will be made by mid-May. 

What are the dates of the fellowship?
Fellowships for the 2022-2023 season begin on September 6, 2022, and run for 35-38 weeks depending on the season calendar.  They end in May 2023, but more specific end dates will be available once the calendar is finalized.

What do I need to include in my applications?
Upload a cover letter about yourself, your skills and what you want to get out of the fellowship; you should also submit a copy of your resume and the contact information for 2-3 references. Some fellowships require a writing sample as part of the application: Community Programs, Development, General and Company Management, Leadership and Business, Marketing, Media Relations, and School Programs require a writing sample. However, these fellowships do not ask for a writing sample: Artistic Development, Costumes, Graphic Design, Lighting and Patron Services.

What kind of references should I have?
For references you should submit the names, positions, and contact information (email and phone number) for 2-3 people who have worked with you and observed your abilities. They could be a professor, the supervisor of a job, someone you have worked under in a theater or other organization, but they should not be a friend or relative. (Be sure to contact your proposed references for permission to use them for the purpose.)

What should I submit as a writing sample?
A writing sample should be about 2 pages that you have written that show your skills. The sample could be part of an essay, an analysis or research paper, an article, a study guide, a theater review, a press release, a grant proposal, etc., no more than 2 pages long and ideally something related to the fellowship you are pursuing.

Is there an age requirement?
Fellows must be over 18, but there is not an upper age limit. While most fellows tend to be in their 20s-30s, we have also had older fellows that have been career-changers.

What are the educational requirements?
While a degree could be helpful, no theater or other degree is required to be an Allen Lee Hughes BIPOC Fellow. Our fellowships are crafted for those aiming at a career in professional theater. Please share any skills or experiences you may have that would allow you to succeed as a fellow at Arena Stage in your resume and cover letter. All relevant administrative, creative, educational and work experience will be considered.

Is there a vaccination requirement?
Arena Stage requires that everyone who enters the building have proof of vaccination against COVID-19, including staff, artists, audiences, vendors and students. In order to participate in the fellowship program you must be able to show proof that you are fully vaccinated before the fellowship start date. You also must abide by any masking or other Arena Stage health protocols that are in effect during the fellowship.

I see that fellows are paid a stipend—what does that mean? 
A stipend is money that is provided to help you with your living expenses during the fellowship. A stipend is not wages or salary. Fellows are issued their stipends weekly at a rate of $600 per week.

Do you provide housing?
Unfortunately, Arena Stage does not provide housing for fellows. Former fellows have found housing and/or roommates through Craig’s List and Facebook groups like Washington D.C.- Housing, Apartments, Rooms, Sublets and (Q) POC Housing in D.C. When selecting housing, please consider location, commute time and cost, and rent cost.

Do you provide fellows with parking at or around Arena Stage? 
No, we have no designated fellow parking. Parking in Southwest D.C. can be hard to find and expensive if you find it. There are some options around the theater, but many people find that their best transportation choice to be the Metro or the bus system. The Green Line serves the Waterfront metro station, which is about a block from the theater. Learn more about Metro here

What is the weekly time commitment?
Most fellowships will average about 40 hours a week over the course of the fellowship, but the hours per week may be affected by the fellowship area. For example, the Lighting Fellow will work more than 40 hours a week during technical rehearsals but will be given time off in other weeks to balance those additional hours.

Will I have time to have an additional part-time job?
The fellowships are fulltime. Any additional work would need to be approved by your supervisor to ensure that it doesn’t conflict with your fellowship.

Do I get holidays, sick leave or vacation time during the fellowship?
Fellows are eligible for 10 paid holidays per year: New Year's Day, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, President's Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Indigenous People’s Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. In addition, Fellows receive two weeks of paid leave (80 hours). This leave encompasses vacation, sick and personal time and must be approved by the Fellow’s supervisor in advance.

What kind of mentorship will I receive?
There are three layers of mentorship provided for fellows. Their primary mentor is their supervisor, who has regularly scheduled mentor meetings every or every other week with the fellow—in addition to their daily contact in a supervisory capacity. Each fellow also has a senior staff mentor that they meet with at least once a month, which gives access to the highest level of organizational leadership. In addition, there is team mentorship from the fellow’s department as a whole.

What educational and other opportunities are part of the fellowship?
The Training Programs Manager will provide education sessions to the entire fellow cohort about twice a month. These will include sessions with leaders of different departments at Arena Stage, so each fellow gets an overview of the whole organization; meetings with guest artists that are visiting Arena Stage; and workshops on various aspects of pursuing a career in the theater such as cover letters and resumes, financial literacy in the context of theater, networking and more. There will be opportunities to meet fellows or interns from other arts organizations, complimentary tickets to Arena Stage productions (as well as ticket offers from other local theaters) and group social events.

Are the fellowships virtual or in person?
Fellowships are planned to be in person for the 2022-2023 season.

Can I apply for more than one fellowship?
Yes. Be sure to submit a customized cover letter with each application. 

Do you offer fellowships for actors? 
Arena Stage does not offer fellowships in acting. 

Do you offer high school internships or fellowships?
Arena Stage does not offer high school internships or fellowships.

Are non-U.S. citizens eligible to apply?
We are only accepting applicants who are U.S. citizens for the 2022/23 Season fellowships.

What if I have additional questions about the Fellowship that are not answered here?
Double check to see if your question is answered elsewhere on the Fellowship page, or in the individual fellowship descriptions. If not, you may email additional questions to fellows@arenastage.org.

A lighting designer and teacher of lighting design, Allen Lee Hughes has a B.A. from Catholic University and a M.F.A. from New York University. He received the USITT Distinguished Achievement Award in Lighting Design for 2003. He is the recipient of the 1997 Merritt Award for Excellence in Design and Collaboration, two Washington Helen Hayes Awards and four Tony nominations. Broadway credits include A Soldier’s Play, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, Clybourne Park, Having Our Say, Mule Bone, Once on This Island, K2, Strange Interlude, Accidental Death of an Anarchist and Quilters. His work has been seen at major theaters throughout the country, including Seattle Rep, New York Shakespeare Festival, Guthrie Theater, Shakespeare Theater, Goodman and Lincoln Center Theater. His dance designs include works for American Ballet Theater, New York City Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, National Ballet of Canada, Ballet Tech, Hartford Ballet and Pilobolus Dance Theatre. Allen teaches at New York University and is very proud to have the Arena Stage fellows program named in his honor.