Ars Nova is committed to developing and producing theater, comedy and music artists in the early stages of their professional careers. Our unique development programs are designed to support outside-the-box thinking and encourage innovative, genre-bending work. By providing a safe environment where risk-taking and collaboration are paramount, Ars Nova gives voice to a new generation of artists and audiences, pushing the boundaries of live entertainment by nurturing creative ideas into smart, surprising new work. On & off-stage, we value equity and inclusion and prioritize representation and diversity. Learn more about how to join the team below, and if you’d like to learn more about what we’re doing to promote fair wages, check out our Fair Pay Guidelines.
New work for the stage isn’t always created around a table. Ars Nova has a number of programs and performance series designed to provide opportunities for artists to see their work in front of an audience throughout the stages of a development process. More information is below, with links to submission details when applicable.
The Ars Nova artistic team is always out seeing new work. Please feel free to send us an invitation to your show at artistic@arsnovanyc.com. Information about how to submit to ANT Fest, Showgasm and Play Group can be found below. Due to the volume of submissions we receive for these programs, it may take us up to six months to respond, so please bear with us. These programs are our best opportunity to get to know artists and projects, so we don’t accept unsolicited submissions outside of their application windows. Feel free to invite us to your work around town until the next application period opens!
An annual festival of All New Talent designed to showcase groundbreaking emerging artists from a range of disciplines.
The submission period for ANT Fest 2022 is now closed. To learn more about ANT Fest, click here.
Our raucous variety show-meets-party with performances ranging from hilarious to titillating to utterly inappropriate! We’re always on the lookout for new performers to showcase. Have a five-minute act you’d like to try out? Please fill out this form.
Our efforts to keep Ars Nova an active artist hub go beyond the shows we produce; a variety of initiatives and programs help establish and engage a thriving community of artists.
Applications are closed for Play Group 2022.
We accept submissions for new members of our vibrant and eclectic group of resident playwrights every summer. Click HERE for more info.
Applications are closed for CAMP 2022.
Ars Nova CAMP residencies provide a dynamic group of comedy creators with peer support and artistic feedback as they work on developing a new comedic work in weekly meetings. Applications are accepted once a year.
Ars Nova is an Equal Opportunity Employer, is committed to the principle of diversity and encourages applications from persons of color and individuals with disabilities.
Applications for the Emerging Leaders Group have now closed.
Ars Nova exists to discover, develop and launch singular theater, comedy and music artists who are in the early stages of their careers. We were founded as a playground and a launch pad for emerging artists to create new work, with a dual mission to build the next generation of audiences for live entertainment by prioritizing a zeitgeist-forward aesthetic and marrying it with accessible ticket prices. Today, Ars Nova is known for its “pop-culture-savvy experimentation, with a hipness that sets it apart” (New York Times).
Ars Nova recognizes both that it is a predominantly white institution and that our institutional practices have led to the exclusion of Black, Indigenous and People of Color from our team. We are actively working to become a more diverse, anti-racist, inclusive organization; please see our commitments and progress towards these objectives HERE. We hope BIPOC candidates will accept our invitation to apply.
Ars Nova requires all employees to be fully vaccinated and boosted against Covid-19. Religious and medical exemptions to vaccination will be provided in accordance with New York State public health laws.
Here’s a basic breakdown of the Fellow experience:
Emerging Leaders Group Fellowships are training positions designed as pathway from school to the workforce, so current students are not eligible. A college degree is not necessary to apply. All Fellows should be based in the New York City metropolitan area. Fellows need access to WiFi, and a computer with a camera & microphone for possible remote work if they prefer, but can also come into the office every day and use technology provided onsite. Accommodations and resources can be provided if this would be a barrier to participation.
Ars Nova values equity and inclusion and prioritizes representation and diversity. Applications from persons of color are strongly encouraged. Ars Nova is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Ars Nova has provided intensive training to over 100 young people who have become leaders throughout the field. Our alumni have gone onto administrative positions at many of the City’s top companies including: The Public Theater, Lincoln Center, Manhattan Theatre Club, New York Theatre Workshop, Atlantic Theater Company, BRIC, 59E59, The Flea Theater, Pipeline Theater Company, The Julliard School, The Pekoe Group and Serino/Coyne. Plus many of Ars Nova’s current staff are former interns or emerging leaders!