Submissions open for Newport NewWorks 2026 Musical Theater Festival | A 2 week residency in Newport, RI. August 2026 - Newport NewWorks

Submissions are open for Newport NewWorks Summer 2026 Musical Theater Festival in Newport Rhode Island. The mission of Newport NewWorks is to create a supportive, collaborative, and dynamic environment where emerging and established artists can come to play, explore, and develop their work-in-progress musicals. At every step in the process, we strive to foster an environment that is bold, inclusive, collaborative, safe, fun — and operates at the highest levels of artistic excellence!



Every year, up to three unproduced works are selected from a worldwide pool of submissions, for a two-week-long, artist-driven workshop residency by the sea – in beautiful and creatively inspiring Newport, Rhode Island. Artists in Residence are provided housing, transportation, most meals, and a stipend. Workshops are wholly artist-driven and staffed with industry-leading Broadway level professionals.



The process is hypercollaborative and each team will work with industry-leading producers, directors, dramaturgs, musicians, and actors for an intensive 64-hour rehearsal period. Our goal is to elevate and evolve every participating show by bolstering and matchmaking each work with customized needs to help elevate it to the next level. The festival culminates in two public, script-in-hand, workshop presentations.



Artists are welcome and encouraged to revise, rework, and rewrite as much as possible while in residence with us. Risk-taking is encouraged. Artists are also welcome to attend rehearsals and presentations of their peers' work as we aim to build a strong community of fellow writers, artists, songwriters, and theater-makers, lasting long after the festival! Evening bonfires, time at the beach & on the water, divine culinary delights, and industry expert conversations are all a part of the Newport NewWorks experience!



Please note: We require that all works submitted to the Newport NewWorks Festival remain without professional production throughout their participation in the festival.



Apply here: http://www.newportnewworks.org/apply






Salary: $1,000 stipend for the residency