The TYA Tour Development Collective Unveils First Round of Commissioning Awards for New Work

The TYA Tour Development Collective, a new collective of performing arts venues and arts professionals, has revealed a first round of commissioning awards for new artistic work for families and young audiences.

The TYA Tour Development Collective is an informal group of nine performing arts presenting organizations from around the United States that have come together to help individual artists and companies fund the development of new work. The goal of the Collective is to assist artists in preparing work designed for youth and family audiences to tour across the country in the 2026-2027 season.

In the first funding cycle, 34 artists submitted applications to a competitive review process; 10 were chosen to present their plans to the Collective and ultimately four new works were selected to receive support.

These artists and companies are:

Daniel Carlton – New York, NY
Joshua Holden – Brooklyn, NY
Honolulu Theatre for Youth – Honolulu, HI
Inlet Dance Theatre – Cleveland, OH

“We are thrilled that the pilot year of this endeavor was so successful,” says steering team member Karoline Myers of Des Moines Performing Arts. “Not only is there high interest from artists in funding support, the Collective members have shown that we can make a much more significant impact when we work together. By collaborating with like-minded organizations who want to champion a work early in its development process, the impact of our contributions go further and we can be more assured that exciting and meaningful projects will be able to make their way to our – and other – stages across the country.”

“At a time when many artists and companies are struggling to find sustainable financial support, The TYA Development Collective is a source of hope in the funding landscape for performances for young audiences. By working collectively, presenting venues have the opportunity for direct and significant impact. These projects are ambitious, joyful and relevant to the audiences of today,” adds Sarah Saltwick of Holden and Arts Associates, one of the two agents part of developing the concept.

Sarah McCarthy (Dandelion Artists), Daniel Hahn (Playhouse Square), and Sara Morgulis (TYA/USA) make up the rest of the steering team. The Collective launched in the Fall of 2024, with the commissioning funds, totaling $74,000, awarded in late April 2025. The Collective is administered by Michigan Maven Creative Associates.

Collective membership currently includes:
Alden Theatre – McLean, VA
Dayton Live – Dayton, OH
Des Moines Performing Arts – Des Moines, IA
Jay and Susie Gogue Performing Arts Center – Auburn, AL
Midwest Trust Center, Johnson County Community College – Overland Park, KS
Playhouse Square – Cleveland, OH
Walton Arts Center – Fayetteville, AR
Wharton Center for Performing Arts – East Lansing, MI
Zoellner Arts Center, Lehigh University – Bethlehem, PA

The second funding cycle of the TYA Tour Development Collective will launch in the Fall of 2025 and is seeking additional Collective members and artists developing new work to tour in the 2027-2028 season. The deadline for venues to join the Collective is November 1, 2025; the application window for artists will open in December. Virtual information sessions will be held in the fall.