SF's AATC lands grant

The Hewlett and Gerbode foundations are playing muse with $50,000 commissions to six emerging California playwrights.

Half of each grant will go directly to the winning artist; half will go to the hosting performing arts organization to cover the cost of presenting the original play. The six plays will all premiere at a Bay Area performing arts organization, and all the winners are 35 or younger.

American Conservatory Theater, Asian American Theatre Workshop, Encore Theatre, San Francisco Playhouse, Shotgun Players and Youth Speaks will each present one of the original plays, which will premiere between September 2008 and June 2010.

The gifts are part of a three-year, $900,000 initiative by San Francisco's Wallace Alexander Gerbode Foundation and Menlo Park's William and Flora Hewlett Foundation to support young Bay Area artists as well as performing arts organizations. In recent years, funding for artists and performing arts organizations has declined.

In 2005, Hewlett and Gerbode funded six commissions for emerging choreographers. This spring, the foundations will accept applications from up-and-coming Bay Area choreographers.