Princess Grace Foundation

National in scope, the Princess Grace Foundation-USA supports emerging talent in theater, dance, and film with scholarships, apprenticeships, and fellowships. Currently, John F. Lehman Jr. is at the helm, HSH Prince Albert serves as Vice-Chairman, and Ms. Toby Boshak, who has been with the Foundation for twelve years, is the Executive Director. The organizations goals have been mainly turned towards helping emerging artists. The Foundation’s trustees share Princess Grace’s dedication to supporting the arts and they believe, as She did, that cultivation and training of emerging talent is essential to ensure sustained excellence in the arts.

History

Named in honor of Princess Grace of Monaco, Prince Rainier of Monaco established the program to continue helping emerging artists realize their career goals as Princess Grace did during her lifetime. Prince Rainer's children continue to assist in the program in its 25th year. Notable supporters of the Foundation during its inception include Gant Gaither, Frank Sinatra, Cary Grant, John Johnson, William Rogers, Mary Wells Lawrence, and Lynn Wyatt. In 1982, the Board of Trustees, under Robert Hausman, incorporated Princess Grace Foundation-USA as a not-for-profit public charity. In 1984, after the initial fund raising phase was complete, financial grants in the form of scholarships, apprenticeships, and fellowships were awarded to artists associated with schools or companies in the dance and theater disciplines. An arts advisory board composed of distinguished professionals in each of those fields was appointed to choose the most talented applicants as Awards recipients. President Reagen and his wife oversaw the first gala in Washington, D.C.; a tradition now continued annually in the Awards Gala in New York City. It has donated 25 million dollars to 450 theater, dance, and film artists nationwide and now includes grants to playwriting and choreography. [ [http://www.pgfusa.org/ Princess Grace Foundation] Retrieval Date: 11 February, 2008]

The Princess Grace Statue Award

Past winners of the Awards who distinguish themselves in their artistic disciplines since receiving their initial Princess Grace Awards are eligible to win the coveted Princess Grace Statue. It includes a $25,000 unrestricted cash gift and a special Bronze Statue of Princess Grace created by Monegasque artist Kees Verkade.

The Prince Rainier III Award

In 2005, the Board of Trustees inaugurated the Prince Rainier III Award. To date, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Twyla Tharp and George Lucas have received this award.

Notable Princess Grace Awards Winners

Christopher Ashley, Theater, 1989 (1998 Statue Award)Nancy Bannon, Dance, 1989 (Statue Award 1997)Robert Battle, Dance, 1993 (2007 Statue Award)Camille Brown, Choreography, 2006Candy Buckley, Theater, 1989 (1997 Statue Award)Ilya Chaiken, Film, 1994 (2003 Statue Award)Eric Darnell, Film, 1989Michael John Garcés, Theater, 1995 (2007 Statue Award)Oscar Isaac, Theater, 2004Maria Kowroski, Dance, 1994 (2006 Statue Award)Tony Kushner, Theater, 1987 (1994 Statue Award)Andrew Okpeaha MacLean, Film, 2004Amanda McKerrow, Dance, 1986 (1987 Statue Award)Greg Mottola, Film, 1989 (1998 Statue Award)Adam Rapp, Theater-Playwriting, 1999 (2006 Statue Award)Edwin Sanchez, Theater-Playwriting, 1994Alexandra Ansanelli, Dance, 1997Yareli Arizmendi, Theater, 1990 (1995 Statue Award)Alexandra Sichel, Film, 1993Anna D. Shapiro, Theater, 1996Eric Simonson, Theater, 1994 (2005 Statue Award)Ethan Stiefel, Dance, 1991 (Statue Award 1999)Michael Wilson, Theater, 1992 (2001 Statue Award)

References