IN LOVING MEMORY OF DEA HURSTON
The Dea Hurston Fellowship (DHF) program at New Village Arts was created to address the lack of paid opportunities for women, BIPOC, and other underrepresented theatre artists and students in San Diego.
Applications are closed for the 2024-2025 Fellowship
The DHF, which will currently focus on San Diego County, is centered on the belief that a more diverse theatre environment leads to better and more inspiring stories that have broader positive impact on our communities.
The Dea Hurston Fellowship (DHF) addresses three main categories:
High School
The high school program focuses on accessibility to the arts for students in high school. The DHF provides free tickets to shows, education from industry professionals, and mentorship opportunities. The DHF will give priority to students from lower income/higher diversity schools.
College Students
The college program focuses on creating professional opportunities for BIPOC, women, and other underrepresented theatre artists currently in college. DHF covers stipends for these emerging artists to work in local professional theatres and gain mentorship from them.
Professional Experience Artists and Administrators
The professional artist and administrator program supports the hiring of BIPOC artists in professional theatres in San Diego County.
The DHF is designed to support artists working within San Diego County to create meaningful connections and discourse with NVA, youth and college-aged partners, and the greater San Diego theatre and arts community.
RECENT FELLOWS INCLUDE
“Dea Hurston created this program to bring opportunities to the people that lacked access in various areas of the arts. She first worked with Moxie Theatre and San Diego Opera to fulfill these dreams and I’m very grateful that New Village Arts is now a branch of her legacy. As a young, Black woman, and artist, I can wholeheartedly say that this is a program I needed and would have benefitted from in my earlier years in the arts. I am honored to be the manager of the Dea Hurston Fellowship at New Village Arts and I can’t wait to see how it continues to change the face of White American Theatre as we move forward in our goal of creating more opportunities for underrepresented theatre artists in San Diego County.”
— Kiara Hudlin (Education and Fellowship Manager & Hurston Fellow)
“Dea Hurston was a fierce advocate for the arts and created seats at the table for up and coming BIPOC artists throughout her life. This fellowship not only honors her legacy but ensures her name lives on through each and every artist who takes part in it.”
— Kandace Crystal (Hurston Fellow)
“Through the Dea Hurston Fellowship at New Village Arts I was able to learn and grow skills that will help me immensely on my theatre journey. I absolutely loved getting to work with everyone and meeting one on one with my mentor really helped me hone my skills and learn new techniques that I wouldn’t have gotten otherwise. I truly enjoyed the program stage managing “You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown” was a dream come true. I thank NVA and the Dea Hurston foundation for this opportunity and for welcoming me into their theater!“
— Isabella Regan (College Fellow)
Pictured Above: Moments from the Inaugural Fellowship Mixer in 2023. Photo Credit: Rich Soublet Photography
For more information please email Kiara Hudlin, Education & Fellowship Manager