Theatrical Workforce Development Program Admin.

A paid, year-long career development fellowship for early professionals and career changers—in the heart of New York theatre.

The Theatrical Workforce Development Program (TWDP) in Arts Administration provides a paid career development fellowship for early professionals and career changers. This year-long program aims to increase access to careers in the arts and entertainment industry for New Yorkers and empower new theatre professionals.

Fellows join Roundabout for an entire year in a full-time capacity, working with an administrative department where they receive daily on-the-job learning and take on long-term projects. Fellows also attend workshops, seminars, mentoring sessions, career development programs, and networking opportunities facilitated through Education at Roundabout and our partners across New York.

This is a career development program—you do not need a background in theatre or arts administration to apply.

Artistic

Support the artistic department with literary work, production support, and operational work. Ideal for those seeking artistic, organizational, or administrative roles at arts and entertainment organizations.

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Culture and Engagement

Support the operations of Roundabout’s Culture and Engagement team, including database management, accessibility, and employee engagement. Ideal for those seeking jobs in employee engagement, human resources, and accessibility.

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Development

Support the daily work of a large development team, including Individual and Institutional Giving, special events, and donor stewardship. Ideal for those seeking jobs in development, communication, and event management.

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Education

Support the daily operations of Roundabout’s education team and assist with the coordination and execution of education programming. Ideal for those seeking jobs in event production, education program management, and community engagement.

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Finance / HR

Assist the finance and HR teams in various short- and long-term projects involving human resources, accounting, and compliance. Ideal for those seeking jobs in administration, finance, and people operations.

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General Management

Provide support for artists, contract research, applying union agreements, and the execution of Roundabout’s season. Ideal for those seeking jobs in administration, general or company management in arts and entertainment.

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FAQ

About the Program

September 2026 to August 2027. Full-time, 40 hours/week with a typical workday of 10am–6pm. 80% on-the-job learning, 20% career development and networking programming. Hybrid positions with occasional evening and weekend work. Includes a one-week paid orientation session.

$20.31/hour. Fellows are eligible to opt-in to Roundabout’s benefits package, which includes medical, dental, and vision insurance, as well as transit and comp tickets. Fellows also participate in cohort-based learning and support, and have the opportunity to join Roundabout’s affinity groups.

Financial literacy workshops, resume and cover letter building, seminars with Roundabout’s senior staff, skill-building workshops, conference and networking opportunities, one-on-one mentorship with Roundabout staff, and co-learning presentations.

No. Fellowships run from September through August and span a full twelve months.

No. These fellowships are full-time (40 hours/week). A typical workday is 10am–6pm, with occasional nights and weekends required.

Not directly. This program focuses on the administrative and logistical side of arts and entertainment, not the artistic side. Think of this program as a desk job more than a stage job.

We do not provide housing or relocation benefits. That said, we incorporated a cost-of-living and transit consideration into the Fellows’ hourly wage ($20.31) to offset some of the costs involved with commuting and living in the city.

Applying

To apply you must: be a resident of New York; have a high school diploma or equivalent; be at least 18 years old (there is no upper age limit); be legally eligible to work in the U.S.; have an interest in theatre and non-profit arts administration; have an interest in the work of the department(s) you are applying to; and attend one of our virtual info sessions.

The TWDP Admin program is designed to support New Yorkers entering the arts and entertainment industry, so it is not open to people living outside of NY. If you think you have a special circumstance, please reach out to us.

Yes. This is a developmental program, so you don’t need previous experience in theater or arts administration. If you have a passion for theater and the work of the department you are applying to, that is enough.

Yes. A high school diploma or equivalent is all that is required.

Yes, if you are already eligible to work for any employer in the U.S. If selected, you must provide Employment Eligibility Verification by the time you start. Unfortunately, at this time we cannot offer work visa sponsorship.

Yes. You can apply to up to three departments in order of preference. The number of departments you apply to will not influence how your application is considered.

Applications for the 2026–27 season are now closed.

The application includes closed questions (personal information, education background, eligibility, any previous Roundabout program experience, and resume) and open questions: your interest in arts administration and why you want to be a TWDP Admin fellow (200 words); themes/topics/challenges you want to explore in a career in theater/arts and culture (200 words); how you approach challenges (200 words); and for each department you apply to, why you’re interested and what makes you a good candidate (200 words each).

Here are some ways to strengthen your application:

  • Show us your passion and interest in the program and the departments you are applying to.
  • Build a connection between your experience or education and the position(s) you are applying to. If you have skills that can help you succeed, let us know!
  • Use your own voice. Don’t use AI tools like ChatGPT for your answers — we want to get to know you!
  • Think about all the departments. Read all the descriptions carefully — you may find some are a great fit you hadn’t considered. Make strategic decisions and don’t discount other departments.

You can email [email protected] with any additional questions. No phone calls, please.

Roundabout Theatre Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer that strives to represent individuals from all walks of life in its workforce. We strongly encourage people from underrepresented groups to apply and ensure that every candidate is treated equally and fairly without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, veteran status, disability status, or any other factor prohibited by law.

Roundabout’s Theatrical Workforce Development Program is made possible through the generosity of Denise Littlefield Sobel, the Altman Foundation, and Capital One.

The Administrative Fellowship receives additional support from the DJ McManus Foundation.

We are grateful to those who contribute major support to Education at Roundabout’s many programs: Dr. Georgette Bennett, The Bok Family Foundation—Roxanne and Scott L. Bok Trustees, Herbert M. Citrin Charitable Foundation, Conard-Davis Family Foundation, Susan and Ed Forst, Freedom Together Foundation, Sylvia Golden, Geoff Greener, HedgeServ Corporation, The Kaplen Brothers Fund, Joele Frank and Larry Klurfeld, the Kors Le Pere Foundation, Jill and Barry Lafer, David and Anita Massengill, Kate and Bob Niehaus, Mitra and Daniel O’Neill, Katheryn Patterson and Tom Kempner, Samantha Rudin Earls and David Earls, Genci Sela – Phase 3, Jennifer and Owen Thomas, Tiger Baron Foundation, Laurie M. Tisch Illumination Fund, Michael Tuch Foundation, Diane and Tom Tuft, Cynthia C. Wainwright and Stephen Berger, Liz and Ken Whitney, Johannes and Regis Worsoe, Emmy Zuckerman and Ed Bonfield.

TWDP is made possible by Roundabout’s Forward Fund Champions. We acknowledge the generous friends who support our many efforts to create a vibrant theatre company that reflects the communities we serve: Elizabeth Armstrong, Kevin Brown, Barbara and Peter Bye, Gina Maria Leonetti, Beryl Snyder, Denise Littlefield Sobel, and Liz and Ken Whitney

The contents of this web page were developed under grant H421F240164 from the U.S. Department of Education (Department). The Department does not mandate or prescribe practices, models, or other activities described or discussed in this document. The contents of this web page may contain examples of, adaptations of, and links to resources created and maintained by another public or private organization. The Department does not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of this outside information. The content of this web page does not necessarily represent the policy of the Department. This publication is not intended to represent the views or policy of or be an endorsement of any views expressed or materials provided by any Federal agency.

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