All non-US based designers—established professionals, early career professionals, students—are eligible to enter and submit a design. The competition is partially intended to bring an international perspective to our US-based theatre program, therefore, US designers are ineligible.

That one is easy. Click here to find instructions on how to register and submit a design entry for the contest.

You can find information on all the materials required for submission here. 

Yes. However, once selected, the chosen design will go through the normal production process of collaborating with the director as well as with the other designers and production staff to create a final design that both serves the play and production, but also the goals, mission, and capabilities of the University Theatre at Wake Forest University.

Whichever one you choose. Have a look at the information and documentation provided for both spaces and choose which theatre you would like to design Silent Sky for. The judges may choose a design for either space. If you'd like to have a crack at both spaces, you may submit a separate entry, including a separate entry fee. The limit on entries, however, is two.

Our international panel of judges can be found here. The selection process is blind, however. In other words, the judges will not know anything about who submitted any of the designs. Their final selection will be made solely on the quality and appropriateness of the design itself.

Yes. The winning designer will be paid a 3,300 USD honorarium, as a regular contracted designer. That pay is subject to applicable US taxes, depending upon one's country of residency. More details can be found here.

Yes, you do. The selected designer will spend 10-14 days in residency in Winston-Salem with the University Theatre, at and around Wake Forest University. The designer will oversee and assist with the final days of production, attend and participate in technical and dress rehearsals, as well as participate in related programming, like speaking to Theatre classes and attending pre- and post-show talks and receptions. But you should also not look at it as HAVING to travel to Winston-Salem. This small city is great, so you should look at it as GETTING to travel to Winston-Salem.

Not to worry. Wake Forest University will pay for roundtrip travel from the winning designer's home country to Winston-Salem, NC, USA, and provide housing and most lunches and dinners.

Yes. Please notify us at awakeninfo@wfu.edu if you are unable to access Google applications and we will arrange an alternate file submission repository.

Unfortunately, as a US resident and/or US-practicing designer, you are ineligible to submit an entry. 

Part of the mission of the event is to bring in a designer steeped in another nation's theatre practices, habits, aesthetics, and approaches. While there are many talented designers from around the world currently working in the US—many of whom maintain the aesthetic or approach of their native country and training—our concern was that we would get entrants whose experiences and what they had to bring to our audiences and students resembles what they currently have a great deal of exposure to already. Further, there were grey-zone scenarios which started to generate too many stipulations, so we decided to make a hard cut-off at the border. We know this will deprive us of some talent, but ultimately it made the most sense.