Princess Grace Foundation-USA

The Princess Grace Foundation – USA is dedicated to elevating extraordinary emerging artists in theater, dance, and film via awards in the form of grants, scholarships, and fellowships. The annual awards program continues the legacy of Princess Grace Kelly by advancing excellence in the arts in America.

History

Established in 1982 by His Serene Highness Prince Rainier III of Monaco, the Foundation was created to honor the legacy of His wife, Her Serene Highness Princess Grace (Grace Kelly), an independent American woman, Oscar-winning Hollywood icon, and the globally beloved Princess of Monaco. During Her reign, Princess Grace brought arts and culture to Monaco while also quietly supporting countless American performing and film artists. After Her tragic death, Her family wanted to create an institution that reflected Her love for Her native country and Her profound dedication to the arts. This is the legacy that inspires the Foundation’s mission, and Her children continue to assist in the program.

In 1982, the Board of Trustees, under Robert Hausman, incorporated Princess Grace Foundation-USA as a not-for-profit public charity. Notable supporters of the Foundation during its inception include Gant Gaither, Frank Sinatra, Cary Grant, Sir Roger Moore, John Johnson, William P. Rogers, Mary Wells Lawrence, and Lynn Wyatt. The first financial grants in the form of scholarships, apprenticeships, and fellowships were awarded in 1984 to artists associated with schools or performing arts 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 Ronald Reagan and his wife Nancy oversaw the first gala at the White House in Washington, D.C.; The Foundation has continued with annual Awards Galas rotating between New York City, Los Angeles and Monaco.

The Princess Grace Foundation-USA maintains a long-term commitment to its Award winners. Recognizing that an artist will continue to need both financial support and encouragement as they pursue their craft, the Princess Grace Foundation-USA offers continuing grants to Award winners. Currently there are five avenues of funding for Award winners, available exclusively to Award winners and honoraria: Special Projects, Works in Progress in partnership with Baryshnikov Arts Center, Choreography Mentorship Co-Commission, Professional Development, and Professional Development partnerships for filmmakers.

Hon. John F. Lehman, Jr. is Chairman of the Board of Trustees. Board leadership also includes, His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco, Melia Bensussen, Raymond P. Caldiero, Gérard Cohen, Norman E. Donoghue, John Gore, George J. Hauptfuhrer III, Robert O. Marx, Esq., Rachel Hovnanian, James J. Johnston, Anton Katz, D. Christopher Le Vine, Barbara Lehman, Serena D. Lese, Leslie Odom, Jr., John Paulson, Sir Michael Smurfit, Brisa Trinchero, Jon B. Turk, M.D. and Sandra van Essche. Former board members include Cary Grant, Frank Sinatra, John Johnson, William P. Rogers, Mary Wells Lawrence, Karl Lagerfeld, Yves Piaget, Anne Hearst McInerney, and Lynn Wyatt. In 2019, Brisa Trinchero was appointed to lead the organization as CEO.[1]

The Princess Grace Statue Award

Past winners of the Princess Grace Awards who distinguish themselves in their artistic disciplines after receiving their initial Princess Grace Awards are eligible to win the Foundation’s highest honor, the Princess Grace Statue Award. In addition to a $25,000 unrestricted cash gift, these awardees are presented with a bronze statuette of Princess Grace created by the Dutch artist Kees Verkade. To date, sixty-seven artists have received this award.

The Prince Rainier III Award

After the passing of H.S.H. Prince Rainier III, in 2005, the board of trustees inaugurated the Prince Rainier III Award to honor of the Man who helped create the Foundation. This Award is presented to illustrious artists who are both highly celebrated in their careers and have made significant humanitarian contributions to their fields. Recipients to date include: Mikhail Baryshnikov (2005), Twyla Tharp (2006), George Lucas (2007), Glenn Close (2008), Mandy Patinkin (2009), Denzel Washington and Pauletta Washington (2010); Julie Andrews (2011) Dick Van Dyke (2014) Robert Redford and Sibylle Redford (2015); Queen Latifah (2016); James Cameron (2017); Tim Daly (2018); Bernadette Peters (2019) have received this honor, which includes a grant to the philanthropic organization of their choice.

Notable Princess Grace Awards Winners

Theater

• Scott Allegrucci, 1986 Theater Scholarship, 1988 Statue Award
• Yareli Arizmendi, 1990 Theater Scholarship, 1995 Statue Award
• Christopher Ashley, 1989 Theater Apprenticeship, 1998 Statue Award
• David Barrera, 1993 Theater Scholarship
• Melia Bensussen, 1990 Theater Scholarship, 1993 Statue Award
• Natalie Carter-Prince, 1984 Theater Scholarship, 1985 Statue Award
• Orlagh Cassidy, 1989 Theater Scholarship
• Donna Lynne Champlin, 1992 Theater Scholarship
• Candy Buckley, 1989 Theater Apprenticeship, 1997 Statue Award
• Susan Fenichell, 1989 Theater Fellowship, 1990 Statue
• Michael John Garcés, 1995 Theater Fellowship, 2007 Statue Award
• Sam Gold, 2004 Theater Scholarship, 2018 Statue Award
• Bruce Graham, 1988 Theater Fellowship, 1991 Statue Award
• Alexander Hammond, 1995 Theater Scholarship, 2008 Statue Award
• Ricardo Hernandez, 1992 Theater Apprenticeship, 2000 Statue Award
• Oscar Isaac, 2004 Theater Scholarship
• Lou Jacob, 1989 Theater Apprenticeship, 1996 Statue Award
• Richard Kimmel, 2000 Theater Fellowship
• Brian Kulik, 1988 Theater Apprenticeship, 2009 Statue Award

• Shishir Kurup, 1993 Theater Apprenticeship
• Anthony Kushner, 1987 Theater Fellowship, 1994 Statue Award
• Tina Landau, 1988 Theater Scholarship, 1999 Statue Award
• Jared Mezzocchi, 2012 Theater Fellowship* David Neumann, 1993 Theater Apprenticeship, 2011 Works in Progress Residency
• Leslie Odom Jr., 2002 Theater Scholarship, 2016 Statue Award
• Patrick Page, 1988 Theater Fellowship
• Dennis Rees, 1988 Theater Scholarship, 1990 Statue Award
• Nicolette Robinson, 2009 Theater Scholarship, Gant Gaither Theater Award
• Scott Turner Schofield, 2007 Theater Fellowship - Acting, 2009 Special Project Award
• Anna Shapiro, 1996 Theater Apprenticeship, 2010 Statue Award
• Eric Simonson, 1994 Theater Fellowship, 2005 Statue Award
• Ty Taylor, 1990 Theater Scholarship
• Paul Tazewell, 1993 Theater Fellowship, 2004 Statue Award
• Paul Warner, 1986 Theater Apprenticeship, 1987 Statue Award
• Ann Waugh, 1990 Theater Fellowship, 1992 Statue Award
• Darron L West, 1997 Theater Fellowship, 2012 Statue Award
• Michael Wilson, 1992 Theater Fellowship, 2001 Statue Award
• Evan Yionoulis, 1985 Theater Fellowship, 1986 Statue Award

Playwriting

• Sheila Callaghan, 2000 Playwriting Fellowship, 2008 Works in Progress Residency
• Bridget Carpenter, 1997 Playwriting Fellowship
• Madeleine George, 2002 Playwriting Fellowship
• Brandon Jacobs-Jenkins, 2009 Playwriting Fellowship

• Jesse Kellerman, 2003 Playwriting Fellowship
• Kenneth Lin, 2005 Playwriting Fellowship
• Adam Rapp, 1999 Playwriting Fellowship, 2006 Statue Award
• Kate Robin, 1995 Playwriting Fellowship, 2003 Statue Award

Dance

• Carlos Acosta, 1995 Dance Fellowship
• Jared Angle, 2001 Dance Fellowship
• Alexandra Ansanelli, 1997 Dance Fellowship
• Stanko Milov, 1997 Dance Fellowship Official Website
• Nancy Bannon, 1989 Dance Scholarship, 1997 Statue Award
• Andrew Bartee, 2007 Dance Scholarship - Ballet
• Robert Battle, 1993 Dance Scholarship, 2007 Statue Award
• Adrienne Benz, 2006 Dance Fellowship - Ballet
• Isabella Boylston, 2009 Dance Fellowship
• Maria Bystrova-Renko, 1998 Dance Scholarship
• Terese Capucilli, 1985 Dance Scholarship, 1986 Statue Award
• Melissa Carpenter, 1987 Dance Apprenticeship, 1988 Statue Award
• Jeffrey Cirio, 2009 Dance Fellowship
• Li Cunxin, 1986 Dance Fellowship, 1993 Statue Award
• Gonzalo Garcia, 2000 Dance Fellowship
• Derick Grant, 1993 Emerging Dance Artist
• Jacqueline Green, 2014 Dance Fellowship
• David Hallberg, 2002 Dance Fellowship
• Blaine Hoven, 2008 Ballet Fellowship
• Drew Jacoby, 2005 Dance Fellowship, 2008 Special Project Award
• Michele Jimenez, 2002 Dance Fellowship
• Jermel Johnson, 2008 Ballet Fellowship
• Maria Kowroski, 1994 Dance Scholarship, 2006 Statue Award
• John Lam, 2005 Dance Fellowship
• Sarah Kathryn Lane, 2007 Dance Fellowship - Ballet

• Tina LeBlanc-Jerkunica, 1988 Dance Fellowship, 1995 Statue Award
• Kristin Long, 1990 Emerging Dance Artist
• Riolama Lorenzo, 1992 Dance Scholarship
• Brooklyn Mack, 2007 Dance Fellowship - Ballet
• Diane Madden, 1986 Dance Fellowship, 1994 Statue Award
• Amanda McKerrow, 1986 Dance Fellowship, 1987 Statue Award
• Gillian Murphy, 1998 Dance Fellowship, 2009 Statue Award
• Tiler Peck, 2004 Dance Scholarship
• Alexander Peters, 2008 Ballet Scholarship
• Lucien Postlewaite, 2008 Ballet Fellowship
• Pauline Reyniack, née Golbin, 1990 Emerging Dance Artist, 1991 Statue Award
• Christine Shevchenko, 2003 Dance Scholarship
• Jennie Renee Somogyi, 1992 Dance Scholarship, 2002 Statue Award
• Ethan Stiefel, 1991 Emerging Dance Artist, 1999 Statue Award
• Dawn Marie Stoppiello, 1987 Dance Scholarship, 2005 Statue Award
• Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards, 1994 Dance Fellowship, 2017 Statue Award
• Margaret Tracey, 1985 Dance Scholarship, 1989 Statue Award
• Lilyan Vigo-Ellis, 2000 Dance Fellowship, 2004 Special Project Grant
• Elizabeth Walker, 1988 Dance Scholarship
• Joseph Walsh, 2009 Dance Fellowship
• Miranda Weese, 1995 Dance Fellowship
• Michele Wiles, 1999 Dance Fellowship
• Runsheng Ying, 1984 Dance Fellowship, 1985 Statue Award

Choreography

• Kyle Abraham, 2010 Dance-Choreography Fellowship
• Camille A. Brown, 2006 Choreography Fellowship - Modern
• Zoe Scofield, 2011 Choreography Fellowship

• Kate Weare, 2009 Choreography Fellowship
• Olivier Wevers, 2011 Choreography Fellowship

Film

• Olaniyi Areke, 1989 Graduate Film Scholarship, 1993 Satue Award
• Mark Christopher, 1992 Graduate Film Scholarship, 2005 Statue Award
• Jon M. Chu, 2001 Film Scholarship, 2011 Statue Award
• Chinonye Chukwu, 2009 Film Scholarship, 2019 Statue Award
• Rose Bond, 1989 Graduate Film Scholarship, 2008 Statue Award
• Ilya Chaiken, 1994 Undergraduate Film Scholarship, 2003 Statue Award
• Eric Darnell, 1989 Graduate Film Scholarship
• Cary Joji Fukunaga, 2005 Graduate Film Scholarship
• Jacqueline Gill, 1990 Graduate Film Scholarship, 1992 Statue Award
• Stephen Hillenburg, 1991 Graduate Film Scholarship, 2002 Statue Award

• Parine Jaddo, 1993 Graduate Film Scholarship
• Wendy Levy, 1994 Graduate Film Scholarship, 2013 Statue Award
• Rico Martinez, 1990, Graduate Film Scholarship, 1996 Statue Award
• Gregory Mottola, 1989 Graduate Film Scholarship, 1998 Statue Award
• Tony Pemberton, 1994 Graduate Film Scholarship, 2000 Statue Award
• David Riker, 1995 Graduate Film Scholarship, 2001 Statue Award
• Ben Russell, 2002 Graduate Film Scholarship, 2010 Special Project Grant
• Ben Steinbauer, 2006 Graduate Film Scholarship
• Ham Tran, 2001 Graduate Film Scholarship, 2006 Special Project Grant

References

• Staples, Gracie Bonds (October 22, 2008). "Princess's foundation rewards filmmaker". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved 2008-10-27.
• "Princess Grace Foundation Award Winners Unveil Fabergé Egg". Broadway World. October 15, 2008. Retrieved 2008-10-27.

External links

• Official website