Award winners will receive:

• A complimentary full conference registration for the 2025 Annual Conference & Stage Expo
• $2000 Cash Award
• Commemorative Certificate
• Invitation to an award luncheon, which includes a chance to meet other award winners as well as the award sponsor.
• A one-year USITT individual membership

Nominees must be in their first four years of professional (nonacademic) work following the completion of their highest degree.

Nominees must be nominated for the award.

Nominees may work in the areas of scenic, lighting, sound, and/or projection design.

Awards are open to all ages and recognize promising newcomers in each award area.

Award will be presented at the Annual Conference.

The 2025 Annual Conference will take place from March 5-8 in Columbus. Award Presentations are scheduled for Thursday, March 6 at 9 AM.

Nominations Open: September 10, 2024

Nominations Close: November 21, 2024 (11:59 PM EDT)

Review Period: November - December 2024

Award Notifications: January 2025

Award Presentation: March 6, 2025

There is no entry fee for this award

Read all guidelines carefully before submitting your application.

All applications must be submitted via the USITT Awards Portal to be considered.

Nominators must begin the nomination by filling out a brief nomination form.

Upon receipt of a complete nomination form, USITT will email the nominee a link to complete their submission.

Required information:

• Nominee Contact Information: Name, email address, mailing address
• Nominee’s current employer
• Graduation date (or anticipated graduation date)

Submission Materials:

• Resume (PDF Format) AND/OR link to professional website
• Two letter of recommendations
• The faculty member could include an instructor or supervisor, faculty member, production team member, or others in the entertainment industry.
• Nominee will provide recommender’s name and email address. The recommender will receive instructions via email to upload their letter directly into the submission portal. Nominee will not be able to upload or view the letter.
• Eight (8) representative samples of their work

All USITT award nominees are required to submit a Professional Conduct Disclosure Form. This form will not be visible to the award jury and will only be reviewed by the USITT Ethics Officer.

This form is part of the submission and your submission will not be considered complete if it has not been submitted.

For more information, please review the USITT Honors and Awards Policy.

All nominations for the Rising Star Award will be reviewed by selected members of the USITT Commissions and from LDI/Live Design.

No current USITT staff member may serve as a juror. Any reviewer with a conflict of interest is required to recuse themselves.

All submissions will be scored on a scale of 1-10 using the following criteria:

• Adherence to Submission Guidelines
• Range of Knowledge
• Integration of Skills, Craft, and Artistry
• Content and Organization
• Demonstration of the artistic ability of communicate the design idea
• Quality, execution, and appropriateness of the design choice

Judging process is overseen by the USITT Awards Committee and results are approved by the Board of Directors.

Nominees will be notified in early 2024 of the outcome of their requests via email after the Board of Directors has approved the results.

Award winners will be required to submit additional information via the submissions portal, including a W9 form and RSVP to any Conference events. Failure to submit this information promptly may delay award processing.

USITT will publicize award winners utilizing official channels including (but not limited to): website, social media, weekly newsletter, Technically Speaking podcast. Winners may be contacted for additional information for publicity .