Award winners will receive:

• A complimentary full conference registration for the 2025 Annual Conference & Stage Expo
• $1000 Cash Award
• Commemorative Certificate
• Invitation to an award luncheon, which includes a chance to meet other award winners as well as the award sponsor.

Nominees must be an undergraduate or graduate student, or a recent graduate (within the past two years).

Nominees must have a current individual type (e.g. student, early career) membership at the time of submission.

An individual may self-nominate OR be nominated by faculty or another non-student professional who is a current USITT member.

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 3, 2024

Nominations Close: October 31, 2024 (11:59 PM EDT)

Review Period: November - December 2024

Award Notifications: January 2025

Award Presentation: March 6, 2025

The entry fee for each nomination is $25 (US Currency).

This fee must be paid by credit card by the nominee at the time of form submission.

All entry fees are non-refundable.

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. Nominees may self-nominate or be nominated by a faculty or professional. Nominator must be a current USITT member.

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 school attended or currently attending
• Graduation date (or anticipated graduation date)

Submission Materials:

• Resume (PDF Format)
• Letter of recommendation from a faculty member.
• The faculty member may include a design instructor, an instructor or supervisor in the shops, acting and history professors, department chairs, and other faculty mentors.
• 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.
• Letter of Support
• Letter of Support may come from fellow collaborators, directors, choreographers, production team members, faculty members, or other in the entertainment industry.
• Personal Artistic Statement (Max. 300 words)
• The personal artistic statement articulates who nominee is as an artist. What is their creative working philosophy? What their personal approach to sound design?.
• URL/Webpage of Digital Portfolio
• Portfolio should be submitted in the form of a URL to a website. Applicants should consider how the design of their portfolio connects artistic intent to technical execution demonstrating a process that includes research, collaboration, revision, and a clear design concept. (Website should be created for submission purposes, unless personal online portfolio meets portfolio guidelines and demonstrates all requirements)
• Event/play/piece title, scene and character clearly labeled with an appropriately sized and colored, easy-to-read, well-placed font.
• Recommendation of three (3) realized shows included in the portfolio. Please include photographs of the production that can provide a visual context for the sound samples
• Consider a way to organize the portfolio so that the process is shown in a clear, concise, and thoughtful manner. Quality should be stressed over quantity.
• Paperwork should be legible, labeled, and be examples that best reflect process.
• All documentation should meet current industry best practices including the USITT Sound Graphics Recommended Practice.
• It is recommended that applicants should submit a sound system diagram and loudspeaker plot (plan and section) for each show in the portfolio. Other paperwork might include loudspeaker directivity plots, mixing console plots, equipment lists, cue sheets, etc..
• The portfolio should be organized to cite examples of work that feature the individual’s creative application of sound in the performing arts. If sound content owned by a third-party was used in the design, please credit the owner and original artist. Examples cited must demonstrate excellence in areas such as:
• Sound design
• Reinforcement
• System Engineering
• Recording
• Editing
• Researching
• Effective Use of Resources
• Statement of Conceptualization for each realized production. (Max 800 words per show)
• Statement of collaboration articulates the collaborative process within the, production team, and shop, research and development, communication with the run crew and others in the team and the ability to work within the parameters of the production as whole.
• May include but is not limited to:
• Demonstrate an artistic analysis of the event content (script, dance, music, etc.) and a discussion of the use of design elements to support the analysis.
• Explain how collaboration was achieved with director, choreographer, other production and design team members, actors/dancers, costume shop staff, run crew, etc.
• A brief synopsis of the overriding themes, motifs, or elements as presented by the director/choreographer/musician.
• A brief statement explaining the research and development process undertaken by the technician, and analysis/usage of other designer materials to further the prototyping and creation of the production pieces.
• Secondary Support Materials
• may include projects from other areas of sound technology, entertainment technology, or artistic work.
• This work may be produced or classroom projects, realized or conceptual, and should showcase the range of the applicant.
 

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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 Young Designers’, Managers’, and Technicians’ Award will be reviewed by selected members of the USITT Commissions.

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:

• Execution: Effective use of system documentation, equipment resources, and integration within the theatrical space
• Creativity: Evidence of unique and innovative application of professional techniques.
• Research and Analysis: Evidence of using sound in a way that is supported by detailed research, script analysis, practical needs of the production, and a unifying design concept.
• Adherence to the submission guidelines: plate size, format, and parameters. Submissions not adhering to the format listed will be considered ineligible.
• Written materials: clarity, articulation, and thoughtfulness

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 .