Awards
Performance Studies international
Every conference year, PSi grants several awards to reward and advance the global study of performance. These awards provide recognition and financial support for emerging scholars, activists, artists, and conference participants from underrepresented regions to honor their investment in PSi and support their participation. For more information about specific awards, deadlines, procedures, and eligibility, please see below.
The laureates of all awards are listed here.
Candidates who wish to be considered for an award must hold a valid PSi membership and complete the award application process.
Dwight Conquergood Award
Every conference year, the Board of Directors of PSi, Performance Studies international bestows the Dwight Conquergood Award in honour of the memory of Dwight Conquergood (1949-2004), a ground-breaking ethnographer and former Vice President of PSi, best known for his cross-disciplinary research on the disenfranchised.
The award is presented to an individual whose work around cultural performance in some way carries a connection to Dwight’s own practice.
The award of $2,500 (USD) is granted to assist with travel costs to attend the annual PSi conference in-person (i.e. partial travel and accommodation costs). The recipient also receives full conference registration and a 1-year PSi membership.
University of Calgary Artistic Research Award
The University of Calgary Artistic Research Award celebrates outstanding contributions of artist-researchers to the annual conference of Performance Studies international (PSi).
The prize of $500.00 USD is awarded to a conference program contribution that exemplifies the huge potential for artistic research to not only create new knowledge, but also to expand epistemological horizons—specifically within the conference programming and, more generally, within broader academic and professional contexts and discourses.
Royal Central School of Speech and Drama Prize
The Royal Central Prize (£500) assists excellent graduate students (MPhil or PhD) or independent scholars/artists in covering the costs of attending the PSi conference; awarded annually for a successful proposal for the PSi conference program by a graduate student or independent scholar in the domain of practice either as method or object of enquiry or both.
A shortlist of candidates (up to 12) is submitted by the conference organizers to PSi, who then invite the shortlisted candidates to submit an extended abstract (1-2 pages). Once the extended abstracts are received, PSi forwards the shortlist (and optional extended abstracts) to Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, who then makes the final selection of the award winner.
Routledge Award
The Routledge Award, sponsored by Routledge, an imprint of Taylor and Francis, embodies a commitment to global scholarship and the advancement of research excellence at the postgraduate level.
Routledge, known for its authoritative coverage across traditional and emerging fields, reaches around the globe, publishing pioneering achievements in science and technology to empower professionals and students alike with the resources necessary for further advancement. In alignment with Routledge’s dedication to reference-led content in specialist subject areas, the Routledge Award seeks to recognize outstanding research presented within the academic program of the Performance Studies international (PSi) conference.
Through this award, Routledge and PSi continue to uphold their shared commitment to fostering innovation, scholarly inquiry, and interdisciplinary collaboration in the pursuit of academic excellence and societal impact.
Emerging Artists Award
Performance Studies international (PSi) invites nominations for PSi’s 2025 Emerging Artist/Scholar Award in Critical Race Performance Studies. In even-numbered years, this award honors an emerging global majority scholar’s PSi conference paper engaging critical race performance studies.
In odd-numbered years, the award honors an emerging global majority artist’s artwork/performance engaging critical race performance studies that is presented at the PSi conference and/or submitted to the GPS conference issue. We also welcome submissions that blur the lines between performance and scholarship.
The award consists of the opportunity to publish the work in GPS: Global Performance Studies (GPS), a peer reviewed online academic journal sponsored by PSi, as well as a $100 stipend to offset conference registration costs. The winner will have the opportunity to work with a critical race studies scholar or artist as well as the GPS editorial committee to develop the selected work for publication. Graduate students are welcome to apply.
Award for Outstanding Work on Critical Race Performance Studies
Performance Studies international (PSi) invites nominations for the 2025 Outstanding Work on Critical Race Performance Studies Award.
In odd-numbered years, this award honors a global majority artist’s outstanding artwork/performance related to critical race performance studies. In even numbered years, the award honors a global majority scholar’s outstanding contribution to critical race performance studies.
The award consists of a $600 monetary award. Emerging scholars are welcome to apply. We also welcome submissions that blur the lines between performance and scholarship.
Enrichment Bursary
The Enrichment Bursary will support new and unaffiliated artists/scholars/activists particularly those from under-represented groups to attend PSi, Performance Studies International, conference #30, XXX Cruzo, Cruising, Crossroads, in Fortaleza, Brazil, and make a contribution.
The Enrichment Bursary covers the costs of attending in-person the annual PSi conference, including accommodation and registration fee, but not travel expenses (airfare etc.). It is paid for and awarded by the conference organizers who oversee and conduct the reviewing process.
Only applicants who have already had their proposal for a presentation accepted by the organizers of the current PSi conference and are attending the conference in-person can receive the award.
Artist | Scholar | Activist Award
The Artist | Scholar | Activist Award (ASA) awards outstanding achievement within the cross-disciplinary field of performance.
The award is given to an Artist/Scholar/Activist who has spent at least a decade fostering exchange among Artists/Scholars/Activists and whose work has facilitated collaboration, either interdisciplinary or internationally.