Arts in the Armed Forces
Arts in the Armed Forces, Inc. is a non-profit based in Brooklyn, New York that brings arts programming to active-duty service members, veterans, military support staff of the United States and their families around the world free of charge.
The organization was founded by actors Adam Driver and Joanne Tucker in 2006. The non-profit became an official incorporation in 2008.
AITAF serves all branches of the military at US installations domestically and abroad. They choose content that features diverse themes, ages, ethnicities and experiences. Following each of AITAF’s events, the artists interact with the audience through a question and answer session.
AITAF’s goal is "to use the powerfully emotional shared experience of the arts to start conversations capable of bridging the divides between military and civilian, service member and family member, the world of the arts and the world of practical action."
The Bridge Award
In 2017, The Bridge Award was established in honor of AITAF's tenth anniversary with the purpose of recognizing an emerging playwright of exceptional talent within the United States military. The annual award consists of a $10,000 prize, and an AITAF produced reading of the winning work.In addition to bringing world-class theater to the military, AITAF is committed to supporting and sharing the talents of those who serve. This Award will offer a deserving current military service member or veteran artist important connections with the theater community and access to developmental resources, helping to facilitate a deeper understanding and more active dialogue between military and civilian communities.
The Bridge Award winner is chosen by a selection committee, judged each year by a notable playwright. Past judges include Pulitzer Prize winners Suzan-Lori Parks and Tony Kushner.
2018 Bridge Award Winner: WAR STORIES by Vinnie Lyman
2019 Bridge Award Winner: TAMPONS, DEAD DOGS, AND OTHER DISPOSABLE THINGS by Shairi Engle
2020 Bridge Award Winer: LOCAL GODS by Anton Sattler
Student Veteran Internship Program
In the summer of 2018, AITAF launched an internship program for student veterans. AITAF is committed to providing work and learning opportunities to veterans currently enrolled full-time in a college or university. By offering a summer housing stipend comparable to what a student might receive as part of the GI Bill, AITAF aims to create a rigorous, competitive program that offers a unique opportunity for a summer intern to relocate to New York City for the duration of the internship.They hire a new student veteran every summer, spring, and fall.
2018 Summer Intern: Daní Rodriguez
2019 Spring Intern: Shyendra Chandrasena
2019 Summer Intern: Brian Lepak
2020 Spring Intern: Cole Smith
In the media
AITAF was the subject of a short documentary produced by Vice News in 2015. The documentary chronicles the organization's first trip to perform in the Middle East at Camp Arifjan, a United States Army installation in Kuwait.In 2016, Driver gave a TED Talk that discussed the non-profit at length and which ended with an AITAF reading.
Following the release of , fans of the franchise donated over $90,000 to the charity. Driver released a video thanking fans for their donations.
Programming
List of previously artists involved
| A-D | E-P | Q-Z |
| Christopher Abbott F. Murray Abraham Maechi Aharanwa Betsy Aidem Carlo Albán Victor Almanzar Frankie Alvarez Lauren Ambrose Nnamdi Asomugha Mamoudou Athie Kelly AuCoin Dylan Baker Charlie Barnett Jerome Preston Bates Jonathan Batiste Francois Battiste Noah Bean Robert Beitzel Stephen Belber Vivienne Benesch Trazana Beverley Reed Birney Kerry Bishé Asante Blackk Lileana Blain-Cruz Jeremy Bobb Eric Bogosian Desmin Borges Guy Boyd Steven Boyer Phillip James Brannon Alex Breaux Mark Brokaw Rachel Brosnahan Leon Addison Brown Marylouise Burke Norbert Leo Butz Evan Cabnet L. Scott Caldwell Louis Cancelmi Carolyn Cantor Reg E. Cathey Chris Chalk Amanda Charlton Amari Cheatom Michael Chernus Tracee Chimo Anna Chlumsky Nick Choksi Chris Henry Coffey Scott Cohen Gary Cole Chad L. Coleman Jessica Collins Frances Conroy David Cromer Jackie Cruz Kieran Culkin Trip Cullman Erin Cummings Patch Darragh Michael Daves Eisa Davis Tsebiyah Derry Jack DiFalco Taye Diggs Brandon Dirden David Denman Colman Domingo Christopher Donahue Edmund Donovan Adam Driver | Ryan Eggold Gabriel Ebert Kathryn Erbe Saidah Ekulona Patrick Fabian Kip Fagan Laurence Fishburne Alex Flores Motell Foster Gibson Frazier Peter Friedman Dominic Fumusa Leah Gardiner Lawrence Gilliard Gideon Glick John Glover Sam Gold Annie Golden Renée Goldsberry Darren Goldstein Donetta Lavinia Grays Michael Greif Zach Grenier Jake Gyllenhaal Mamie Gummer Josh Hamilton David Harbour Corey Hawkins Bill Heck William Jackson Harper Jake Hart Alex Hurt Salvatore Inzerillo Korey Jackson Clark Johnson Jasminn Johnson Daniel J. Jones Ron Cephas Jones Keegan-Michael Key Luke Kirby Natalie Knepp Ezra Knight Phil Kuehn Tyler La Marr Laura Linney Justin Long Chris Lowell Natasha Lyonne Adrian Martinez Frances McDormand Patricia McGregor Shane McRae Marisol Miranda Bobby Moreno Eddy Moretti Dion Mucciacito Jennifer Mudge Tim Blake Nelson Lila Neugebauer Erica Newhouse Kristine Nielsen Nyambi Nyambi Frank Pando Annie Parisse Tonye Patano Jesse J. Perez Darren Pettie Tonya Pinkins Reynaldo Piniella Karen Pittman | Brian Quijada Anthony Ramos Armando Riesco Rob Riggle David Robaire Elizabeth Rodriguez Reg Rogers Andre Royo Roslyn Ruff Mark Ruffalo Deborah Rush Keri Russell Amy Ryan Jay O. Sanders Susan Sarandon Joe Saylor Shane Schnetzler Pablo Schreiber David Schwimmer Cameron Scoggins Peter Scolari James Scully Robby Sella Matt Servitto Michael Sexton John Patrick Shanley Michael Shannon Michael James Shaw Constance Shulman Kristen Sieh Raven Symoné Jimmi Simpson Christian Slater Samantha Soule Dale Soules Steven Soderbergh Paul Sparks Michael Stahl-David Ben Stiller Corey Stoll David Strathairn Daniel Sullivan Lili Taylor Ray Anthony Thomas Tracie Thoms Lucie Tiberghien Joe Tippett Joanne Tucker Grace Van Patten Vladimir Versailles Moritz Von Stuelpnagel Pauletta Washington Sharon Washington Leah Walsh Dianne Wiest Samira Wiley Mykelti Williamson Debra Winger DeWanda Wise Christopher Wolfe Sheldon Woodley Harris Yulin Glenn Zaleski Sasheer Zamata David Zayas |