2016 Awardee: JD Stewart
“To be given assistance by The Dewar Arts Award is a tremendous honor and validation of all the hard work I have done over the last year. It has also enabled me to complete my studies at Tisch and for that, I am eternally thankful."
Biography
Born in Edinburgh and raised in the Scottish Borders, JD Stewart discovered his love of theatre at the Edinburgh Acting School. He went on to develop his passion for the craft alongside his writing skills by completing a BA/Hons in English Studies at Stirling University, specialising in Creative Writing.
After graduating, JD worked in a number of locations throughout England, before moving to South Korea where he taught English for three and a half years. While there, his plays were produced by the Daegu Theatre Company and his stories assisted students learning English in China.
In 2015, JD was one of 22 students worldwide to be accepted onto an MFA in Dramatic Writing at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. He was a finalist for the Theatre Aspen Festival in 2016, and his plays have been workshopped and read throughout the city.
JD’s passion for writing extends to television and film, but his heart is in playwrighting. He hopes to continue this journey by exploring his cultural Scottish roots throughout his work.
How the Award Helped
After completing his first year at Tisch School of the Arts through assistance from his parents, JD was awarded with a Dewar Arts Award to help him continue and complete his studies in the Autumn of 2016 and Spring of 2017.
“To be given assistance by The Dewar Arts Award is a tremendous honor and validation of all the hard work I have done over the last year. It has also enabled me to complete my studies at Tisch and for that, I am eternally thankful."