The cultural environment is quick to assume that creativity is entirely based on merit. We all think that as long as one is gifted enough, determined, and has the unique ability to create works of art, he or she will surely make his or her way into the limelight. However, what we tend to forget is the reality of the financial cost involved. Before any artist gets to try out for a part or sells their script, there is always a financial hurdle that excludes those unable to pay the price.
In 2021, the David Geffen School of Drama at Yale University tore down this very roadblock through a transformation that sent shockwaves well outside its own institution. A groundbreaking $150 million donation from the David Geffen Foundation effectively abolished tuition costs for all full-time degree and certificate students. Although the magnitude of the donation was certainly newsworthy at first glance, it is important to recognise how such an innovation transformed the demographics of American theatre.
