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Nominations are now open for USITT's 2015 Awards for Young Designers & Technicians in the Performing Arts. The YD&T Awards are sponsored by industry leaders to annually recognize up-and-coming theatrical artists.

Student or early career designers and technicians can be nominated for 11 awards -- in lighting, sound, scenic, costume, and makeup design, technical production, stage management, and craftsmanship.

USITT will invite nominees to submit examples of their work to a panel of adjudicators in each discipline. The nomination deadline is Oct. 15. Nominate here.

Winners will receive cash prizes and free registration to USITT's 2015 Annual Conference & Stage Expo March 18-21 in Cincinnati, Ohio, where they'll receive their awards from sponsors including Barbizon Lighting Company, Rose Brand, and KM Fabrics, among others.

The awards include six for graduating MFA students/young professionals, three for either grad or undergraduate students, and two specifically for undergrad college seniors. The awards are:

Grad Student/Young Professional awards:
®KM Fabrics Technical Production Award.
®Robert E. Cohen Sound Achievement Award.
®Zelma H. Weisfeld Costume Design & Technology Award.
®Bernhard R. Works, Fred Buerki Scenic Technology Award, aka "The Golden Hammer."
®Barbara Matera Award in Costume-Making sponsored by Judy Adamson.
®USITT Scene Design Award sponsored by Rose Brand.

Undergrad Awards:
®Master Craftsmanship Award sponsored by Bernhard R. Works; 2015's category is Stage Properties.
®W. Oren Parker Undergraduate Scene Design Award sponsored by Stage Decoration & Supplies.

Grad OR Undergrad Awards:
®USITT Lighting Design Award sponsored by Barbizon Lighting Company.
®USITT Makeup Design Award sponsored by Kryolan Professional Makeup.
®USITT Stage Management Award sponsored by Clear-Com Communications Systems.

The YD&T awards advance USITT's mission to encourage young theatrical designers and technicians, with the generous help of the industry leaders who sponsor them.

USITT, the United States Institute for Theatre Technology, is the national non-profit for live entertainment technology professionals. The Annual Conference & Stage Expo is its trademark event for education, networking, and resourcing of theatre products and services.

USITT also provides year-round training, networking, and career-building opportunities for the backstage community. Please visit www.usitt.org.