Program History

In 2015, KML’s Diversity in Comedy Fellowships were established to increase access to professional comedy training for up-and-coming artists from historically excluded communities.

Through these fellowships and beyond, we actively seek to provide artistic and, potentially, eventual leadership opportunities for recipients. We encourage awardees to work toward positions as instructors, Head Writers, and Directors.

In this way, we aim to expand visibility and support for those whose voices are often underrepresented in comedy spaces.

In the fall of 2016, the program grew to include not just writers, but performers as well. 

In the fall of 2017, the programs expanded further, to include LGBTQIA+ writers and performers.

In the fall of 2021, we relaunched our fellowships program as KML’s New Voices In Comedy Fellowships.

To date, we have awarded 40 Diversity in Comedy Fellowships investing roughly $70,000 in this ongoing program, without additional outside support. 

If you would like to support the growth of these unique programs, you can do so here.

If you would like to apply to these programs, you can do so here.