WHAT IS THIS RESIDENCY?
Project YZ is Yangtze Rep’s AAPI artist residency program. Now in its fifth year, Project YZ is focused on supporting the artistic journey of each resident artist with a process that values open dialogue, honest conversation, and bold endeavors. The goal is to create a sense of belonging through artistic discovery.
Previous Project YZ resident artists include directors Nana Dakin and Rui Dun; playwrights Kaela Mei-Shing Garvin, Jesse Jae Hoon, Yilong Liu and Minghao Tu; set designer Chika Shimizu; writer and performers Đavid Lee Huỳnh and Jo Mei, writer and director Jing Dong, and performer Julia Gu.
ANNOUNCING THE 2026 PROJECT YZ COHORT
We are proud to announce the newest members of Project YZ, the company’s AAPI Artist Residency program. Launched in 2022, the goal of Project YZ is to support and build an artistic home for AAPI immigrant artists.
The 2026 recipients are Sarah Mika Esser, a yonsei Japanese-American director, choreographer, producer, and dance educator; and Michi Zaya, a Mongolian performer, projections designer, and director.Each resident artist will receive a grant of $10,000, of which $5,000 is an unrestricted financial award, and $5,000 is to be used towards any expenses incurred towards the projects including professional development. During the one-year residency, Yangtze Rep will connect resident artists with other collaborators, lend research support, facilitate interviews and focus groups, and provide professional marketing capabilities. Dramaturgical development and discussion with Yangtze’s artistic staff will take place throughout the residency.
Read the Press Release to learn more.
Sarah Mika Esser (エサーサラ美香) is a yonsei Japanese-American director, choreographer, producer, and dance educator based in Queens. She grounds her creative process in joy and draws inspiration from everywhere: pop culture, psychedelic imagery, Elmo, and beyond. Her work, a practice in nurturing her inner child, lives at the intersection of rebellion and play. A Barnard College alumna, Sarah has performed alongside J Balvin, Megan Thee Stallion, Kim Petras, and Julianne Hough and has been featured in campaigns for Nike and Twitter. She served as Assistant Choreographer for Kim Petras (2022 Coachella debut, 2023 Sydney World Pride) and Contributing Choreographer for Sudan Archives (2024 Pitchfork Fest). Her work for stage and screen has been showcased at Dance Lab New York, CreateART, Triskelion Arts, and Brown University, among others. Sarah is represented by MSA Agency and managed by Movers Management.
Michi Zaya (any pronouns) is a Mongolian storyteller of all trades, based in Brooklyn. Michi’s work can be seen on stage as a performer, projections designer, and director. Their current focus is sharing Asian American & immigrant stories on stage in New York and Boston. Grief, language, Queerness, and community are key themes in Michi’s work. Their black cat is her son and the center of their universe. Directing projects include Until the First Snow (Pan Asian Rep NuWorks ‘26), The Jade Rabbit is Crashing Out Over El*N Musk (The Brick - T4T Fest), I Should Be Obliterated (Theatre Row - DUAF). Associate and Assisted directing projects include A Rare Bird (Zaza Diana Oh, Breaking the Binary Theatre), wAve (Sarah Shin, The Public Theater with Brooklyn College). https://michizaya.com/
2025
Jing Dong
Julia Gu
Jo Mei
Jesse Jae Hoon
2024
Nana Dakin
Chika Shimizu
2023
Đavid Lee Huỳnh
Kaela Mei-Shing Garvin
2022
Rui Dun
Yilong Liu
Minghao Tu
Who is eligible?
Self-identified AAPI immigrant artists, creators and storytellers. Teams are welcome to apply but at least 50% of core team members must be NYC-based.
What/who are we looking for?
We are looking for artists who want to connect with their artistic impulses, dare to push boundaries, and are willing to challenge the mainstream narrative of how and what AAPI stories are being told.
Ideas for projects must be original. The project doesn’t need to be complete or finished by the time of the submission. However, projects that are (1) under option, (2) commissioned, (3) scheduled for professional production at another organization, or (4) have received public presentations prior to the submission or are scheduled for public presentations during the length of the residency, are not eligible.
What do you get?
During the one-year residency, Yangtze Rep will connect resident artists with other collaborators, lend research support, facilitate interviews and focus groups, and provide professional marketing capabilities. Dramaturgical development and discussion with Yangtze’s artistic staff will take place throughout the residency. A public-facing work-in-progress showing is required but could take place in various forms. Yangtze Rep is open to discuss the format of the final presentation to be most suitable for the resident artist and their project and will serve as the line-producer.
Each resident artist will receive a grant of $10,000, of which $5,000 to be an unrestricted financial award, and $5,000 to be used towards any expenses occurred towards the projects, including but not limited to tickets to shows/books/classes for research purposes, cost for renting rehearsal spaces, stipends to pay other collaborators to advance the development of the project.
The residency program does not guarantee a full production in Yangtze’s future seasons.
I have applied before but didn’t get it, can I apply again?
Absolutely. We see you as who you are today as an artist and we appreciate you considering applying again!
I’m interested, how do I get involved?
Details about Project YZ 2027 Cohort and how to apply will be announced in Spring 2027.
Still have questions?
Email us at info@yzrep.org with any further questions.
Frequently Asked Questions
(Updated March 31, 2026)