DUTF is an artists' community where writers create and refine their work for the stage; FROM PAGE TO STAGE. Playwrights have total control of their productions and are responsible for securing their own cast and staff and any necessary rights and running their rehearsals, etc.

DUTF is produced by Creative Ammo, Inc., an IRS tax-exempt corporation. Founded in 1998, Creative Ammo has a solid history of providing creative arts programs such as the Downtown Urban Theater Festival, Creative Ammo Summer Poetry and Writing Camp and Lessons on the A Train, an in-school theater program to motivate teenagers to pursue a college education and "plan for the future". It has received awards from the National Endowment for the Arts for Access to Artistic Excellence, New York State Council on the Arts for Services to the Field and many others.

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The goal of Creative Ammo youth programs is to improve the life opportunities for socially- and economically-disadvantaged youth. Our first program, Creative Ammo Summer Poetry and Writing Camp, was launched in 2001 with a grant from the New York University Community Fund. The purpose of the camp is to empower youth 15 to 18 years old who have the ambition to develop their talent into a marketable skill. Camp workshop facilitators included acclaimed poets and writers such as Pedro Pietri, Miguel Algarin and Reg E. Gaines.

In 2008, Creative Ammo developed Lessons on the A Train with funding from Monroe College. This program has been performed before more than 5,000 students at over 50 high schools and community theaters in the NYC area. It was created in response to the greater high school dropout rates in urban communities and lower college enrollment for minorities. Our approach is to creatively use theater arts as a communications and educational tools. The program consists of a motivational theatrical work followed by a Real Talk dialogue with the students.

DUTF has been recognized as one of the world´s best festivals for new works and described as ´not only prestigious, but a slice of heaven for playwrights who want the chance to freely express themselves.´ (Theater Festivals, 2005) From an inclusive, multicultural perspective, DUTF presents works that echo the true spirit of urban life and speak to a whole new generation whose lives defy categorizing along conventional lines.

DUTF´s mission is to:
– Promote diversity by showcasing diverse theatrical expression;
– Foster the development of new works by a cross-section of artists whose work tend to be under-represented;
– Expand the horizons for playwrights and their audiences; and
– Cultivate new diverse audiences by making theater more affordable and accessible.