Tianyu Lei, Viktoriia Shlenova Receive 2026 Willa Kim Scholarships

2026 Willa Kim Costume Design Scholarship recipients Tianyu Lei and Viktoriia Shlenova.

Awards

May 13, 2026 American Theatre Editors Leave a comment

Tianyu Lei, Viktoriia Shlenova Receive 2026 Willa Kim Scholarships

The scholarship, administered by Theatre Communications Group, supports early-career costume designers through professional development.

By American Theatre Editors

NEW YORK CITY: Theatre Communications Group , the national organization for theatre and publisher of this magazine, has announced Tianyu Lei and Viktoriia Shlenova as the 2026 recipients of the Willa Kim Costume Design Scholarship . Administered by TCG (the publisher of American Theatre ) with support from the estate of costume designer Willa Kim , it provides talented costume designers in a university or professional training program with the opportunity to supplement their fine arts training in hand-drawing and painting. The scholarship honors Kim’s legacy and her life’s work as a pioneer, legend, and inspiration.

“The Willa Kim Costume Design Scholarship honors emerging designers whose artistry helps shape the future of theatre through imagination, rigor, and visual storytelling,” said Emilya Cachapero, co-executive director of national and global programming at TCG, in a statement. “This year’s recipients embody the spirit of exploration and creativity that shaped Willa Kim’s extraordinary legacy. Through their commitment to the craft, Tianyu Lei and Viktoriia Shlenova represent a next generation of artists whose work will continue to enrich the theatre ecology.”

Lei is a costume designer currently pursuing his MFA in Costume Design at Carnegie Mellon University School of Drama. Born and raised in Beijing, he began his formal training in stage and costume design as an undergraduate. His artistic practice is deeply informed by traditional Chinese aesthetics, the legacy of China’s first generation of stage designers, and his cross-cultural experience with both Chinese and American performance traditions. In addition to costume design, he also has training in mask making, millinery, puppet making, and stage makeup. He hopes to continue bringing together ideas from Chinese and American theatre design as he develops his own artistic voice. tianyucostume.com

Shlenova is a costume and fashion designer from Moscow, currently pursuing her MFA in Costume Design at Minnesota State University, Mankato. Her work bridges fashion and theatre, combining visual storytelling with research-driven design. Her fashion collections have been presented at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, and her creative work has been recognized through the international Young Designers Competition “Exercise” and Red Bull Doodle Art. In theatre, she has received the Jane Childs DTM Legacy Award at KCACTF, a Regional Mention in Costume Design, and an Achievement in Costume Parade award at ACTF. Selected projects and her portfolio can be viewed at viktoriiashlenova.com

Scholarship recipients receive up to $7,500 to be used toward tuition, registration fees, supplies, and/or travel expenses over a one-year period. The Willa Kim Costume Design Scholarship panel included Callie Floor, Maile Speetjens, and Sara Ryung Clement.

Previous Willa Kim Recipients

Seo Yun and Sveta Moroz Receive Willa Kim Scholarships

_Originally reported by [American Theatre](https://www.americantheatre.org/2026/05/13/tianyu-lei-and-viktoriia-shlenova-receive-2026-willa-kim-scholarships/)._