2022 Pulitzer Prize-winning public media organization PRX – one of the world’s leading podcast publishers – announced a new podcast development program for individuals, thinkers, and storytellers focused on or at the intersection of scientific, philosophical, and spiritual life. Participants will be guided through the podcast piloting process before developing at least two seasons of their podcast, up to eight episodes each.

The program is open to either individuals or production teams of up to two people each, who are new to the audio medium, located in the United States or Canada. Supported by the John Templeton Foundation, submissions are welcome from those whose expertise includes or intersects with the natural sciences, human sciences, philosophy, ethics, or theology. More information is below regarding subject areas.

Applications are open now through October 31, 2022. Visit prx.org/bigquestions for full information and for the application.

Applicants will be notified of their application status at the end of 2022, and the program will take place from January 2023 – August 2024 (subject to change).

Participants in PRX’s Big Questions Project, will receive $35,000 in funding to produce a podcast pilot and two seasons of an original series. Participants will work directly with PRX Productions, PRX’s award-winning team specializing in high-quality audio production and storytelling for and with creators such as CBS News and Simon & Schuster, PBS, America Abroad Media, and more.

Based on the pilot, PRX will work closely with each participant in the program to provide access to the following:

PRX technology and distribution resources, including one year of free access to PRX Dovetail, the best-in-class podcast publishing and monetization platform designed for post-production flexibility and support, and featuring tools such as metrics.

Mentorship sessions with PRX’s sponsorship, development, and business teams; and

Marketing resources to help podcast series reach and engage audiences

The aim of the PRX Big Questions Project is to help listeners gain a deeper understanding of how issues such as spirituality, character, ethics, and humility connect to their daily lives, thereby seeking creators whose work gives voice to the deepest questions facing humanity.

For the podcast development program, individuals of any professional experience level in their respective field are invited to apply, but their podcast must pertain to one of the following subject areas:

The natural sciences through explorations of the fundamental structures, constituents, and laws of the natural world and humankind’s place in it;

The human sciences through explorations of human nature, the study of human flourishing, and fundamental structures and realities within the social, behavioral, and cognitive sciences; or,

Theology and philosophy through explorations of the divine and divinity, religion and spirituality, and intersections between philosophy, science, morality, and social systems.

Four podcast will be selected. Applicants will be notified by the end of 2022.

PRX will hold a virtual information session about the PRX Big Questions Project and the application process. This event will take place Tuesday, Sep. 20, at 3pm ET/ 12pm PT. Sign up for this free webinar is available at this Zoom registration link. A captioned video recording and transcript will be provided on the FAQ page of the application following the webinar.