Each week we look through our pile of writing opportunities to pick out one we think is particularly worth your time. It could be an innovative brief, great prize money, a high-profile company, or just plain fun.
This week’s pick: WGGB New Play Commission Scheme
Description: Designed to respond to the decline in new theatre commissions during the COVID-19 pandemic, the NPCS will ensure 15 new commissions for playwrights across England in 2022.
Why is it so great? This new scheme has been generously supported using public funding by Arts Council England, by Society of London Theatre (SOLT) and UK Theatre through the Theatre Development Trust; and has raised over £50,000 in donations from major producers, actors, and writers. Faber has also made a generous donation to the New Play Commission Scheme, and will award an additional £5,000 to the best play by an unpublished writer. The scheme will provide grants equivalent to the WGGB commissioning minimum for the type of theatre and/or company commissioning the work. Playwrights will be invited to apply in partnership with a venue or producer. So there are some excellent opportunities on offer and if you want to apply, applications open on 12th May 2022 and close on 24th June – so get ready!
Find out more here.
Source: Playwriting UK Facebook Group
Have sent out about seven enquiries so far, as soon as I saw this advertised, not one has yet got back to me, with just an acknowledgement let alone interest. Has anyone had anything more positive to report? 75% of these awards are supposedly going to writers without existing links to producers and companies, but it feels like you are having to beg just to be listened to.