We are hugely excited to announce the inaugural North East Playwriting Award, presented by Live Theatre in partnership with The Catherine Cookson Char
Submit To The North East Playwriting Award 2023
We are hugely excited to announce the inaugural North East Playwriting Award, presented by Live Theatre in partnership with The Catherine Cookson Charitable Trust. This brand new venture seeks to award commissions to two playwrights who are either from or based in the North East of England. The commissioned plays will then be produced for our stage.
Our main award will offer one playwright a full-length commission fee of £10,000 and ensuing production in our main theatre.
Furthermore, we are thrilled to build on our commitment to young talent by offering a second commission award of £7,000 to a young playwright (16-25 years) to write an under-70 minute play.
"An amazing opportunity for writers from our rich and diverse region to be able to take part in such a generous and timely award...this has the potential to be life changing for the winners."
Ishy Din (Playwright)
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WHAT IS THE NORTH EAST PLAYWRITING AWARD?
There are two playwriting awards on offer.
- Our main award will offer the winning playwright a full-length commission fee of £10,000 (over 70 minutes) and a commitment to produce their play at Live Theatre.
- The second award will be exclusively for young people aged 16 to 25. This will be a commission fee of £7,000 (under 70 minutes) and a commitment to develop the play at Live Theatre.
WHO IS THIS FOR?
- These awards are open to writers who are either from or currently living in the North East of England.
- The main award is open to anyone aged 16 and above.
- The second award (Youth award) is exclusively for writers aged 16 to 25.
- Both awards are open to writers at any level of experience. No minimum or maximum level of experience is required.
WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR?
- We want to hear the stories you feel compelled to tell, through the filter that makes you different to everyone else in the world - your own unique voice.
- We want plays that are brave, bold and ambitious in theme and drama. That are diverse and dramatically theatrical. To show us new worlds and perspectives we’ve never seen before.
- Forget what you think a Live Theatre play is or any preconceptions of what you think we would like you to write. All we want is for you to tell us the story you are passionate to share, in your own unique way, unrestricted from limitations or briefs.
- Let your imagination free.
WHAT ARE WE ASKING FOR?
- We realise that every writer works at their own pace via their own uniquely weird and wonderful practices, we also hate to see writers putting hours of their time and craft into polishing a draft unless they are being paid to do so.
- Therefore, to apply for the award we are happy to accept either a full play (early drafts are fine), or a detailed treatment of the play you want to write (approximately 10 pages) and a sample of your script writing.
- We recognise that the play you send in will most likely not be fully developed yet. Development of the script will be part of the process offered to the winning plays, so please do not spend lots of unpaid time perfecting this work. We simply need to get a strong sense of the piece you want to make and your writing style.
WHAT ARE WE NOT LOOKING FOR?
We are not looking for adaptations, reimaginings, dance or circus work. Outside of this we are open to all ideas!
SELECTION AND ASSESSMENT
The award selection process is completely anonymous. We ask that any names or reference to the writer be removed from the script itself so that readers remain impartial during the process.
Only once the final shortlist has been decided will the identity of the remaining writers be made public. All unsuccessful writers will receive feedback on their scripts at this point (unless they have opted out).
READING PREFERENCES
Through our reading and selection process, your script will be read by a carefully selected group of readers, made up of theatre artists and professionals from a diverse range of different genders, ethnicities, disabilities, neurodiversities, sexualities, religions, nationalities and ages. If you feel your script would be better judged by a reader with a specific life experience, background or knowledge set, you can let us know in the submissions form and we will try our best to have your script read by someone we feel will give it the fairest and best informed consideration during the process.
WHAT IS THE PROCESS?
All submissions will be read anonymously by Live Theatre’s creative team and a reading team comprised of theatre industry professionals. From this reading process a shortlist of writers will be selected.
The winners of the two awards will be chosen from the shortlist by a guest panel of judges who will be announced soon.
All unsuccessful writers will receive feedback on their script.
Join the Second WhatsApp group— If the first group gets filled up.
AWARD SCHEDULE
Submission Open Thu 9 March 2023
Submission Closes Mon 7 August 2023
Shortlist Announced Mon 15 January 2024
Prize winners announced Mon 26 February 2024
Submissions open: Thu 9 Mar - Mon 7 Aug 2023
FREE (by application)
Suitable for ages 16+
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