The Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting is the biggest national competition for playwriting. It is the search for great new plays and great writers.
The Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting began in 2005. Since then, 11 writers have been awarded a total of £120,000, there have been six full productions and well over 5,000 entries generated by the Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting.
We look for scripts that are original and unperformed, by writers of any experience. The Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting is open to anyone aged 16 or over. Scripts are submitted anonymously.
For aspiring playwrights to established masters of the art, the Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting discovers, promotes and produces the very best new writing for theatre. A joint venture between the Royal Exchange Theatre and Bruntwood, the Manchester-based property company, the Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting is unrivalled in its support for playwrights. The winner of the 2013 prize will receive £16,000, and there will also be three Judges’ Awards of £8,000 each. All four award winners will have the chance to develop their play with the Royal Exchange, with a view to production. In addition, leading theatre publishers Nick Hern Books will publish all winning plays that receive a production at the Exchange, ensuring that the plays reach an even wider audience and have the opportunity of a vibrant afterlife. For more information about the partners involved in the 2013 Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting click here.
The 2013 Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting opens for entries from 31st January 2013.
Entering your play for the competition is simple and straightforward. We only accept entries online – through this website – so it can all be done right here.
This section of the website tells you everything you need to know about the Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting: what kind of work we accept, how to enter, what happens after you enter and if you win.
You can also sign up to our newsletter to receive updates about the 2013 Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting and a range of activities and opportunities associated with the Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting happening across the UK.
CAN I ENTER?
Writers entering the competition must be:
- Aged 16 or over
- Resident in the UK or Ireland
- Only submitting one play for the competition
To read the rules in full before you enter, click here.
WHAT SCRIPTS DO YOU ACCEPT?
The Bruntwood Prize for Playwrighting aims to accept as wide a range of scripts as possible. There are no restrictions on subject matter, style or the way you choose to write.
Plays submitted must be:
- Original, unperformed and unproduced
- Over one hour in stage/playing time
- Available for production
To read the rules in full before you enter, click here.
HOW DO I ENTER?
We only accept entries online for the Prize, through the entry process on this website. Entry is entirely FREE. To start that process, you will need:
- A pseudonym, a name that’s anything other than your real one. This can be anything you like.
We don’t ask for your real name, so that all entries are judged equally. Your real name should appear nowhere in your application and shouldn’t appear on the play itself. Your pseudonym and the play’s title should appear in the body of the text of your play.
- Your play as a file or document (accepted file types are DOC, DOCX and PDF). You can save this under any name, but you will also be asked for the play’s title.
- A contact email address – if you open a new account to disguise your name, please make sure you check that account regularly.
- A postal address in the UK or Ireland and a contact telephone number.
Entries for the 2013 Bruntwood Prize for Playwright opens on 31st January 2013.
WHAT ARE THE PRIZES?
While the judges reserve the right to change the Prize structure, it is the aim of the 2013 Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting to make the following awards:
- A First Prize of £16,000 – with the offer of a year-long attachment with the Royal Exchange Theatre
- Three Judges’ Awards of £8,000 each.
All four winners will have the opportunity to develop their play at the Royal Exchange Theatre with a view to production. In addition, leading publisher Nick Hern Books will publish those plays that go on to receive a production at the Exchange.
These awards are designed to support each writer in the development of the play they have produced and their craft. Check our Prize Rules to find out the terms and conditions of the awards.
You can find out more about what has happened to previous winners here.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
After you have submitted your play:
- It is read by our team of readers. Every play is read up to at least page 40.
- A Shortlist of plays will be announced on this website on Tuesday 22nd October 2013.
- The plays on the Shortlist go forward to our panel of judges.
- Winners are announced at the Bruntwood Prize Awards Ceremony at the Royal Exchange Theatre, to which all Shortlist are invited.
We aim to respond to writers about the success of their entry as quickly as possible. The top 100 scripts go onto Feedback List and will receive detailed feedback and a report from the Royal Exchange Theatre.
To read more about how the reading and judging process works, click here.
