Created by Birmingham Rep’s Artistic Director Sean Foley, The Victoria Wood Playwriting Prize for Comedy (in partnership with The Victoria Wood Foundation) is the UK’s first ever major playwriting competition dedicated to the art of Comedy. The prize is open to UK residents only and will take place biennially.

There is one category, ‘New Comedy Play’, and all plays submitted must be an original, full-length, unperformed and unproduced piece of work.

Submissions for The Victoria Wood Playwriting Prize for Comedy are now open and will close at 23.59 on Fri 1 Dec 2023. Reading and selection will take place until April 2024 and the shortlist will be announced via the Birmingham Rep website in May 2024. The Winner will be announced on what would have been Victoria Wood’s 71st birthday, on Sun 19 May 2024.

The winning writer will receive a commission fee of £10,000 funded by the Victoria Wood Foundation, and an award of £15,000 prize money.

This competition is for writers over the age of 18 in all stages of their career; if you are an established writer with years of experience, or if this is your first adventure into the world of comedy writing.

Victoria Wood Playwriting Prize for Comedy | Birmingham Rep