A list of competitions, grants, developments and general opportunities open to Victorian (Australian) playwrights; all due in May and early June 2020.
It is possible that due to COVID-19, and the closure of many arts-related activities, that some of these opportunities may no longer be current. Please check carefully before submitting.
Please note that I will not post any opportunity that requires playwrights to pay a fee. This policy is shared by other playwriting circles, including NYC Playwrights.
If you are aware of any other opportunities not listed here, please contact samanthahill.writes@gmail.com, and I’ll endeavour to update the page as soon as possible.
| Date Due | Name of Opportunity | Type of work | Details |
| Ongoing | Antipodes Theatre Ricochet Reading Series | Submit an unproduced play | Submit a full-length play or musical, previously unproduced for a rehearsed reading. Script must prioritise roles for actors who are traditionally not well-represented on stages (women, people of colour, people with disabilities, etc.) |
| Ongoing | Isoplaytion | Submit 15 minute plays for publication on website | Submit 15 minute plays responding to COVID19 to be published on Josef Weinberger Plays website. No other prize, plays will be published frequently. UK company. Worldwide submissions.* |
| Ongoing | Panglossian Productions Plays in Progress | Submit full-length play for reading | Submit a full-length play; any genre, although especially comedic and plays for young audiences. Script will receive some development and online public reading. US company. Worldwide submissions.* |
| Ongoing | Project Y Zoom play | Submit plays about Zoom calls | Submit plays, monologues or scenes that occur within a Zoom call. Scripts will be published for educational purposes and may receive production. US company. Worldwide submissions.* |
| Ongoing | Royal Court Theatre script submissions | Submit full-length script | Submit original full-length scripts for development and programming. UK company. Worldwide submissions.* |
| Ongoing | Drama Notebook Script Publication | Submit scripts for kids and teens | Submit short scripts to be published on Drama Notebook, and accessed by teachers worldwide. One-off payment of $25, writers retain copyright. US company. Worldwide submissions.* |
| Ongoing | Director’s Cut ‘Lock Down Open Up’ | Submit short script or video about isolation | Submit monologue script or video about lockdown. Successful entries will be presented on online channel, or may be showcased later in theatre. UK company. Worldwide submissions.* |
| Ongoing, until funding exhausted | Quick Response Arts Grants | Support for online content or development of new work | Up to $4000 available for various creatives to assist during COVID19. Victoria, Australia only. |
| Weekly, every Wednesday | Slackline Productions’ Cyber Stories | Submit short monologue or short two-hander for filming on youtube | Female-identifying playwrights only, featuring a character over 35 who also identifies as female. Winner chosen every week, filmed, and put up on youtube channel. UK company. Worldwide submissions.* |
| May 1st | Aurand Harris Memorial Playwriting Award 2020 | Submit a full-length play for a young audience | Submit unpublished and unproduced plays for a young audience. Winners receive staged reading. No musicals, no scripts for adults. US company. Worldwide submissions.* |
| May 1st | Midsumma Pathways | Mentorship program across disciplines | Nine-month mentorship for LGBTQIA+ artists with a disability, to develop artistic practices. Probably virtual, but travel funding can be arranged if in-person. Australian submissions. |
| May 2nd | Non-Compliant Special Issue | Submit piece for publication | Submit writing/artwork/performance/etc for publication in Australian arts magazine. Selected contributors receive profit-share payment. Worldwide submissions. |
| May 3rd | Lord Mayor’s Creative Writing Awards | Submit a script under 30 pages | For unpublished writers only, including playwrights with performed work. Prize is up to $12,000. Victorian residents only. |
| May 8th | National Young Writers Festival | Pitch an idea, event, performance, etc. | Submit application for event/workshop/idea/etc on theme: The Raucous Twenties. Artist payment between $60-$200, subsidy for accommodation during festival. Newcastle based, accepting Australian submissions, writers aged 18-35. |
| May 8th | Antipodes Theatre Winter Retreat | Development retreat for writers, directors, actors, etc. | Submit expression of interest for virtual 12-day development and mentoring retreat. $250 stipend. For work which prioritises the casting of marginalised communities (inc. women, people of colour, and others). Australian submissions. |
| May 8th | Chameleon Theatre Circle New Play Contest | Submit a play or musical | All styles, lengths, genres can be submitted for production in festival. Unproduced scripts only. Prize money $25-$100USD. Scripts must be POSTED. US company. Worldwide submissions.* |
| May 8th | Fishamble Tiny Play Contest | Submit a 600 word play | Submit a 600-word tiny play on theme of ‘Change.’ Selected scripts published online. UK company. Worldwide submissions.* |
| May 11th | XS Open Melbourne Fringe | Propose a live art event for children | A $10,000 commission for an artist or team to create a live art event for children under 12 in the Melbourne Fringe. Prefer artists who live/work/connect with Western suburbs of Melbourne. |
| May 11th | ATYP Foundation Commissions | Submit idea for young actors | Two commissions: for actors 10-13 years, and 14-17 years. Prize $10,000-$15,000 plus publication, production, and airfares to Sydney. Australian submissions. |
| May 12th | Nylon Fusion Theatre Company Short Play Festival | Submit 10 minute play for future production | Submit a play about 10 minutes on the theme Retrospect: the worst of times. Will be produced in future (no further details given, no prize mentioned). USA/UK company. Worldwide submissions.* |
| May 13th | Darebin Arts Speakeasy Program | Stipend to develop new work | Submit application for new performance based work, stipend of $1500-$2000 and free theatre space. Open to artists who can make use of Darebin Arts spaces. |
| May 14th | Playwriting Australia Duologue | Collaboration on new work | For mid-career and established writers, collaborate on new work. $300 stipend. Australian submissions. |
| May 15th | 15 Minute Musical Challenge | Submit short, brand new musical | Submit 15 minute musical (or 15 minute section of longer piece), written AFTER March 19th 2020. Cash Prize. US company. Worldwide submissions.* |
| May 17th | Playwriting Australia Ignition | Commission for new, ambitious work | $25,000 and partnering with production company to develop new work. Work must be large in scale OR writer must identify as First Nations or CALD person OR work is for young people or regional audiences. Australian submissions. |
| May 18th | Show Support – Melbourne Fringe | Pitch an idea for an original fringe work | Submit an idea, donors select proposals to receive $2500 to produce the work. Must enter work in the Melbourne Fringe Festival. |
| May 18th | Jewel Box – Melbourne Fringe | Commission for fringe works by creatives of colour | Grant for new Melbourne Fringe festival works, including $1500, and other support offered. Must enter work in the Melbourne Fringe Festival, open to creative people of colour. |
| May 19th | Playwriting Australia Rapid Fire | Workshop for CALD writers | One-day virtual workshop of a new play by a Culturally & Linguistically Diverse (CALD) writer. Financial support offered. Australian submissions. |
| May 24th | Playwriting Australia Playwrights Retreat | Retreat for First Nations playwrights | Virtual retreats running in July and September for First Nations playwrights. Previous participants welcome. Australian submissions. |
| May 28th | Max Affords Playwrights Award | Submit full length play for further development | Submit play over one hour, must not have been previously produced or scheduled for production this year. Writers aged 18-40 only. $15,000 prize & $15,000 toward development. Australian submissions. |
| May 31st | Erin Thomas Playwriting Fund | Collaboration for regional writers | Paid collaborative program between regional or remote writers and director/dramaturg to develop a new work. Australian submissions. |
| May 31st | 9Thirty Theatre Company | Submit one act, full length or musical for production | Submit original works incorporating environmental themes, not previously produced in NYC. US company. Worldwide submissions.* |
| June 1st | Urban Stages Acronym Plays | Submit 10 minute play for online publication & performance | Submit 10 min play inspired by an acronym. Must be previously unpublished and unproduced. US company. Worldwide submissions.* |
| June 5th | Carnon Downs One Act Play Comp | Submit one act play for performance | Submit a 40-50 minute, unproduced script. Must be over 16 years old. £100 prize and production. UK company. Worldwide submissions.* |
*Please note that some international opportunities do not provide clear guidelines around which countries they accept submissions from. If in doubt, please contact them directly.
Samantha Hill 