The prestigious Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting 2019 is now open for entries. The prize is a key part of Bruntwood’s continuing commitment to support the country’s most exciting and innovative creative talent.
It offers the opportunity for writers of any background and experience to enter unperformed plays which are submitted anonymously and judged by a panel of leading theatre industry experts.
And with a prize fund totalling £40,000 across four categories including two new £8000 prizes for a debut play and international voices, it remains the biggest playwriting prize in Europe.
Since the biennial competition, which is run in collaboration with the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester, was launched in 2005 it has awarded more than £250,000 in prize money to 28 writers.
Twenty-four winning productions have been staged in venues across the UK and abroad including Vivianne Franzmann’s Mogadishu, So Here We Are by actor and writer Luke Norris, and Anna Jordan’s Yen.
The closing date for the 2019 competition is 6pm on Wednesday 5th June and the Prize will be awarded at a ceremony at the Royal Exchange on Monday 4th November.
The judging panel features some of the most high-profile names in British theatre including Kwame Kwei-Armah, artistic director of the Young Vic, who will chair the panel; Sarah Frankcom, artistic director of the Royal Exchange Theatre; playwright and former winner Anna Jordan, and Graeae Theatre Company artistic director Jenny Sealey MBE.
Michael Oglesby CBE DL, founder of Bruntwood and chairman of The Oglesby Charitable Trust, and Kate Vokes, director of culture at Bruntwood, are also among the judges.
Meanwhile a new addition for 2019 is ‘The People’s Judge’. Faith Yianni was selected following a search by the Prize and leading theatre critic Lyn Gardner for a member of the public to bring a fresh, new perspective to the judging process.
Kate Vokes, director of culture at Bruntwood, said: “As a company, we’re committed to encouraging and promoting a wide range of cultural activity, making sure it is accessible to everyone and stimulating creativity, conversation and social consciousness.
“In 2018 alone Bruntwood supported more than 30 inspiring arts and cultural organisations across Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool and Birmingham, including MIF in Manchester, and Sound City and the Binary Festival in Liverpool. And we have also just announced a new partnership with the bluedot festival.
“We’re proud to continue to help nurture some of this country’s most exciting talent through The Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting. The standard of entries is always phenomenally high, and we can’t wait to see what 2019 brings.”
To enter the 2019 competition, visit the website www.writeaplay.co.uk
