The Royal Court Theatre, in partnership with Jerwood Foundation, has announced the recipients of the inaugural Jerwood Royal Court Commissioning Scheme.
Launched to mark the Royal Court’s 70th anniversary, the scheme supports new play commissions by underwriting the initial commissioning fee for playwright and producer partnerships across the UK.
Six grants of up to £6,000 have been jointly awarded to writers and producers through the open-access national scheme, which attracted 136 applications in its first year.
The 2026 recipients are Tonderai Munyevu with York Theatre Royal, Simon Longman with Kestrel Theatre, Harry Mould with Traverse Theatre, Christine Entwisle with Shared Experience, Anjeli Chapman with Tamasha, and Shahid Iqbal Khan with Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse.
The initiative is designed to encourage risk-taking and ambition in new writing by removing financial barriers at the earliest stage of commissioning.
Applications were assessed by a panel including representatives from Jerwood Foundation and the Royal Court’s artistic leadership, with 12 partnerships shortlisted for interview.
Will Young, Executive Director of the Royal Court Theatre, said: ‘We’re delighted to announce the first recipients for our game-changing new Jerwood Royal Court Commissioning Scheme. The quality and breadth of applications was exceptional, reflecting the huge amounts of new writing talent and creative energy across British theatre – and generating heated debate for the shortlisting and selection panels. We know the decisions will only get tougher each year as we grow this programme annually – providing a long-term engine for investment in bold, original new theatre. Now we just can’t wait to see the plays come to life and meet audiences across the country.’
Lara Wardle, Executive Director and Trustee of Jerwood Foundation, said: “Jerwood support of the Jerwood Royal Court Commissioning Scheme builds on a long-standing relationship with the Royal Court Theatre and underlines our ongoing commitment to excellence and emerging talent in the arts. I am delighted that, in its inaugural year, this new national programme will enable six new commissions across the UK and provide opportunities for risk-taking and ambition to flourish.”
The scheme forms part of a broader expansion in the Royal Court’s approach to playwright support, sharing resources beyond its own stages and investing in new work nationwide.
The Writers’ Guild of Great Britain is supporting the scheme to ensure fair terms for commissioned writers, with all grants covering non-recoupable first payments at or above WGGB minimum rates.
A second round of applications for commissions in 2027 will be announced later this year.
Listings and ticket information can be found here.
