Submissions are officially open for the Popcorn Writing Award 2025, celebrating bold and imaginative new writing at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
Run by the acclaimed film and theatre production company Popcorn Group, the award offers a £6,000 prize fund directly to writers recognised for their groundbreaking scripts.
In addition to the cash prize, winners will receive mentorship from Popcorn Group and BBC Writers, with the opportunity to be considered for the BBC Writers Voices 2026 programme.
Established in 2019, the Popcorn Writing Award champions fearless writing that artistically tackles current affairs, questions societal norms, and contributes to public debate.
To be eligible, plays must be new writing with fewer than seven preview performances prior to the 2025 Fringe and must be staged at one of the award’s partner venues.
All shortlisted writers will receive mentorship meetings with Popcorn Group, and UK and Ireland-based writers will also be eligible for one-to-one meetings with the BBC Writers team.
Popcorn Group’s founder and filmmaker Charlotte Colbert said:
“I’m thrilled that the Popcorn Writing Award will be back in 2025 at the Edinburgh Fringe, an extraordinary space where new voices are heard and brave storytelling thrives. Each year, we’re reminded how vital it is to celebrate the power of theatre to ignite change. It’s a joy to support writers who are exploring new ideas and tackling real-world themes with originality and courage.”
Past winners have gone on to be commissioned by major broadcasters, accepted onto BBC Writers programmes, and transferred their work to stages in London and New York.
The 2024 award was jointly awarded to VL by Kieran Hurley and Gary McNair, and Weather Girl by Brian Watkins, the latter of which is being adapted for television.
Finalists included The Book of Mountains and Seas by Yilong Liu and Knock on the Roof by Khawla Ibraheem, with a special mention for Pop Off, Michelangelo! by Dylan MarcAurele.
Previous winners include Bryony Kimmings, Karim Khan, and Sabrina Ali, whose 2023-winning play Dugsi Dayz transferred to the Royal Court Theatre.
The judging panel is curated by Popcorn Group in consultation with BBC Writers and includes notable industry figures such as Ruth Wilson, Enda Walsh, Gonzalo Maza, and Wunmi Mosaku.
Submissions are open until 10am on 8th July 2025.
To apply, writers must submit their script, a 50-word summary, a 10-word tagline, and a list of previous performance dates to their venue’s programming team with the subject line: “Popcorn Writing Award 2025 // Title of Play // Writer’s Name // Venue Associated”.
More information can be found here.
