A bold new initiative has been unveiled at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe: The Leodis Prize, a major opportunity designed to spotlight previously unrecognised voices in theatre.
Unlike any other UK theatre award, The Leodis Prize supports entirely unplatformed artists, offering not only full production and publication, but also representation and financial support.
Open exclusively to writers of any age who have never had their plays performed, published, or professionally represented, the prize offers a fully funded pathway to the Fringe.
The winning playwright will see their debut play produced by Leodis in association with Pleasance Theatre Trust, premiering at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2026.
In addition to the production, the winner will receive representation from Leodis, publication by Methuen Drama (an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing), and a £2,000 cash prize to support their career development.
The judging panel includes Tamzin Outhwaite, Jenna Fincken—whose play Ruckus was a standout at the Fringe—and acclaimed director Sam Yates. Together, they bring a wealth of industry insight and a shared passion for nurturing new talent.
Submissions open on 12 August 2025 and close on 2 November 2025, with the winner announced in March 2026.
Daniel Hinchliffe, Managing Director of Leodis Talent and founder of the award, said:
“I wanted to create a writing prize to find a new voice in theatre that is open to anyone, especially without age restraints. I don’t think our industry does enough to support new theatre writing and I wanted to ensure we created a pathway to the Fringe that is fully funded for our winning playwright to allow them to concentrate on the play and not the process of producing. I am delighted to be launching this new prize with Pleasance and Bloomsbury Publishing, companies that I admire greatly for their support of new writing.”
Anthony Alderson, Director of the Pleasance Theatre Trust, added:
“The Fringe has always been about discovery and it remains the launchpad for some of the most exciting new works. It is a place to find and platform new voices. The Leodis Prize is the kind of initiative that keeps the spirit of the Fringe alive and urgent and we are proud to be partnering with the award to stage the winning play and help to uncover new artists.”
The Leodis Prize underscores the vital role of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe as a platform for fresh, dynamic, and fearless new work.
More information can be found here.
