Please do look over the rules and FAQ’s even if you have applied before. We have made updates to the Prize categories for 2022.

• The Bruntwood Prize Award and Judges Award are open to anyone residing in the UK or Republic of Ireland or British Overseas Territory or with a British Forces Post Office address.
• The Bruntwood Prize International Award is open to international playwrights invited to anonymously apply via our named international partners. We are afraid that no other international submissions can be considered at this time.
• The North West Original New Voice Award and Residency is open to playwrights resident in the North-West of England (where the Royal Exchange Theatre is based) We define the North West via the Arts Council England districts https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/sites/default/files/download-file/Map_area_boundaries.pdf Those playwrights based in the North West who self declare on submission they have not had full-length play professionally produced for 12 performances or more in a professional venue are eligible. All scripts entered by these playwrights are also eligible for the Bruntwood Prize, and Judges Award.
• Entrants must be sixteen or over. There is no upper age limit.
• Scripts must be submitted anonymously with no information included on the script other than its title. Please do not include pseudonyms on your script, or agents' details.
• We can only accept one entry per person. We do accept plays co-authored by more than one writer. Please ensure that only one entry is submitted with one set of contact details.
• The entrant must exclusively own and control all copyright and all other related rights to the submitted script.
• The submitted play must be available for production and unattached to any other theatre or company. Any scripts that have been professionally optioned, produced or published will be disqualified.

Scripts

The play must be an hour long or more in playing time. The best way to judge this is to read your script out loud. There is no upper limit to the length of your script.

We do not accept translations, adaptations of other pieces of work or musicals. We also do not accept plays written exclusively for younger audiences.

The entrant must exclusively own and control all copyright and all other related rights to the submitted script.

If you have won a prize in any previous Bruntwood competition, (excluding Commendations) you may not enter a script. However, you may enter if you have been shortlisted or longlisted in the past.

* We define resident through your ability to produce, if asked, proof of main address on a driving license, appropriate Inland Revenue document, or if not in possession of these, a phone bill with proof of address. A full list of British Overseas Territories can be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Overseas_Territories

∞ Amateur performances do not apply. Unproduced means the play cannot have received a professional production in any form, anywhere in the world, apart from up to two rehearsed readings

Upload your play

Please enter the title of your play and upload it below.

• ONLY the play title should appear on the title page. Please do not include any potentially identifying information, including your pseudonym.
• Your real name, personal details or any contact information should appear NOWHERE in the document. If any identifying information is included in the document your entry will be disqualified.
• The document doesn’t have to be saved with a particular title.
• Accepted file types are PDF, RTF, DOC and DOCX.
• The maximum upload size is 20MB. Please be patient when uploading large files - it may take several minutes.

Once you’ve browsed for the play within your files, click next below.

Review your submission