Manchester based winners Andrew Sheridan (WINTERLONG) and Tim Foley (ELECTRIC ROSARY) discuss being based in Manchester and the Royal Exchange to develop their work

The Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting is open to anyone aged 16+ in the UK, Ireland and the British Territories with a story to tell.

The Prize is a genuine endeavour to discover new stories and help playwrights develop their craft, providing everybody and anybody with the opportunity to write a play. The 2022 Prize is split across four categories. This year also sees the introduction of a new category: The North West Original New Voice Award and Residency.

In recognition of the Prize’s Manchester home and to enable us to work closely with the winning playwright, this year the winner must be based in the North West of England and have not had a full-length play professionally produced for 12 performances or more in a professional venue.

In addition to winning £8,000, they will also access an additional £10,000 fund dedicated to their professional development at the Royal Exchange Theatre during a bespoke one year residency.

To be eligible- all you need to do is tick the eligibility boxes our the entry form to allow us to consider your script for the Award.

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

The ACE define the North West as the following regions. You are eligible for the North West Award and Residency if you are based in one of the following places, and have not had full-length play professionally produced for 12 performances or more in a professional venue:

Blackburn with Darwen, Blackpool, Bolton, Bury, Cheshire, Cumbria, Hatton, Knowsley, Lancashire, Liverpool, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Sefton, St Helens, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Warrington, Wigan, Wirral

Of course, scripts eligible for the North West Award can also win the Judges Award and Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting. The Original New Voice award simply allows the Royal Exchange Theatre to further support a playwright who is at a relatively early stage in their journey, to focus on the development of their craft and explore their relationship to their work.

The Bruntwood Prize is managed by the Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester. It is our intention that the winner of the Original New Voice Award and Residency goes on to join us here at the theatre in 2023. Now more than ever we want to ensure the Prize supports writers international, nationally and locally.

TO ENTER- simply follow the link!

Entering