The successful entry will be performed as a rehearsed reading by professional actors and a director at Lighthouse as part of the new Dorset Artists Festival in January 2022. There is also a cash prize of £1500 and the possibility of a further commission towards a full production.

“The Lighthouse Playwriting Prize is a genuine offer to discover new stories and to champion writers, whether or not they have written for the stage before,” says Paula Hammond, Producer: Artist Development.

“Scripts from both new and established writers are welcome – as long as they have a story to tell – as are scripts that use new technology, physical theatre, puppets or other interesting staging and production devices.”

The Lighthouse Playwriting Prize has been made possible with support from the Garfield Weston Foundation. Deadline for entries is 31 October 2021 with the winner to be announced on 15 December 2021. The rehearsed reading at Dorset Artists Festival will be on Wednesday 26 January 2022.

If more than 50 scripts that fit the brief are submitted, the judges reserve the right to read the first 20 minutes and choose which scripts to read in full – the synopsis and supporting information will help them decide which scripts to pursue.

To enter, visit www.lighthousepoole.co.uk and complete the application form.

The Brief

To be considered all scripts must comply with all the following criteria:

• suitable to be performed in the Sherling Studio at Lighthouse
• run to a minimum of 60 minutes
• maximum cast of six and suitable for studio-scale budgets
• the scripts must be written in English
• the script must be unpublished and not previously performed (including non-professional productions)
• the script has been written since 2019
• The writer(s) holds exclusive rights to the work.

In addition, the writer(s) or script should meet at least one of the following criteria:

• include themes that address issues and celebrate people of the Global Majority, those who identify as disabled and/or LGBTQ+
• you and/or cast members include people of the Global Majority, those who identify as disabled and/or LGBTQ+
• you are based in Dorset
• includes themes that address contemporary rural and/or seaside issues.

Lighthouse wants its commissioned artists and writers to reflect our audiences and communities and encourages applications from people who are under-represented in the arts, including people who experience racism, identify as working class, have disabilities, are from the LGBTQ+ community, are care experienced or are discriminated against.