The 2026 Young Playwrights Award is now officially nation-wide!
Do you have an idea or a story to tell? Can you imagine it performed live, by actors on a stage? It’s time to start your playwriting journey. The Young Playwrights Award is a free, open-access competition for any teenager in the UK interested in writing a play, whether independently or with a school or group.
Your play can be about anything you want or imagine: something that inspires you, a story that hasn’t been told before, or ideas that challenge the world around you. To help you get the most out of the experience, the Royal Court also offers support and advice at every step.
Entries will next open in January 2026, but you can start reading about the competition, watching video masterclasses and thinking about what to write at any time.
The awards are in two age categories: 13-15 and 16-18 years, and all plays must be written in English and between 1,000 to 5,000 words long (about 10 to 30 minutes). Other than that, there are no rules about your entry – so long as it’s a play, intended for performance on a stage, we want to read it!
The Award is decided by the Royal Court Theatre’s artistic team, with final decisions made by a panel. Everyone who enters will get personal feedback. All shortlisted writers will be announced on their website and will also receive a certificate of recognition and a free book on playwriting to support your next steps, donated by Nick Hern Books.
Winning plays will be showcased at a festival in July at the Royal Court Theatre, London, presented as a series of staged readings by professional directors and actors – with the plays also published in a special edition by Nick Hern Books. As part of the festival, will be a special prizegiving, with unique trophies for every winning writer.
Full details available at: royalcourttheatre.com/enter-the-young-playwrights-award
