The Kay Mellor Fellowship is a year-long paid opportunity for a writer based in Yorkshire and the Humber to develop their writing for stage and screen.

• Work in partnership with Leeds Playhouse and Rollem to develop a new stage play and a television pitch. This may take the form of a single idea adapted for both mediums, or two separate ideas tailored independently to each form.
• Receive a place on the BBC Writers Voices writer development programme where they will hone their skills and industry knowledge through a range of workshops, masterclasses, panels and industry talks.

This is not a full-time role, and it is expected that the writer will undertake other paid work outside of the fellowship. Working hours and timetables will be agreed with the fellowship holder.

The closing date for applications is 10am on 1 August 2026.

Interviews to be scheduled for early to mid-November 2026.

Fresh Ink: Hull Playwriting Festival is an annual theatre festival supporting the creation and development of new plays in Hull. The focus is on performing early versions of new ideas to audiences and gathering their feedback to support the next stage of their development.

Middle Child are looking to commission writers with a variety of experiences, who have a meaningful connection to the city of Hull and can demonstrate why their work makes sense as part of a festival that develops grassroots work in the city.

There are different-sized commissions available, from ten-minute monologues, all the way up to a complete 70-minute play.

What you write about is up to you, but we’re looking for stories that speak to contemporary Hull. They don’t need to be set here, or about here, but they do need to say something to the people that live here.

Role Overview

This opportunity is for someone interested in learning more about Movement Direction for theatre.  This role will provide the opportunity to shadow and observe the work of the Movement Director Lucie Pankhurst in her work on Some Woman by Helen Edmundson.

The role will be most suitable for someone who is a committed to pursuing Movement Direction as a career and is keen to shadow and observe the work of a Movement Director and further develop their insight and understanding in this area.

Key dates

Application deadline Monday 10 August

Interviews w/c 17 August

Rehearsals start Tuesday 24 August

Placement Starts W/C 31 August

Technical rehearsals begin W/C 28 September (TBC)

First preview Wednesday 7 October 2026

Press night Thursday 15 October 2026

The placement will be the equivalent of 8 days between the 31 August and 15 October to be agreed between the placement and the NT Skills Centre, ensuring that the placement will be able to observe key moments in the production process.

Role Overview

This opportunity is for someone interested in learning more about Sound Design for theatre. This role will provide the opportunity to shadow and observe the work of the Sound Designers Max and Ben Ringham in the creation of their sound design for Some Woman by Helen Edmundson.

The role will be most suitable for someone who is a committed to pursuing sound design and is keen to shadow and observe the work of a Sound Designer and further develop their insight and understanding in this area.

Key dates

Application deadline Tuesday 4 August

Interviews w/c 10 August

Rehearsals start Tuesday 24 August

Technical rehearsals begin W/C 28 September (TBC)

First preview Wednesday 7 October 2026

Press night Thursday 15 October 2026

The placement will be the equivalent of 10 days between the 24 August and 15 October to be agreed between the placement and the NT Skills Centre, ensuring that the placement will be able to observe key moments in the production process.

Join the Creators' Programme at the Young Vic!

To be part of the Creators’ Program and the Creators’ Program Network, you should be a professional artist who is:

• over 18 years of age
• at an early stage of their career (irrespective of age as long as you are over 18)
• a resident in the UK
• not in education at the time of joining

The Creators’ Program Network is a unique online space where artists can exchange opportunities, share resources, and be part of a network of artists. This is also where all our events, workshops, and ticket offers will be listed.

A Paid Residency Opportunity for Early-Career Artists in Bristol

Creative Futures is offering 4 early-career artists a £500 commission & a 3-month residency each to develop new art, music, sound &/or performance works. Creative Youth Network will provide commissioned artists with a structure of support, mentoring, artist-to-artist creative exchange & workshops to develop their creative practices, producing skills, professional networks, and artistic community - ending with a public showcase of the commissioned artist’s works at The Courts in Bristol’s city centre.

The residency runs from Tues 6th Oct 2026 - Tues 26th Jan 2027. Commissioned artists will receive:

• A £500 commission to create a new piece of work
• A 3-month residency at The Station, Bristol – including access to creative, dance & recording studio space
• A showcase at The Courts, Bristol
• Mentoring personalised to their creative practice
• Creative workshops
• 1-2-1 producing professional development sessions from CYN’s Creative team
• A structure of facilitated artist-to-artist creative exchange
• Support broadening their network
• Opportunities to form a creative community with fellow Creative Futures artist

We are looking for artists working across all creative disciplines, with two of the four places will be reserved for musicians and sound artists.

We are looking to work with early-career directors with a background in directing and/or facilitating, with particular interest in directing new writing and developing their wider skills and abilities towards future freelance careers and artistic leadership roles. The Royal Court Trainee Director scheme has had an impressive history supporting the next generation of brilliant directors and artistic leaders, with alumni including Rufus Norris, Roy Alexander Weise, Lyndsey Turner and Milli Bhatia. We can’t wait to see who’s next.

We are currently hiring two Trainee Directors with a six month shared overlap. One position will start in January 2027; the second in June 2027; each for one year.

The successful candidate will have:

• A minimum of two credits as director, associate director or assistant director all within a professional context.
• Experience of working on a show with a run of over one week, including noting a show during the course of a performance run.
• Experience of working with writers and/or in new writing, and an understanding of the challenges and opportunities around presenting and developing new plays.

This eight-week course will develop your creative writing skills and provide you with the confidence to bring an idea for theatre to life through an active, practical approach that brings writers into collaborative exploration.

Open to anyone aged 18 and over with enthusiasm and an idea to explore whether you're a complete beginner or returning to creative writing, this course welcomes those interested in writing plays, screen projects, poetry, spoken word or performance art. 

You'll develop writing techniques through practical exercises and improvisation, gain a solid understanding of structure, form and character development, and work towards a completed piece of writing by the end of the course. Optional homework (about one hour per week) is recommended to gain the most from the course, and attendance of all eight sessions is encouraged to support your progression and the benefit of the group. You'll have the opportunity to hear your writing performed by actors in the final weeks.

This opportunity will run for eight-weeks, starting 01/10/2026, on Thursdays 7.30pm - 9.30pm

7th – 8th August 2026  

Upgrade Yourself Festival is back with two FREE days of connecting you with cultural changemakers and creative visionaries. 

This year's edition of the festival will be an upgrade in itself. We’re going beyond your traditional careers festival to explore and celebrate creativity as a tool for self-expression, creative growth, and collective imagination. 

Curated for creatives aged 16–30, expect two days of dreaming, reflecting, imagining and testing new ideas. Empowering you to express yourself, build your community, and experiment boldly.  

Whether you’re just starting out or ready to take your next step, come get inspired, make new connections and celebrate the future of creativity. We can't wait to see everyone there!