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.

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.

Almeida For Free is an exciting festival for people aged 25 and under.

Running alongside their productions, the festival gives young people the chance to see the productions for free, and to also take part in workshops, panel discussions and masterclasses that cover everything from acting and writing, to theatre-making and design.

It is a celebration of young people’s creativity that takes over the whole theatre and aims to give an insight into the way shows are created at the Almeida.

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.

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!

Applications are now open for the HAC Young Creatives Programme 2026-27! An exciting opportunity for young adults aged 19-26 to gain free creative industry skills. 

What's on Offer:

The HAC Young Creatives Programme aims to develop the skills and talents of young people looking to begin careers in the theatre industry. The course is designed to develop your individual creative practice, and work together as an ensemble to create a professional production.

Term 1:

Term 2:

The course will take place on Thursday evenings (term time) between September 2026 - April 2027, with an intensive showcase rehearsal week from 22nd - 25th March 2027. 

Content has been designed to develop your creative skills and your practical knowledge so you’re ready to go out into the industry and take the limelight. What’s more, you’ll meet like-minded creative enthusiasts and become part of a supportive and inspiring artistic community.

To apply, please fill out the application form at the base of this page. If you'd prefer to send your answers to us in video format, please send to participation@harrowarts.com with the subject line 'Young Creatives Application'. 

Youth Advisory Board Members - Chichester Festival Theatre

We believe positive change can be ignited by young people. We endeavour to create an atmosphere where debate and collaboration is celebrated, where young people’s voices are heard and where there is the space and opportunity to think boldly and dynamically about how best to drive Chichester Festival Theatre towards a diverse, inspiring and exciting future.

We are looking for four innovative and driven young people between the ages of 16-25 to join our current members of the Youth Advisory Board (YAB) and help think creatively about how the Theatre can work to welcome diverse and dynamic audiences. It doesn’t matter whether you have previously engaged with the Theatre or not, we want to hear from people with a variety of interests, which may include the arts.

The YAB will have the opportunity to collaborate with the Festival Theatre’s Board of Trustees, taking part in a two-way conversation on how best to make the Theatre a more inviting and exciting place for young people.

Sound like something you would like to get involved in? Please visit our website for full details and the application form to apply https://www.cft.org.uk/jobs/yab

We believe that playwrights have a vital role to play in the conversation around the climate. Theatre is a space for animating audiences, forming communities, and experimenting with form; a space for processing the past, articulating the present, and imagining the future. In order to surface the breadth and diversity of new stories about this planetary moment, the Climate Playwriting Prize is an open invitation to playwrights to respond creatively to this subject matter. Regional and touring theatre is playing a vital role in engaging audiences, and we are partnering with organisations all around the country to deliver workshops to writers, unlocking how they might want to tell their climate story.

This moment is marked by rising temperatures, escalating impacts of change on communities and ecosystems, but also by the potential for us to transform society for a flourishing, equitable future for all life. The need for new stories that help audiences grapple with the realities and possibilities of this crisis has never been clearer

In order to surface the breadth and diversity of new stories about this planetary moment, the Climate Playwriting Prize is an open invitation to playwrights to respond creatively to this subject matter. We are partnering with organisations all around the country to deliver workshops to writers, unlocking how they might want to tell their climate story.

Connections Through Culture (CTC) grants are designed to enable meaningful partnerships, cross-cultural exchange and long-term collaboration between the UK and participating countries.  

Grants of between £5,000 and £15,000 are available to support creative practitioners, cultural professionals, artists, organisations, festivals, biennials, hubs and collectives to develop and deliver projects across a range of themes and art forms. 

Eligible activity may include:  

Fire up your imaginations and discover the world of performance and theatre-making with Theatre Royal Plymouth's Creative Explorers.

During the term, young people will explore new skills and develop their knowledge by engaging with a variety of theatrical conventions, this may include storytelling, devising from stimulus and performance opportunities.

Sessions will begin weekly from 26 Sep – 18 Dec with a break for half term (26 Oct – 01 Nov).

Running time: 90 minutes, 10.30am – 12pm or 12:30pm – 2pm

Cost: £80, bursary places available.

Read me aloud