Elevate is a practical, skills-building programme from acta Community Theatre for socially engaged theatre-makers and artists. Selected workshops are also open to people from other creative and community disciplines.
This workshop will explore:
The workshop is open to anyone interested in everyday heritage and people’s histories. Writers, storytellers, filmmakers and researchers may also find it useful.
The workshop takes place at acta’s theatre, accessed via five steps, with a lift available. An accessible toilet is also provided.
acta can offer a range of access adjustments, including on-site wheelchairs and walkers, accessible parking, free tickets for carers or companions, sighted guiding and large-print materials.
For access requests, including anything not listed above, please contact rosa@acta-bristol.com.
If cost is a barrier, acta may be able to help with attendance. Contact rosa@acta-bristol.com to discuss options.
Elevate is a practical, skills-building programme from acta Community Theatre for socially engaged theatre-makers and artists. Selected workshops are also open to people working across creative and community disciplines.
This workshop will explore:
The workshop is suitable for anyone whose work involves gathering and sharing community voices, including writers, storytellers, filmmakers and researchers.
The workshop takes place at acta’s theatre, accessed via five steps, with a lift available. An accessible toilet is also provided.
acta can offer a range of access adjustments, including on-site wheelchairs and walkers, accessible parking, free tickets for carers or companions, sighted guiding and large-print materials.
For access requests, including anything not listed above, please contact rosa@acta-bristol.com.
If cost is a barrier, acta may be able to help with attendance. Contact rosa@acta-bristol.com to discuss options.
Elevate is a practical, skills-building programme from acta Community Theatre for socially engaged theatre-makers and artists. Selected workshops are also open to people working across creative and community disciplines.
This workshop will explore:
The workshop is suitable for anyone who works with groups to develop stories, not just theatre practitioners. Writers and other storytellers may also find it useful.
The workshop takes place at acta’s theatre, accessed via five steps, with a lift available. An accessible toilet is also provided.
acta can offer a range of access adjustments, including on-site wheelchairs and walkers, accessible parking, free tickets for carers or companions, sighted guiding and large-print materials.
For access requests, including anything not listed above, please contact rosa@acta-bristol.com.
If cost is a barrier, acta may be able to help with attendance. Contact rosa@acta-bristol.com to discuss options.
Elevate is a practical, skills-building programme from acta Community Theatre for socially engaged theatre-makers, artists and anyone who facilitates groups as part of their work.
This workshop will explore:
The workshop is designed to be useful beyond the creative sector, supporting anyone who facilitates groups in their work.
The workshop takes place at acta’s theatre, which is accessed via five steps, with a lift available. An accessible toilet is also available.
acta can provide a range of access adjustments, including on-site wheelchairs and walkers, accessible parking, free tickets for carers or companions, sighted guiding and large-print materials.
For access requests, including anything not listed above, please contact rosa@acta-bristol.com.
If cost is a barrier, acta may be able to help with attendance. Contact rosa@acta-bristol.com to discuss options.
Aberdeen Performing Arts is seeking to commission a new play for Light the Blue 2027.
They are looking for an early-career writer aged 18 – 35 who is based in or has a meaningful connection to the North-East of Scotland to create a new piece of theatre for adult audiences.
Light the Blue is their festival for and by young people, with an annual programme featuring over 1000 young and professional artists, school pupils and early career creatives from across Scotland. Through their Emerging Artist strand, the festival supports early career individuals to develop their practice, test out ideas and create new work for wide-ranging audiences.
They are looking to commission a new play that is original, relevant and engaging for their audiences. There is no set theme, they are simply looking for the most exciting idea which will, with their support, become a high-quality professional production. The new production will open at the Lemon Tree in Aberdeen in June 2027 for a run of up to 1 week.
The writer will be offered a fee of £6,457.50 (SSP/FST Standard Play rate for a new play of up to 60 minutes) plus at least 4 days of rehearsal attendance at £140 per day and 10% royalties on box office takings.
The Biyi Bándélé Bursary is a new initiative established by the family of Biyi Bándélé in partnership with Brixton House and Curtis Brown to honor the legacy of acclaimed Nigerian writer and filmmaker Biyi Bándélé. In 2024, we celebrated his life with a special memorial event at Brixton House with stories of his incredible life and works to coincide with his final novel, Yorùbá Boy Running.
In the first year, this annual award will support three emerging writers of African diaspora heritage, aged 18 and over, who are living in the UK. The award is designed to foster new talent, encourage bold storytelling, and amplify voices within theatre, film and literature. The bursaries will be awarded at an event at Brixton House in October, with the programme beginning in Spring 2027.
We welcome applications from African diaspora writers of 18 years or older who have had at least one previous work published and/or publicly produced.
Objectives:
What the Award offers:
Eligibility criteria:
For the purposes of this programme, “African diaspora heritage” refers to individuals who self-identify as being of African descent and whose ancestry includes communities historically dispersed from the African continent through migration or other forms of global movement.
Applicants are not required to provide genealogical documentation. Self-identification is sufficient.
This bursary prioritises applicants who identify as being of African diaspora heritage, in alignment with the programme’s mission to support historically underrepresented writers.
Timeline:
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
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'.
