Mainstage Prize for Playwriting
Deadline: 23:00 on 1st August 2026
Theme for 2026
Horror
The Prize
A £10,000 cash award, a rehearsed reading of the winning play, and mentorship opportunities with members of the judging panel.
What to Submit
Writers should submit a full-length horror play (approximately 70–120 minutes).
The play must be:
- Original, written in English
- Unproduced and unpublished
- Not previously awarded any prizes
- Not based on existing intellectual property or adaptations
Eligibility
To enter the Mainstage Prize, playwrights must:
- Be 18 years or older
- Be based in the UK or Ireland
- Have had at least one professional stage production (a run of two weeks or more with paid cast)
- Own the copyright to the submitted play and be free to submit it
Read more about what the Mainstage Prize Team are looking for as well as how to submit, .
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