Webinar & FAQs

The mission of this scheme is to support more new plays being commissioned with a clear path to production. Therefore, each application must have a producer attached. Naturally, if you’re an individual playwright, you can still send your play to the Royal Court for consideration via our Open Submissions portal.

As well as a brilliant track record, we want to be confident that Producing Partners have the infrastructure and resource to provide long-term support for the plays, beyond our first grant. Asking that Producing Partners are a legally constituted company means that there is the best chance of this, including being able to evidence this through company records and accounts.

No, this is different from a direct Royal Court commission. This fund will kickstart a project between you and your producing partner, wherever you might be in the UK. The Royal Court won’t own your play in any way or have any rights to produce it.

Obviously, we’d love to – but with limited funds, we want our investment to reach as far as possible and benefit as many writers as possible. Also, since we’re hoping many of these plays will be fully produced, only providing the first payment means we know we’re attracting Producing Partners with commitment and resources available towards this goal.

Yes and no. Producing partners need to commit to paying the delivery fee, the payment owed to the playwright when they hand in their completed script, and it is important that all applicants understand their responsibilities including this financial commitment, as part of applying.

However, after delivery, producers may decide not to move forward with the play, declining to fully produce it – and that’s a conversation that we wouldn’t be involved with.

The signature payment is linked to union-agreed minimum fees (thanks, Writers’ Guild!), which vary across venues and contexts. For example, a major NPO producing house naturally may pay differently to an independent theatre company who tours to small, rural venues.  Our grant will be enough to cover the first commissioning fee instalment under the appropriate agreement.

Take a look at previous commissions you’ve made (or get advice from peers) and try and best align with the setup that most closely matches what you’ve done previously. If you’re still unsure, you could ask the Writers’ Guild for advice about which minimum fees best fit for you. Whatever you choose, it must meet the minimum standard of a UK Theatre MRSL 3 Agreement, in terms of rates of pay and conditions.

No. You’re thinking of MRSA. If at any point during the application process you think you might have MRSA, please consult your GP.

MRSL ("Middle Range Salary Level") is a system by which UK Theatre venues are categorized based on size and capacity. It determines the minimum fees these theatres pay to writers under the UK Theatre agreement. Please contact the Writers’ Guild if you need help finding out a venue's MRSL level. Note they do not apply to organisations under ITC or TNC agreements.

Our grant amounts are set slightly above the relevant 2025-26 minimums, enough to allow for annual uplifts into 2026-27 and still cover the first commission payment. Beyond this point, the Producing Partner will have to cover the costs of future instalments, including full liability for the delivery payment, at the relevant rates for the year in which they fall.

Sadly, no. Both playwright and Producing Partner must be UK-based for this scheme, but I am intrigued by your set up and wish I could ask further questions. Alas, that’s not how FAQs work.

I’m afraid not. You’re welcome to collaborate internationally, but the lead producer applying must be based and legally registered here in the UK.

Sadly, again, no. Both the writer and producer have to be UK-based for this scheme.

Absolutely! If you’ve got some track record as a writer (in any context) and a producing partner who believes in you, we’re keen to still consider your proposal.

Si. Oui. Ja. 

On reflection, I realise that is confusing. To be clear, yes, while specific plays may involve some characters using other languages, including BSL, we would expect all plays commissioned through this programme to be available primarily in English.

You don’t need to have everything worked out. After all that’s what the writing process is – the creative act of exploration and discovery, it’s not just ‘typing it up’. 

That said, we know this programme will be competitive. The most successful applications will likely give us a sense or gesture for the piece, and why we might find it a thrilling prospect. A balance between the early thoughts and something fully formed will likely be strongest.

It’s worth considering that this is an annual scheme - so if something needs more thinking and planning time, you can always apply next year when things have taken shape.

Totally fine and expected. The application will have space to outline how you’d approach resourcing a production, including plans and/or track record to show why it's likely to succeed.

I’m afraid not.  This grant specifically supports the Signature payment – but not extra money or co-production investment.

Beyond providing the first payment, the development of the play is in the hands of your producing partner to support its development however they think is best for the piece. 

I’m afraid the interviews are non-negotiable, it’s essential that we get to meet and discuss your work with you. If you can’t make it, we can’t take your application further (sorry!).

There’s no single right way to go about a collaborative creative practice. The correct approach will depend on the writers/creatives and producer involved, and the wider context for your project, which only you will know.

However, we would strongly recommend that as part of your planning, all writers/creatives and producers should read the Writers’ Guild guide to devised and collaborative theatre ahead of application. It is also recommended that co-writers or collaborative partners should sign a collaboration agreement ahead of application. The Writers’ Guild can provide further support and advice on collaboration agreements where relevant.

That's completely fine. For the purpose of the application, one of the co-commissioning producers should be identified as the primary applicant, and if successful they would be the grant recipient and lead contracting party, accountable for the agreement. You can articulate the additional co-commissioning support as part of your application, when outlining the route to production and likely context/partners for this.

We want our grants to encourage producers to take risks, consider working with new people, and initiate commissions that would be unlikely without our support. That’s why we’re not allowing writers and producers who already have an established commissioning relationship.

However, that doesn’t mean the producer and writer can’t have met before! It could mean a producer working with a writer they’ve supported on talent development schemes; whose plays they’ve presented on tour, in festivals or scratch nights; or where they’ve licensed existing plays – and now they’re ready originate a first full commission with them. 

Yes (sorry), and thanks for checking - this is also now updated on the questions download here.