How to Apply

Applications

Applications must be made by a partnership between a playwright (‘The Playwright’) and a producing venue or company (‘The Producing Partner’), aiming to enter into a Commission Agreement for a planned new work for stage (‘The Play’) with a shared intention towards future production.

Each Playwright and each Producing Partner can only be lead applicants in one application in each annual funding round. While either party may be involved in a creative or partnership role on another application, they cannot be primary applicants on more than one application.

The Producing Partner

The Producing Partner must be a UK-based producing organisation or venue, with a track record of producing new theatre and with sufficient reserves or budgets to guarantee the appropriate delivery fee for The Play under the applicable Commissioning Agreement.

The Producing Partner must be a UK-based registered company or charity in the UK theatre sector, whether subsidised, independent or commercial. The Producing Partner cannot be an individual freelance producer.

The Playwright

The Playwright must be UK-based and aged over 18 at the point of application, and should have some demonstrable track record as a writer, at any scale or context.

The Playwright cannot have previously received a full commission from the Producing Partner, though may have had plays produced or presented by the Producing Partner. (For instance, this could include venues who have hosted touring work by the Playwright, presented work by the Playwright in festival contexts, or companies who have licensed the Playwright’s work for productions, but where none of these was based on an original commission between the Playwright and Producing Partner.)

The Play

The Play must be an entirely original work by the Playwright, not an adaptation nor based on any underlying source text/material (whether copyrighted or otherwise); and must be entirely free for commissioning without any other rights agreement or options in place. This may include an original musical, but if successful the award will only cover the fees for the book and lyrics, not the composer.

Proposals for Plays can be based on ideas already discussed, or projects already in initial development in some form. However, at the point of application and when any grant offer is made, The Play cannot already be commissioned or have a formal agreement in place for commissioning with the Producing Partner or any other party.

Co-writing and collaborations

For the purposes of the Scheme, The Playwright could include a co-writing or collaborative partnership of more than one writer/creative, but must suitable for a standard play commission agreement. For the application form, one writer should be nominated as the ‘lead’ Playwright applicant, but there will be space to include information on writing collaborators.

The Royal Court and WGGB would advise that, where a co-writing or collaborative partnership applies, writers/creatives and producers should read WGGB's 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. WGGB can provide support and advice on collaboration agreements where relevant.

Key information for applicants is available in written English, audio, large print and BSL. If you are shortlisted, we can also pay costs for BSL interpreters or other adjustments for interviews. Full details of the Scheme and our terms are available in written English only, and all applications must be made in writing via our online portal.

Additionally, our applicant Webinar will have BSL interpretation throughout, with a recording also made available subsequently.

If you have queries or experience additional barriers to applying, you can contact us via email on CommissioningScheme@royalcourttheatre.com. However, we’re not able to provide additional funding for access support, nor accept applications in another format.

If more support is required, we would expect the Producing Partner to provide this. The Producing Partner will also have to provide this support on an ongoing basis, in order for your commission and project to be successful.
 

Each application will be assessed against four criteria. These are:

1. Artistic Quality – evidenced through the track record of The Playwright and the artistic information provided under Question 1 ‘What is your proposal for The Play?’.
2. Risk & Ambition – evidenced through information covered in Question 1 ‘What is your proposal for The Play?’ and Question 2 ‘Why are you applying?’
3. Likelihood of production – evidenced through the track record of the Producing Partner and information on planning and timescale in Question 3 ‘What is your expected route to production?’
4. Aims of the Scheme – the overall strength of proposal in relation to the stated Aims of the Scheme, evidenced by answers to all questions.

The assessment against all criteria may also include information from all sections of the application, including the space for additional information.

Following the written application and assessment, a shortlist of applicants will be invited to interview, allowing for further discussion to address these areas in more detail.

Balancing criteria

In addition to the above, the assessors and panellists may account for balancing the range of selected applications based on:

1. Diversity of the selected Playwrights, including our stated aim for at least half of all awards to be made to Black and/or Global Majority, Working Class, and/or D/deaf or disabled Playwrights.
2. Gender parity of the selected Playwrights, including awareness that female writers are currently under-represented across commissioned and produced plays in the UK.
3. Geographical spread of Producing Partners, including an ambition that over half of all awards are made to organisations outside London, including across multiple regions.

Decision-making and feedback

All applicants will hear from us by the 13th February 2026 at the latest, including either an invitation to interview for shortlisted candidates or letting you know we’re unable to take your application further. For shortlisted candidates, we will aim to let you know the final outcome within one week of the interview stage, and will confirm this timeline alongside your invitation.

Interviews will take place in the week commencing 23rd February 2026.

All decisions made by our assessors and/or panellists will be final and we will not be able to provide feedback for any applicants not invited to interview. For shortlisted applicants to whom we are unable to offer a grant, we will provide feedback following interviews, but will not be able to enter further detailed correspondence.

Our assessors will identify a shortlist based on the written applications. Shortlisted applicants will be invited to interview with our panel in the week commencing 23rd February 2026, to be attended by both the Playwright and a representative of the Producing Partner.

At the point of invitation, we will request a previous script or writing sample from shortlisted Playwrights, to support panel discussions and decision-making. We will also ask you to confirm that there have been no material changes to your plans since your application.

1. Eligibility & applications

To be eligible for the Jerwood Royal Court Commissioning Scheme, both the Playwright and the Producing Partner applying must meet the full Eligibility requirements. Further proof of all Eligibility requirements may be required at the point of offering a grant. The Royal Court’s decision on eligibility is final, and no correspondence will be entered into. All eligible applications will be considered by the Royal Court’s team of assessors and selection panel.

Proposals must be to commission a new, original theatrical work aiming to be staged in the United Kingdom, including plays for children and young people. Proposals for musicals will be considered, but any award will only cover the fees for the book and lyrics, not the composer.

Proposals for translations or adaptations of any existing works (in any medium) will not be considered, nor will any proposal relying in full or in part on any other source material or copyrighted work. The Royal Court accepts no liability for any breach of copyright made by any applicant, and all applicants agree to fully indemnify the Royal Court against any claims by any third party arising from any breach of these rules or a future production of The Play.

All entrants must follow the application process as stipulated on the Royal Court website, including the submission of a completed application via our online portal by the stated deadline. We will not be able to accept applications in any other format, or after the deadline. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

For any given application round each year, applications are limited to one application per Playwright and one application per Producing Partner (ie one Playwright cannot be part of two or more proposals for different plays with different Producing Partners; and one Producing Partner cannot be part of two or more proposals with different Playwrights).

Throughout the application process, all rights remain with the author. Application to the Scheme does not commit any party to the offer or acceptance of a licence or option to develop or produce the work, except where successful applications are to be supported through a commission funded as part of this Scheme.

The Royal Court anticipates a high number of submissions to the Scheme and recognises that similarities of subject matter often occur. The Royal Court will accept no liability and will not compensate any writer if material similar to their application, received coincidentally from another source, is subsequently commissioned or produced.

The Royal Court reserves the right to cancel or alter the Scheme at any stage, including to amend these terms and conditions or extend/alter the application window. If it does so, it will publish a notice on its website.

Applications will be assessed against the criteria outlined, and all final judgments and assessments on shortlisting and awards to be made by our assessors and panellists. All such decisions are final, and the Royal Court will not be able to enter into correspondence or provide further feedback around decision-making.

From the point of application, applicants must not attempt to contact members of the Royal Court team about their application.

The Royal Court reserves the right to disqualify any entry which breaches any of these terms and conditions, or which may bring the Royal Court into disrepute, including any entries which profit from criminal activity.

2. Grants & Commissions

For successful applicants, grants shall be paid directly to the Producing Partner, who should then enter into a direct commissioning agreement with the Playwright. These should be based on the relevant WGGB commissioning agreements/rates or another appropriate agreement, and subject to the written approval of the WGGB at the point that grant funds are released.

Acceptance of the grant, by entering into the commissioning agreement with the Playwright, will commit the Producing Partner to paying the delivery payment for the commission from their own funds and in line with the relevant WGGB rates as a minimum.

The Producing Partner is not obligated to produce the Play or to pay the acceptance/acquisition payments as part of their commissioning agreement with the Playwright; and selection for the Scheme does not guarantee the Play will be produced.

As part of the formal acceptance of the grant, the Producing Partner and Playwright will agree to ensure the Jerwood Royal Court Commissioning Scheme is credited as supporting the commission at all stages including any sharings, readings or public promotion, through to and including any premiere production produced by any other party.

Successful applicants must provide regular updates to the Royal Court on progress with the commission and future production. This will include confirmation of the delivery stage of the commission, a mutually agreed opportunity to read the commissioned script; and reasonable advance notice of and any decision to proceed with production/acquisition, including details around production plans, partners, venue(s) and timelines.

Successful applicants will also be required to provide invitations (with reasonable advance notice) and an offer of at least four complimentary tickets for representatives of the Scheme to attend any industry or public sharings or readings of the Play, as well as to attend previews and press night for any subsequent premiere production.

Successful applicants may also be requested to take part in follow-up research to support the development and evaluation of the Scheme, for up to either 12 months from the award, or 12 months from the premiere of the Play, whichever is longer.

3. General

All data submitted via the application process or as part of a grant offer will be handled in line with the Royal Court’s Privacy Policy.

By applying for the Scheme, entrants warrant that they have legal capacity to enter the Scheme and agree to be bound by these Terms and Conditions.

These Terms and Conditions are governed by the laws of England and Wales.