Eligibility, Terms & Conditions

Please read these terms and conditions for the Young Playwrights Award carefully. 

If you have any questions, please take a look at our FAQs in the first instance, then get in touch by email on youngplaywrights@royalcourttheatre.com. 

 

Eligibility & competition terms 

  1.  You must be aged between 13-18 years old on the closing date of 2 May 2025 in order to enter. 
  2. For our pilot programme in 2025, entrants must either live in Greater London, attend school in London or be a member of a youth or community group based in London on the closing date of 2 May 2025.
  3. The competition is free to enter and is open for entries from 24 March 2025 until 23.59 BST on 2 May 2025. Entries received either online or in hard copy before or after these dates will not be eligible. 
  4. Entries must be in the form of a play with dialogue and at least one named character, and must be the original work of the author or authors. 
  5. Entries may be from 1,000 words up to a maximum of 5000 words (including any stage directions or other text), in order to be considered. 
  6. Individuals may not enter more than once in each year.  
  7. You can only submit your play once. So please wait until you are completely happy with your play before entering, as we won’t be able to take more than one entry or update your entry with a new draft.
  8. Plays can be written jointly by up to a maximum of three writers, so long as they all meet the criteria above. If entrants are of different ages, we will consider them in the category of the eldest writer (for example, a play written by a 14yr old and 16yr old would be considered in the 16-18yrs category). 
  9. Entries must be in written English. 
  10. Entry is only available online via our portal or by post in hard copy with the specific printed form enclosed per submission directions. Entries sent in the body of an email, as an attachment to email or in any other format cannot be accepted. 
  11. We offer written feedback on each play entered (by email) and certificates for shortlisted writers (by post only). If you wish to receive feedback and/or certificates, you must include a valid email and postal address as part of your submission. Your named adult contact will be copied into all communications with you. 
  12. Our readers are encouraged to flag any safeguarding concerns they have about any writing submitted. Your writing may also be shared with a relevant charity to advise if there are safeguarding concerns. If there are concerns, we may contact a formal safeguarding officer and retain the right to contact your named adult without your prior consent should a safeguarding concern be identified.
  13. Your submission should not include personal information about yourself or others (e.g. real names or locations) though it can be drawn for real-life experiences

Winners and judging: 

  1. Entries will be judged in two categories: for those aged 13-15 and 16-18 years old on the submissions deadline, 2 May 2025. 
  2. Judging is based on the quality of the entry as decided by the Royal Court’s artistic team and panel. These decisions are final, and no correspondence will be entered into concerning this decision. 
  3. Selected winners may be offered the opportunity to update their draft before publication and/or performance at the discretion of the Royal Court Theatre only. 
  4. Prizes for shortlisted and winning writers include certificates, books and a physical award in addition to the performance of the winning plays in as staged readings by a professional team at the Royal Court Theatre and publication in a collected e-book and limited print run by Nick Hern Books, available for free via the Nick Hern Books and Royal Court Theatre websites. We retain the right to change these prizes, and final decision on whether any entry is performed or published will made by the Royal Court Theatre, Nick Hern Books and their representatives. 
  5. Authors of shortlisted and winning plays (if under 18) must gain parent/guardian consent in order to have the opportunity for their work to be publicised and performed at the Royal Court Theatre. 
  6. Shortlisted and winning plays and writers will be announced online by the Royal Court Theatre, with prizes presented in person at the Royal Court during the festival of performances. All winners will be invited to attend the event, with a parent/guardian and guests. 
  7. Names of writers and titles of plays for winning and shortlisted plays will be published on the Royal Court website and publicised across media, online and social media channels. 
  8. The creative ownership (copyright) of each play belongs to the young person who has written it.  However, by entering the competition, you agree that the Royal Court Theatre and publishing partner Nick Hern Books can perform and publish online and in print your play now and in future without any payment being necessary. 
  9. Any subsequent commercial performance or publication after the Festival will be subject to a royalty agreed in good faith in line with standard industry terms. 
  10. If you allow your winning entry to be published or performed elsewhere after July 2025, you agree to acknowledge the Young Playwrights Award using the words “First presented by the Royal Court Theatre Young Playwrights Award 2025 and published by Nick Hern Books”. 

Data & general terms: 

  1. By entering this competition, entrants agree that their data and their entries may be used anonymously for research purposes, to help us as to improve our processes and reach as a charity, and to understand the priorities and voice of our entrants as a whole. 
  2. Personal data will be processed in accordance with the Royal Court Privacy Policy and Young Playwrights Programme Privacy Policy.
  3. Data will be securely stored and deleted after the competition unless explicit consent is given for future use.