THE 7-YEAR RESIDENCY
New Dramatists
DEADLINE: August 4, 2025
INFO: At New Dramatists, each resident playwright acts as the artistic director of their own seven-year new play laboratory, utilizing a menu of programming resources to pursue their artistic, process and development goals. Their Lab work is housed in a mindfully cultivated environment, free from financial and critical pressures, with guidance and support from a dedicated staff who encourage expansive, creative, and strategic thinking. Writers map their own journeys with complete creative authority.
Each resident playwright has access to and can schedule working sessions with collaborators, calendar permitting, on a first come first-serve basis, with casting and additional collaborator support from New Dramatists staff. Writers decide at which point it is helpful to invite an audience into their development process, and all public readings are free of charge. These sessions range from 1-2 day readings to 29-hour workshops. Because we cannot offer every playwright an extended workshop each season, with the combined goal of accommodating individual requests and equity for the whole company, when programming extended workshops, we consider who has had greater or lesser access to these resources over time, who’s later in residency years, and calendar availability. Like all development at New Dramatists, each playwright determines their own artistic goals and terms of engagement for the extended time, and all writers and their collaborators are compensated financially when working on extended workshops in the Lab.
Each year, we also offer two in-house PlayTime retreats for multiple writers and companies of collaborators with programming and support intended to inspire ambitious creation, spark collaboration, and encourage artistic growth.
ELIGIBILITY: Any playwright who is a U.S. citizen or who resides in and has the legal right to work in the United States may apply for the 7-year residency at New Dramatists as long as they can meet the submission requirements of 2 full-length plays and a biography or resume.
HOW TO SUBMIT:
Before beginning your application, please download and read the Guidelines for Resident Company document.
It is in your best interest to gather the documents required to upload to the application—two "blind" scripts and your bio/resume—early in the window, and submit your application in one session. You may be able to pause and return to your application as long as you continue working in the same browser, but this is not our recommendation. Once you complete the final step to “Submit Your Application”, you will no longer have access to your application.
The button to “Begin Application” will be posted on this web page at 10am EDT on Monday, July 21, 2025.
The application window closes automatically at 11:59pm EDT on Monday, August 4, 2025. Sessions will time out at this point and NO ADDITIONAL APPLICATIONS, including those in progress, will be accepted after the window closes. PLEASE DO NOT WAIT TO SUBMIT YOUR MATERIALS UNTIL THE LAST DAY.
Please email our Literary Services Manager Connie Hall admissions@newdramatists.org with any questions.
newdramatists.org/7-year-residency
_____
call for submissions: ‘Love Your Mother: Environmental Responsibility and Recovery’
Revolutionary Dreaming
DEADLINE: August 12, 2025
INFO: Revolutionary Dreaming is inviting all self-identified Black girl (ages 11-24) literary artists to submit poems, flash-fiction pieces (NOT to exceed 500 words), nonfictional short essays (NOT to exceed 1,000 words), short screenplays, and plays in alignment with the theme Love Your Mother: Environmental Responsibility and Recovery.
We're encouraging submissions to reflect on what Black girls feel the human responsibility to the Earth is, as they consider Mother Earth as a site of reconciliation, recovery, and purpose -- ultimately led to wherever their imagination transports them
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdzZ2dkIxsP8g8Ue6H9iFiZjeHW2-eX0-8x26UbCYifUhR6fQ/viewform
_____
Yale drama series
Yale University Press
DEADLINE: August 15, 2025
ENTRY FEE: $0
INFO: The Yale Drama Series is seeking submissions for its 2026 playwriting competition.
JUDGE: The winning play will be selected by the series’ current judge, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins.
PRIZE: The winner of this annual competition will be awarded the David Charles Horn Prize of $10,000, publication of their manuscript by Yale University Press, and a staged reading at the Schwarzman Center at Yale University. The prize and publication are contingent on the playwright’s agreeing to the terms of the publishing agreement.
GUIDELINES:
Please follow these guidelines in preparing your manuscript:
This contest is restricted to plays written in the English language. Worldwide submissions are accepted.
Submissions must be original, unpublished full-length plays, with a minimum of 65 pages. Plays with less than 65 pages will not be considered.
Translations, adaptations, musicals, and children’s plays are not accepted.
The Yale Drama Series is intended to support emerging playwrights. Playwrights may win the competition only once.
Playwrights may submit only one manuscript per year. Only manuscripts authored by one playwright are eligible.
Plays that have been professionally produced or published are not eligible. Plays that have had a workshop, reading, or non-professional production or that have been published as an actor’s edition will be considered.
Plays may not be under option, commissioned, or scheduled for professional production or publication at the time of submission.
Plays must be typed/word-processed and page numbered. Plays with images are not accepted.
The Yale Drama Series reserves the right to reject any manuscript for any reason.
The Yale Drama Series reserves the right of the judge to not choose a winner for any given year of the competition and reserves the right to determine the ineligibility of a winner, in keeping with the spirit of the competition, and based upon the accomplishments of the author.
ADDITIONAL GUIDELINES:
Before submitting your play, please:
Omit your name and contact information from your manuscript and submission file name.
Begin your manuscript with a title page that shows the play's title, a 2-3 sentence keynote description of the play, a list of characters, and a list of acts and scenes.
Enter the title of your play, your name and contact information (including address, phone number, and email address), and a brief biography where indicated in the electronic submission form.
_____
Playlab
Pipeline Theatre Company
DEADLINE: August 15, 2025
INFO: Pipeline's Playlab is a playwrights' group that aids and encourages artists in growing their biggest, wildest ideas into imaginative and daring new plays. Through monthly meetings, one-on-one dramaturgical support, and workshop-events, each writer is supported in developing their ambitious initial concept into a new script over the course of a year!
WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR: In line with our vision, we want your most impossible idea for a play that you can't wait to write. We're looking for plays that bend the rules, and playwrights who crave a space in which they can dive into new, uncharted territory. We are interested in fostering projects in their earliest stages of conception – the closer you are to first putting pen to paper, the better!
TIMELINE: We will accept applications until August 15th! We will reach out to playwrights in August to schedule interviews, and the first Playlab meeting will take place at the end of September!
DATES: PlayLab meetings typically take place on the third Sunday of each month, from 11 - 2, but we will work with the PlayLab class to finalize dates that work for all. Throughout the year, we will also host three "Springboards;" workshops for playwrights to test out their projects in motion!
PAYMENT: This year, all playwright's will be paid $500 for their participation in PlayLab!
PLEASE NOTE that this year, we will be hosting PlayLab digitally or hybrid digital and in person. As such, we invite applications from outside of New York City.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdaeDn_Wd3pC5wrWtw_a5tnX2DjhSiXuZn0QNvzTY1UfBZ2HQ/viewform
_____
script submissions
Clubbed Thumb
DEADLINE: August 31, 2025
INFO: From time to time we evaluate our submission policy to ensure that we’re giving writers the opportunity to share their work, in a way that is sustainable for our small team.
To that end, Clubbed Thumb will open play submissions this year for the month of August. Alongside submitting to our Biennial Commission (just announced; next up in 2027) and inviting us to your readings and productions (NYC only), this is an excellent way for us to get to know your work. We will read and respond to the plays we receive by May 2026. Please note we are not reading for a specific opportunity or production. Many of the writers we work with we met when they sent us a play!
Clubbed Thumb develops and produces plays that are funny, strange and provocative. If you’ve not seen our work, then look through our production history and read some of the plays we have produced (in our anthologies or published elsewhere) before submitting.
GUIDELINES:
Beyond our aesthetic criteria, Clubbed Thumb will only accept play submissions that fall within these basic guidelines:
Has at least three roles
Includes substantial and challenging roles for women
Running time of 90 min or less
Intermissionless
Unproduced in New York City
Do not send, for example:
Two-handers or solo shows
Tragedies
Adaptations
Plays that are over 110 pages (unless it reads really fast!)
Do not re-submit plays we have responded to; only submit one play please
Note that if you send work that does not adhere to the above guidelines, we cannot give it a thorough consideration. We understand that many plays do not fit this brief, but our interest is in reading how your unique voice intersects with our mission: funny, strange and provocative.
_____
STORYKNIFE WRITERS RETREAT
Storyknife
DEADLINE: August 31, 2025
INFO: Women’s stories are vital and important. Currently, those stories whether expressed in poems, plays, screenplays, novels, essays, or memoirs are not published, reviewed, or promoted as often as the work of men. Storyknife provides female-identified writers with the time and space to explore their craft without distraction. Every aspect of a residency at Storyknife is steeped in a profound generosity of spirit so that each writer knows she and her work are valuable. Storyknife residents carry away both this affirmation and a living community of women writers to assist their valuable work wherever they go.
Residencies at Storyknife in Homer, Alaska, are either for two or four weeks based on preference of the applicant. Resident’s food and lodging is covered during the period of their residency, but travel to and from Homer, Alaska, is the responsibility of the resident. There are some travel scholarships available. Residents stay in individual cabins & dine at the main house. An on-staff chef is responsible for food preparation.
Residencies are available April through October.
ELIGIBILITY:
Applicants must:
Be woman-identified
Be 21 years of age or older
Apply as an individual artist, not a collaborative group or team
You will provide a work sample and answer four questions (each answer 300 words or fewer).
How have you sought to educate yourself as a writer? (Formal education not a prerequisite, but evidence of curiosity and learning in your applicable genre is.)
What is your experience with publishing your work? (Publishing is not a prerequisite but is considered a goal for writers who attend Storyknife.)
What project will you pursue while in residency? (Please note that you will be free to work on whatever writing you wish during residency. We simply are interested in what you think you’ll be pursuing.)
Why would a writing residency benefit you at this time especially?
Work Sample Requirements:
Work samples should reflect work completed within the last two years. All work samples must be uploaded through Submittable.
Applicants can submit published or unpublished work samples.
All work samples must be combined into one PDF file.
A writing sample not to exceed 10 pages (prose: double-spaced 12 point font, poetry: single-spaced 12 point font acceptable). Prose includes screenplays and stage plays which also must conform to the 10 page limit.
Any writing samples with identifying material will be disqualified. This is an anonymous process. Identifying material is your full name, last name, address, or publication credits. Do no include your last name, address, or publication credits in either the writing sample, the file name, or in headers/footers. This only refers to the writing sample, not the answers to the questions.
Diversity
Storyknife is committed to diversity and elevating the voices of historically excluded communities. We value all aspects of diversity and seek to make each resident’s time at Storyknife as productive and pleasant as possible.
The Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
It is prohibited to use any AI tools in any fashion to create/check/modify the answers to your application questions or your writing sample.
storyknifewritersretreat.submittable.com/submit
_____
FALL 2025 MENTORSHIP PROGRAM: GIRLS WRITE NOW COLLABORATORY JOURNEYS
Girls Write Now
DEADLINE: August 31, 2025
INFO: Calling all storytellers! Applications are officially open for Fall 2025 Journeys in the Girls Write Now Collaboratory!
Are you 14-24 and ready to write your truth with support from a mentor?
Are you 25+ and passionate about guiding the next generation of creatives?
Join a powerful community where women and gender expansive writers come together to learn, create, and grow.
Each Journey in the Girls Write Now Collaboratory is a package of Writing Course Content, Mentorship, and Community Experiences. Our team of teachers, artists, and content experts has thoughtfully curated each Journey to be a dynamic, multifaceted experience. Journeys can be light touch or intensive, short or long-term, asynchronous or in real time.
JOURNEY CYCLES:
A Cycle is a three-month time period. You can sign up for one, two, or threeCycles to meet your schedule and goals.
Fall: November 1-January 31
Spring: March 1-May 31
_____
CALL FOR WORKSHOP PROPOSALS: ‘QUEERING OUR SILOS: GESTURES OF EUPHORIA PROJECT 2025–2026’
Maurice Moore
DEADLINE: September 1, 2025 by midnight
INFO: LGBTQIA2S+ artist(s) & allies in the Appalachian regions are invited to submit proposals to teach in person or online creative arts workshops for the Queering Our Silos: Gestures of Euphoria Project 2025-2026.
These creative arts workshops will help various arts communities get out of our silos and build stronger, more collaborative relationships between LGBTQIA2S+ communities & allies throughout the Appalachian region: Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.
Each selected facilitator will receive a $5,000 grant to support their work. Workshops can be in any creative medium, and may take place in person or online.
Creative Arts Liberation Grant through AppalCore of The WaymakersCollective Budget - $5000.00
Artist Labor or Compensation - $2500
Funds will be used to pay 5 artists a $500.00 honorarium to teach their workshops. If there are multiple artists teaching a workshop the $500.00 honorarium will be divided between the artists.
Materials - $1000.00
The artist(s) leading a workshop will receive $200.00 for materials.
Location/Space - $1000.00
$200.00 of the funds will be used for the artist(s) to rent a space to teach their workshops.
*Funds will be reallocated to support additional workshops if the location/space is provided at no cost or if the course is delivered online.
Food - $500.00
$100.00 of the funds will be used by the artist(s) teaching their workshops to buy healthy food and refreshments for the workshop taught.
*30 days before artist the Artist(s) purposed workshop, the artist(s) will receive funds for materials $200.00, renting Location/Space $200.00, and food $100.00. Total $500.00.
**Upon completion of the workshop, the artist(s) will send the project organizer at QOSGEProject@outlook.com photos and/or video documentation from the workshop, along with receipts/invoices for (materials/food/rented location/space, then the Artist(s) will receive the honorarium. All workshops need to be completed between Oct 1, 2025 - May 15, 2026.
***Artist(s) will have two weeks after the completion of their workshop to send documentation & receipts/invoices to the project organizer at QOSGEProject@outlook.com to receive the honorarium.
IMPORTANT DATES:
Sep 1, 2025: Proposal deadline
Sep 3, 2025: Proposals Reviewed
Sep 30, 2025: Artist Notified of Approved Proposals
*Due our small staff only selected artist/artist team's approved proposals will be notified. We thank you for understanding.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScrJbTK2yjxNBTRYVNrWLGedF7VbmYX9mmQ5R3p2p3qC8_H1w/viewform