Muse Collective Launches With Call for Submissions for NINE MUSES Anthology

For centuries, the Muse has been celebrated as the inspiration behind the artist. MUSE COLLECTIVE asks: What happens when the Muse picks up the pen herself? Founded by playwrights Debra A. Cole, Dana Hall, Lisa Dellagiarino Feriend, Jacquelyn Floyd-Priskorn, Arianna Rose, Nora Louise Syran, Rachel Feeny-Williams, and Danielle Wirsansky, MUSE COLLECTIVE is reclaiming the Muse as creator, championing women's voices, and opening pathways for their work to be discovered, developed, and produced.

The Collective's inaugural project, NINE MUSES: An Anthology, is the first chapter in a larger mission to ensure women's stories reach beyond the page and onto the stage.

That commitment to expanding opportunities is paired with an equally important commitment to the community around it. 'There is something magical about being part of a group of women who inspire and encourage one another,' says co-founder Jacquelyn Floyd-Priskorn. 'I hope this group honors and sustains that sisterhood for others as much as it has for me.' Co-founder Arianna Rose echoes that sentiment: 'Nothing makes my heart sing and my soul tingle more than women supporting other women and celebrating other women, particularly in a culture that seems determined to divide us and demoralize us. I'm proud to be part of Muse Collective and look forward to lifting each other up.'

The Collective's first project is NINE MUSES: An Anthology, a collection of original monologues and 10-minute plays inspired by the nine Muses of Greek mythology: Calliope, Clio, Erato, Euterpe, Melpomene, Polymnia, Terpsichore, Thalia, and Urania. The international submission call will open to female-identifying playwrights on October 15, 2026. Submissions will remain open through January 15, 2027, or until 300 submissions have been received, whichever occurs first. Selected playwrights will be notified by April 16, 2027.

The Muse selected by each playwright serves as a creative catalyst rather than a limitation. Writers are encouraged to interpret the mythology freely and bring their own theatrical voice, genre, humor, history, culture, politics, imagination, and lived experience to the work. A playwright may respond to a single Muse, or find a way to bring all nine onto the page.

ABOUT NINE MUSES: AN ANTHOLOGY

Play submissions must be no longer than 10 pages or approximately 1,500 words, excluding the title page, and must be submitted as a blind PDF. There is no submission fee, and each playwright may submit only one play. Playwrights retain the rights to their work.
SUBMISSION CALL OPENS: October 15, 2026.
SUBMISSION DEADLINE: January 15, 2027, or when 300 submissions are received
PLAYWRIGHTS NOTIFIED: April 16, 2027.
Submission information and additional details about MUSE COLLECTIVE are available at MUSECOLLECTIVE.NET