Summerseat Players Launches New Writing Festival Call-out For Northwest Playwrights

Summerseat Players has launched a call-out for emerging Northwest playwrights to submit work for its inaugural New Writing Festival, taking place at Theatre Royal Ramsbottom on Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 July 2027.

The New Writing Festival will showcase twelve new short plays by Northwest writers, pairing six emerging playwrights selected through open submission with six established playwrights.

At the heart of the festival is a mentorship model designed to support new writing talent. Each selected emerging playwright will be paired with an established playwright mentor, with the two works presented together as part of a double-bill festival programme.

The aim is to create a supportive development process, connecting new and experienced writers while helping to build the future of theatre writing in the region.

Summerseat Players is now inviting submissions from emerging playwrights aged 18 and over who are based in, or studying in, the Northwest of England.

Submitted plays should be original, unproduced short works of 30 to 45 minutes in length, with no more than three actors and minimal technical or scenic requirements. Writers should submit work with the potential to be developed into a full-length play.

Six emerging playwrights will be selected for the festival. Selected writers will receive a financial contribution towards rehearsal travel, mentorship meetings and time spent on rewrites. One selected writer will also receive the festival's 'Best of Festival' award, which will support the development of their short play into a full-length production for a future Summerseat Players season.

Stephen Davies, Artistic Director at Summerseat Players, said:

'This festival is about making space. We know there are writers across the Northwest with brilliant ideas, powerful stories and voices that deserve to be heard. As a volunteer-led theatre, we can take a different kind of risk. We can give people time, encouragement, a stage, and a community around them. That feels like exactly what Summerseat Players should be doing.

'What excites us most is the mentorship at the heart of the festival. This is not just about choosing six plays and putting them on. It is about bringing writers together, pairing newer voices with more established ones, and creating relationships that can last beyond one weekend. We want this to be a place where new work is not only performed, but properly nurtured.'

The festival will include one emerging writer selection for children's theatre, suitable for audiences under 14, alongside five general selection places open to all other topics suitable for a wide audience.

Applications are free. Playwrights must complete the online Playwright Application Form and email a PDF copy of their script to nwf@summerseatplayers.co.uk

Submissions close on Monday 3 August 2026. For full submission details and to apply, visit: https://www.summerseatplayers.co.uk/newwritingfestival/