Jewish Playwrights Programme to Launch First UK-Wide Open Call for Writers

The Jewish Literary Foundation has announced the return of its Jewish Playwrights Programme for 2026/27, with applications opening to playwrights across the UK for the first time. The programme will support the development of a full-length play, helping foster the next generation of Jewish playwrights and championing stories that reflect the richness and diversity of Jewish life in Britain.

Building on the success of its inaugural year, the Jewish Literary Foundation returns with its flagship development programme, which will support eight emerging and early-career playwrights from across the UK to develop new work for the stage. In a first for the programme, places on the 2026/27 cohort will be awarded through open applications, with its most expansive and accessible offering to date.

Applications are now open and will close at 5.00pm BST on 3 August 2026.

Designed to strengthen the presence of Jewish playwrights and Jewish stories within UK theatre, the six-month programme welcomes playwrights who identify as Jewish, alongside writers whose work explores Jewish life, culture and identity. Over six months, participants will receive sustained creative and professional support as they develop a full-length script.

The programme will be led by Julia Pascal, an award-winning playwright and director, author of 24 full-length stage plays, and the first woman to direct at The National Theatre. She will mentor the cohort throughout the programme, combining one-to-one dramaturgical feedback with group workshops, structured writing deadlines and peer support.

The expanded programme follows a successful first year, which brought together emerging playwrights with an outstanding group of facilitators, including Olivier Award winner Mark Rosenblatt, award-winning writer and director Josh Azouz, director and dramaturg Emma Jude Harris, award-winning director and writer Daniel Goldman, playwright and writer Samantha Ellis, and writer for stage and radio Amy Rosenthal. The inaugural cohort culminated in a showcase performance at the 75th anniversary of Jewish Book Week.

Generously sponsored by the Shoresh Charitable Trust, and in partnership with Artsdepot, the programme combines in-person sessions in London with structured mentoring, one-to-one dramaturgical feedback, and regular peer workshops. Participants will build relationships with fellow writers and industry professionals before concluding the programme with an industry day, working alongside a leading director and professional actors to test extracts from their scripts.

As Rachel Borchard Lewis, Trustee of the Shoresh Charitable Trust, says, "We are delighted that the programme is now open to applications from across the UK, giving even more writers the chance to develop their work and strengthening Jewish playwriting for the future."

The programme builds on the Jewish Literary Foundation's wider commitment to developing new writing talent. Its JLF-Genesis Emerging Writers Programme is now entering its sixth year, having supported more than 50 writers across fiction, non-fiction and poetry. Together with Jewish Book Week, the Freudenheim Translation Prize, the Risa Domb/Porjes Prize for Hebrew/English Translation, and the Jewish Children's Book Awards, the programme forms part of the Foundation's broader mission to celebrate Jewish literature and creativity while bringing it to audiences across the UK and beyond.

As Claudia Rubenstein, Director of the Jewish Literary Foundation, says, "Opening applications for the first time allows us to reach the broadest possible range of playwrights. It reflects our longstanding commitment to supporting emerging writers as they develop their craft, giving them the confidence, recognition and opportunities to grow, while ensuring Jewish writing and ideas continue to flourish."

Applications are open from 1 July to 3 August 2026, closing at 5.00pm BST. Full details of the programme, eligibility criteria, and the application form can be found here.

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