Submissions Open For Popcorn Writing Award 2025

Submissions for the Popcorn Writing Award, run by film and theatre production company Popcorn Group, are now open for 2025. This unique award celebrates bold, imaginative new writing at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, offering a £6,000 prize fund that goes directly to writers recognised for their notable, groundbreaking scripts. Further to the prize fund, winners are also granted valuable support from the Popcorn Group and BBC writers, offering mentorship meetings and consideration for the BBC Writers Voices 2026 programme. 

Established in 2019 by the Popcorn Group, the Popcorn Award champions fearless writing that playfully and artistically tackles current affairs, questions societal norms, and contributes positively to public debate. To be eligible, plays must be new writing with fewer than seven preview performances prior to this year’s Edinburgh Fringe and must be staged at one of the award’s partner venues.

As part of the award, all shortlisted writers are offered valuable mentorship meetings with the Popcorn Group. In addition, those based in the UK and Ireland will be eligible for a one-to-one meeting with the BBC Writers team. Eligible longlisted writers from the UK and Ireland will also be invited to submit their scripts for consideration as part of BBC Writers Voices 2026.

Popcorn Group’s founder and filmmaker Charlotte Colbert comments, I’m thrilled that the Popcorn Writing Award will be back in 2025 at the Edinburgh Fringe, an extraordinary space where new voices are heard and brave storytelling thrives. Each year, we’re reminded how vital it is to celebrate the power of theatre to ignite change. It’s a joy to support writers who are exploring new ideas and tackling real-world themes with originality and courage.

Past finalists and winners have gone on to be commissioned by major broadcasters, been accepted onto BBC Writers programmes, and transferred their work to stages in both London and New York.

The 2024 Popcorn Writing Award was jointly awarded to VL by Kieran Hurley and Gary McNair, and Weather Girl by Brian Watkins - the latter recently concluded a successful transfer run at Soho Theatre and is currently being adapted for television. Finalists included The Book of Mountains and Seas by Yilong Liu and Knock on the Roof by Khawla Ibraheem, which transferred to The Royal Court Theatre, with a special mention going to Pop Off, Michelangelo! by Dylan MarcAurele, which is currently enjoying an extended run at Underbelly Boulevard Soho in London.

Other previous winners of the award include Bryony Kimmings, Karim Khan, and Sabrina Ali, whose 2023-winning play Dugsi Dayz secured a transfer at the Royal Court as part of David Byrne’s inaugural season as Artistic Director.

Each year, the shortlist is selected by a panel curated by the Popcorn Group and in consultation with BBC Writers, made up of accomplished and diverse industry voices. Notable past award committee members include: Golden Globe winner Ruth Wilson, Tony Award-winning Enda Walsh, Oscar winner Gonzalo Maza and BAFTA-winning Wunmi Mosaku. The winners will be selected and announced by the Popcorn Group during this year's Edinburgh Fringe Festival.