The Shaftesbury New Writing Scratch Festival (Youth 10-18 years)

Never heard of a Scratch Festival?

A Scratch Festival is where new plays meet an audience for the first time.

Writers will see their work performed as script-in-hand pieces, hear constructive feedback from experienced theatre practitioners, and discover how a real audience responds to their work.

The Festival will build on the success of the Back Room Theatre Scratch Nights whilst creating a unique event for Shaftesbury Arts Centre that encourages new writing and provides a genuine opportunity for scripts to progress from an early idea to a fully realised production.

There will be two showcases:

Youth (10-18 years) New Writing Scratch Festival (2pm-5pm)
Adult New Writing Scratch Festival (7pm-10pm)

Up to six pieces will be selected for each showcase, with the audience voting for:

• Best New Writing
• Standout Actor Performance

Festival Support

Scripts selected for the festival will benefit from basic technical support to help bring each piece to life on stage.

Free rehearsal space will also be available to participants throughout November, subject to availability and agreed booking times, giving them the opportunity to rehearse and prepare their work ahead of the festival.

But this is about more than one night…

The Development Award

The winner of this award, selected by Shaftesbury Arts Centre and Back Room Theatre, will have the opportunity to work with both organisations to develop and edit their script into a full-length play.

The development process will provide support, feedback and opportunities to refine the script, characters and structure. Where appropriate, the completed play may then have the opportunity to progress to a fully staged production at Shaftesbury Arts Centre.

WRITERS — WE WANT YOUR WORK

We’re looking for original, unpublished plays that are still developing and have somewhere to go.

You can submit:

• An extract from a full-length play in development
• A complete short play with potential to become a full-length work

Pieces should be no more than 15 minutes when performed.
Submissions close Wednesday 30 September 2026.

Please email stage@shaftesburyartscentre.org.uk

Writers will normally source their own director and cast, but if you don’t have someone lined up, we’ll do our best to help connect you with people.

DIRECTORS & ACTORS — WANT TO BE INVOLVED?

We’re also inviting directors and actors who would like to get involved to register their interest at stage@shaftesburyartscentre.org.uk

AUDIENCE – COME AND BE PART OF SOMETHING NEW

Grab your tickets now, either for the afternoon, the evening or both!