The Jerwood Royal Court Commissioning Scheme is a new national fund to unlock risk and investment in commissioning new plays.
From 2026, the Scheme will award six annual grants of up to £6,000 each to underwrite first payments for new play commissions, supporting UK-wide theatres and producers to back ambitious new playwrights.
Awarded through open applications via joint proposals between a playwright and producing venue or company, the first round of applications will open from Tuesday 2 December 2025 to Friday 23 January 2026.
Eligibility
The Producing Partner must be a UK-based producing organisation or venue, with a track record of producing new theatre and with sufficient reserves or budgets to guarantee the appropriate delivery fee for The Play under the applicable Commissioning Agreement.
The Producing Partner must be a UK-based registered company or charity in the UK theatre sector, whether subsidised, independent or commercial. The Producing Partner cannot be an individual freelance producer.
The Playwright must be UK-based and aged over 18 at the point of application, and should have some demonstrable track record as a writer, at any scale or context.
Find out more
here
Deadline: Friday 23 January 2026