The theme for the Mainstage Prize for Playwriting 2026 is Horror. Writers in the UK or Ireland are invited to submit a full-length horror play (approximately 70–120 minutes).
The Prize: A £10,000 cash award, a rehearsed reading of the winning play, and mentorship opportunities with members of the judging panel.
We encourage writers to explore horror in all its forms — psychological, political, supernatural, or social — but the work should clearly engage with fear, dread, unease, or the darker edges of human experience, and feel unmistakably theatrical and audience-facing.
Eligibility:
To enter the Mainstage Prize, playwrights must:
Be 18 years or older
Be based in the UK or Ireland
Have had at least one professional stage production (a run of two weeks or more with paid cast)
Own the copyright to the submitted play and be free to submit it
Find out more here
Deadline: 23:00, 1 August 2026