Developing Talent at The Dukes

The Dukes is a catalyst space: a facilitator for artists to create, providing them with the resources, skills and space to develop their work and practice. The Dukes places artists centrally and we ensure our talent development programmes are designed, informed and delivered by artists. 

Deadline: 24th February 2025

Lancaster Playwriting Prize is back for another year! We are seeking submissions for Lancaster Playwriting Prize 2025 from writers based in Lancashire and the North-West.

The competition is open to entrants living or learning in Lancashire/North-West UK and must be 18+ years of age. The top three submissions will receive a rehearsed public reading of a 15-20 minute section of their work on 28th March 2025. Runners up will receive £250 each and the winner will receive £1000 cash prize and a trophy.

The theatre organises the competition alongside Lancaster University.

Each year the competition has a different writing theme and this year the theme is Gothic. The first was aimed at ethnically-diverse writers, while subsequent ones have covered unproduced writers over 55; LGBTQAI+ writers and deaf, disabled or neurodiverse writers.

The submitted scripts can be full length (long or short) plays and must have a maximum of 4 cast members. If your play exceeds 15-20 minutes in length, a section of your play will be performed if you are shortlisted.

The Dukes CEO Chris Lawson says: “As Lancaster’s only professional producing theatre, we are pleased to reaffirm our commitment to new writing across the region. This is a fantastic opportunity for writers at any stage of their career to work with us in the development of their ideas and stories which need to be heard”

Please note: all submissions will be acknowledged, although due to the expected volume we will receive, feedback will only be given to finalists.

To apply, please send your written piece to our Creative Administrator & Programme Coordinator, Emma Nixon: ask@dukeslancaster.org, entitled "Lancaster Playwriting Prize Submission".  If you'd like an informal chat about the opportunity, you can call Emma on: 01524 598506

Blastfest is a Festival of new work showcased by The Dukes and takes place within our Spring / Summer season. At its heart is an evening of new works in progress, (up to 20 mins each) presented by Lancashire or North West based artists, 5 of whom are supported by The Dukes each year under this festival. These artists are engaged by a combination of direct approach from the venue and open call.

Support granted includes seed commissioning money to progress the idea or act as match funding, access to rehearsal space, technical support and marketing, advocacy as above at Venues North and other events, public performance as part of BLASTFEST. 

Blastfest 2025 runs  Mon 19 – Thu 22 May

ARTIST CALL OUT

As part of BLASTFEST 2025, we’re looking for five Lancashire or North West-based artists who have new or in-development work that would benefit from a work-in-progress sharing and audience feedback.

find out more here

Open space is a free R & D space open to all North West Based artists in our Moor Space*. The space is available - subject to existing scheduled activities Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays: 10 am – 6 pm, Tuesdays & Wednesdays: 10am – 4 pm.

The offer is for space, working light and 13a power only, it does not include technical support.

Any sharing’s of work in progress can be free or Pay What You Decide but need to be invite only.

Please download and complete the Open Space pre-arrival form and send to openspace@dukeslancaster.org

Download form here

*compromise may sometimes be needed and Gallery Space may be offered instead.

Additionally, The Dukes lends support to selected companies (not an open-call opportunity) for an 18-month – 2-year period on projects that are aligned with The Dukes' artistic and strategic ambitions. 

Creative Collaborators receive the ongoing support of free space for rehearsals and administration, access to technical support and production facilities plus tailored marketing support. Work may be premiered in the season programme either as work in progress or full production. The Dukes also offers advocacy within Venues North and other relevant networks and events. 

Our current Creative Collaborators partner is One-Tenth Human. 

Venues North is a network of venues from across the North of England who are committed to supporting artists to create new work. Our aim is to work together as venues to support new and emerging artists from the North to get their work more widely seen regionally, nationally and internationally.

By new work, we mean new theatre and performance, usually devised work or new writing, or work that explores the boundaries of theatrical form.

Venues North is not a closed network or an exclusive group of venues. It is a paid membership organisation open to any venue in the North that shares our commitment to supporting artists making new work.

The group meets three times a year.

Routes In: A Guide to Getting New Work Programmed in the North of England. Download the 2023 Routes in Guide Here