Leading television production company Kudos and The Royal Court Theatre have come together to launch a unique writing fellowship to support emerging writing talent for both theatre and television.
 
Three writers will each be offered a £10,000 ($13,062.4) bursary, funded by Kudos, to enable them to focus purely on their writing for six months, and during this time they will have the opportunity to be supported by The Royal Court Theatre and Kudos.
 
These fellowships are specifically aimed at writers already establishing a writing career, but who perceive barriers in getting their work developed and produced in theatre and television because of class, disability, education, ethnicity, gender identity, geography or any other barrier.

Martin Haines, chief operating officer, Kudos, said: “Television drama is booming and the demand for British scripted television has never been greater. To continue to connect with audiences and to deliver distinctive work, we need to nurture writing talent, surface untold stories and bring new and diverse stories to the fore. This fellowship is particularly exciting as it allows writers to take part in both theatre and television projects and allows us to begin relationships with writers we may not ordinarily have met.”

The three £10,000 bursaries will support writers for a period of six months from January 2019. During this time, they will be able to challenge and take part in the work of the Royal Court and Kudos. There will also be opportunities to see productions, meet other leading writers in theatre and television and have ongoing artistic conversations with staff at both organisations.
 
Diederick Santer, chief executive officer, Kudos, commented: “I’m pleased that the writers on this scheme get access to and time with the teams at both the Royal Court and Kudos. Great emerging writers, and two best-in-class creative organisations - we will all be learning loads from each other.”
 
Applicants are required to submit a theatre script and additional supporting information including details on why this opportunity would be life-changing by November 16.

Writers need to submit:
• One full-length theatre script (70 pages). The submission window is intentionally short as we expect writers will submit an already existing play.
• One page on a TV show that has inspired you and why you think it is such an important medium.
• One page on why this opportunity would be life-changing. What have been the barriers so far?
• A short reference from an artistic colleague in theatre, film or TV who has engaged with their writing.

The following questions will be considered when reading the submitted plays and applications:
• What are the perceived barriers identified by the writer?
• How would this opportunity have a long-term impact on the writer?
• What kind of work is the writer excited and inspired by?
• How does the play make us see the world in a different way through the writer’s originality of voice, exceptional skill and bold execution of their ideas?

All entries will be considered by a team of readers at the Royal Court who will create a long list. These will then be read by a member of the Royal Court’s artistic team who will shortlist 10 writers. This shortlist will be read by the Royal Court and Kudos teams and each writer will meet with key members of both organisations including Vicky Featherstone (Artistic Director, Royal Court Theatre) and Sarah Stack (Head of Development, Kudos). The final three writers, considered most likely to make a significant contribution to theatre, TV and the cultural life of the UK and beyond, will then be selected.
 
Writer Stacey Gregg said: “Starting out as a writer is daunting for anyone, but the extra anxiety of being away from home and without a financial safety net can mean the difference between taking that risk or opportunity you might otherwise pass on. This bursary buys time and head space to get that draft written, to take meetings, to stop worrying about the next train fare, allowing you to build the connections and understanding of an industry that might otherwise remain behind a veil." - TradeArabia News Service