Writing Opportunities
Explore new writing opportunities and events from the BBC and across the industry.
Open Call
Our annual open submission opportunity for all writers aged 18 and over and resident in the UK or Republic of Ireland.
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How and When to Send us a Script
Our Open Call is now closed for submissions. The dates of the next Open Call will be announced in autumn 2026. Find out more about the Open Call and what we do (and do not) accept.
More Opportunities from BBC Writers & across the BBC
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The BBC Comedy Collective
Deadline: Wednesday 6th May 2026
The supercharged bursary open to anyone who has had at least one previous credit in writing, producing, directing or editing in any genre, across any platform - such as - TV, radio, theatre, podcasts, stand up, short films or commercials. -
BBC Writers Digital Session for Screenwriting Students
Online Event: Thursday 7th May 2026 from 1 to 2pm
Register your interest in joining our free online webinar for screenwriting students. -
The Comedy Unit | Noising Up!
Rolling Deadlines
Noising Up is set to return to BBC Radio Scotland and BBC Sounds and needs your topical, satirical and observational sketches! -
BBC Upload
Upload is open to submissions all year round, with content showcased every day on BBC radio stations and social and online platforms from writers and content creators across the UK.
Non-BBC Opportunities
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Aberystwyth University Scriptwriting Society
Ongoing Meet Ups
The society is holding weekly writing workshops for keen scriptwriters who are based in the Aberystwyth area in Ceredigion, Wales. Non-students are welcome. -
Actwrite
Rolling Deadline
Actwrite is seeking London-based screenwriters to join a new project connecting them with trained actors to workshop scripts. -
Anthroplay Theatre | Anthrotalks
Multiple Deadlines and themes throughout the year
Anthroplay is looking for poetry, spoken word, monologues, comedy, drag, songs - the lot - for their upcoming Anthrotalks events in 2026. -
Barons Court Theatre | The Sunday Fix
Deadline:15th of the month
The Sunday Fix is a scratch night offering feedback on 10 minute extracts of new plays from writers. -
The Bay International Film Festival | Screenwriting Club
Monthly Meet Ups
For those who enjoy screenwriting but prefer not to work alone, the monthly Screenwriters Club group in Lancaster offers a space to write alongside others. -
BFI Network Hubs | Writing for Animation Lab 2026
Deadline: Monday 11th May 2026
Four BFI NETWORK Hubs have teamed up with the ScreenSkills Animation Skills Fund to create this new lab for writers to develop, experiment and expand their skills and understanding of storytelling in animation. -
The Big Bite-Size Breakfast Show | Bite-Size Plays in association with Pleasance Theatre Trust
Deadline: 12:00 pm on Friday 1st May 2026
Bite-Size Plays in association with Pleasance Theatre are searching for new 10-15 minute plays to be performed as part of this year's Edinburgh Fringe Festival. -
Box of Tricks | Open Door
Rolling Submissions
Box of Tricks has a year-round, open door policy to receiving new plays from playwrights in the North of England. -
Caromoon Productions | Playwriting Programme
Deadline: 5pm on Sunday 26th April 2026
Eight writers will be selected to take an idea and craft it into a full length play over the course of four months. -
Devon and Cornwall Screenwriting Group
Event: The group meets online every month
The group meets to provide reciprocal feedback on completed TV and feature scripts written by group members. -
Eastern Angles Theatre Company | New Angles Writers Club
Rolling deadline. Booking required prior to each session
Eastern Angles is looking for East Anglian playwrights to join their New Angles Writers Club, a local writing community to receive support and feedback on a play in development. -
Edinburgh Screewriting Sessions
Bi-weekly meetups
An opportunity to write and socialise with other screenwriters in Scotland. -
Film Hub North | Script Lab 2026
Deadline: 17.00 on Monday 11th May 2026
A programme for new writers based in the North of England which sees their short film idea develop into a script that’s production ready. -
Finborough Theatre | Open Script Submissions
Rolling submissions
Finborough Theatre welcomes unsolicited scripts at any time of the year. -
London Comedy Writers
Ongoing Meet Ups
An opportunity for London based comedy writers who want to share their work and receive constructive feedback. -
Manchester Screenwriting Meet Up
Ongoing Meet Ups
An opportunity for Manchester based screenwriters who want to develop their craft and learn more about screenwriting. -
Messy Writers | Monthly London Meet-Ups
Monthly Meet Ups
An opportunity for London based screenwriters who want to share opportunities and meet potential collaborators. -
Papatango | Playwrights’ Studio
Papatango have announced a brand-new, completely free offer for playwrights which includes digital workshops, open-access funding, one-to-one advice, in-person events, and representation on a searchable industry database. -
Playwrights' Studio Scotland | National Script Reading Service
Rolling Submissions
Playwrights' Studio Scotland's free script reading service provides an opportunity for Scotland's writers to receive valuable script feedback from theatre professionals. -
Rebound Productions | Search for New Playwrights
Deadline: Midnight on Friday 30th of April 2026
Rebound Productions are looking for a series of one act fictional stage plays to be produced. -
The Room Decides | Shocking Scenes
Deadline: 30 April 2026, 23:59 (BST)
The Room Decides is an experimental new writing night in Birmingham where writers respond to a set brief and the audience decides whether each piece succeeds. -
Royal Court Theatre | Script Submissions
Rolling Submissions
The Royal Court is dedicated to finding the most exciting new plays, underpinned by the history of their open submissions policy. -
Script Club Cardiff
Monthly meet-ups
Script Club Cardiff holds monthly informal meetups for local scriptwriters. -
Script East Midlands
Monthly meet-ups, booking required
A writer-led support network for scriptwriters, based in the East Midlands. -
Stolen Moments | Writer Call Out
Rolling submissions
A call out for short plays from Welsh and Wales-based writers for a new theatre platform. -
TYPE! - Micro plays
Rolling submissions
TYPE! is a new bookmark magazine looking for short/micro plays or screenplays (2-5 minutes in length) to feature in the next edition. -
Womxn Who Make Funny Films
Ongoing Meet Ups
Womxn Who Make Funny Films organise networking events, writing groups and showcases for women identifying comedy filmmakers. -
Yorkshire Screenwriters | Monthly Script Feedback
Monthly Meetings
Yorkshire Screenwriters is a community-based organisation supporting screenwriters in the region by offering Monthly Script Feedback on the first Wednesday of each month, either online or in person in central Leeds.
Help: Do you have an Opportunity that you would like us to include on this page?
Do you have an Opportunity that you would like us to include on this page?
Please visit our Opportunities Listing Requests page for full details of the information we require and how to get in touch.
Our remit is scriptwriting so in general we can't promote opportunities or events from organisations outside the BBC which are for novel writing, short stories, poetry etc.
We can only promote opportunities and events which are free for writers to enter or attend and don't ask for payment from writers at any stage.
Info: BBC Comedy
BBC Comedy
BBC Comedy writer, writer/performer, director, producer and editor development is looked after by BBC Comedy Commissioning, which brings together all comedy outreach that is happening across the BBC under one strategy.
The separate Caroline Aherne Bursary, Felix Dexter Bursary and Galton & Simpson Bursary for writers have been brought together with two new bursaries for directors and producers into the BBC Comedy Collective, a supercharged bursary scheme offering 10 places each year to up-and-coming writers, producers and directors who’d like to develop their careers in scripted comedy.
Find out more about the BBC Comedy Collective leaders and alumni
Interested in breaking into Comedy?
Visit the BBC Comedy Commissioning website to find out about more opportunities