Popcorn Group, the innovative film, television and theatre production company, will be partnering once again with BBC Writersroom for the Popcorn Writing Award which champions brave and imaginative writing at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival that are best adaptable to the screen. Set up in 2019, the award offers a prize fund of £6,000 directly to the winner and finalists. The only award of its kind, it celebrates fearless work which playfully and artistically questions and addresses current affairs, societal trends and contributes positively to public debate. Submissions are NOW OPEN to all pieces of new writing shown at either the Assembly, Gilded Balloon, Pleasance, The SpaceUK, Summerhall, Traverse or Underbelly.
The best writing is selected by an illustrious and diverse committee put together by the Popcorn Group along with members of Popcorn Group and BBC Writersroom. Past years have included Golden Globe winning Ruth Wilson, , Tony winning Enda Walsh, Oscar winning Gonzalo Mass, BAFTA winning Wunmi Mosaku , singer/songwriter Aurora, author and columnist Fatima Bhutto and Olivier Award winning Noma Dumezweni.
Previous years’ winners and finalists have all gone on to notable success, commissioned by major broadcasters in Film & TV and have enjoyed international tours of their work. Last year’s winner writer of hit play Brown Boys Swim, Karim Khan, has since been selected for the Pillars Fund, a writers initiative led by Riz Ahmed and his play received a lauded London transfer. Bryony Kimmings has worked with Emma Thompson and her TV show, The Rapture, has been greenlit by the BBC. Laura Horton, who’s piece Breathless made its off-Broadway debut this spring and was Critic’s Pick in the New York Times, was selected for a BBC Writersroom initiative this year. Camilla Whitehill has also just wrapped on her TV show, Big Mood, with Channel 4 starring Nicola Coughlan.
The longlisted writers have the opportunity to meet with members of Popcorn Group and BBC Writersroom and the Drama Commissioning team to talk about their work and career, with the potential to be invited onto one of their regular programmes of writer development support.
Popcorn Group said, We’re so happy to be back at Edinburgh with the Popcorn Writing Award again this year championing the writers of tomorrow. The Fringe is vital for providing a framework where incredible writers are able to take a chance and put on bold and risky work that says something. show what they can really do and to be partnering with the BBC again, who are offering such great opportunities to the longlisted writers, is a privilege.
BBC Writersroom said, BBC Writersroom are thrilled to be working with Popcorn Group again this year on the Popcorn Writing Award. Establishing the partnership last year, reading all the incredible work, seeing the shows and meeting the talented writers was a truly energising experience and we are excited to do it all again in 2023! There is such a wealth of writing talent at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and the Popcorn Writing Award is a superb champion.
Submissions are OPEN until 10am on 23rd June. All plays are eligible provided they are:
1) A new piece of writing which has not had a significant run (no more than 7 performances) before the 2023 Edinburgh Fringe.
2) A piece being staged during the Fringe at one of the partnering venues namely – Assembly, Gilded Balloon, Pleasance, The SpaceUK, Summerhall, Traverse or Underbelly.
To be considered writers must send their piece of new writing and a 50 -word summary of their play to the programming team at their respective venue with “Popcorn Writing Award 2023 // Title of Play // Writer’s Name // Venue Associated” in the subject heading.
The deadline for submissions is Saturday 24th June 2023 at 10am. To find out more about how to apply, visit here…
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