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 currently closed for submissions. Find out more about the Open Call, what we do (and do not) accept and the next window for submissions.
More Opportunities from BBC Writers & across the BBC
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BBC Writers | Digital Session for Screenwriting Students
Online Event: Wednesday 28th October 2026 from 1-2pm
Register your interest in joining our next free online webinar for screenwriting students by noon on Monday 26th October. -
BBC Comedy Liverpool Script Development Project
Deadline: Monday 9th November 2026
Aspiring comedy writers from across the Liverpool City Region are being given the chance to turn their ideas into the next big BBC sitcom. -
BBC Comedy and Liverpool Royal Court Theatre | Stage Write Comedy Special 2027
Deadline: 23rd November 2026
The 2027 Stage Write programme from Liverpool's Royal Court Theatre will be a brand-new edition, a Comedy Special supported by BBC Comedy. -
Script Essentials 2026: Free Webinars From BBC Writers
Online Resource
Our Script Essentials series of webinars aimed at deaf, disabled and/or neurodivergent writers. -
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. -
Audible | The Emerging Playwrights Fund
Deadline: 11.59pm EST on Wednesday 18th November 2026
Audible are seeking early-career theatrical writers with bold, original audio drama ideas in Action & Adventure and Core Fiction. -
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. -
Royal Birmingham Conservatoire | Short Film Script Submissions 2027
Deadline: Friday 15th January 2027
The Royal Birmingham Conservatoire (RBC) is seeking 10 original short film scripts to be professionally produced in May 2027 as part of its BA and MFA Acting graduation projects. -
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 Screenwriting Sessions
Bi-weekly meetups
An opportunity to write and socialise with other screenwriters in Scotland. -
Finborough Theatre | Open Script Submissions
Rolling submissions
Finborough Theatre welcomes unsolicited scripts at any time of the year. -
INK Festival | Short Play Submissions
Student deadline: 31st October 2026
Submit Your Short Play to INK Festival 2027 -
LA Productions | Script Submission Window
Deadline: 9am on Monday 16th November 2026
Liverpool-based TV and Film production company LA Productions is currently accepting unsolicited scripts. -
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. -
Menagerie Theatre Company | Young Writers' Workshop 2027
Deadline: 5pm, Friday 20th November 2026 at 5pm
The Young Writers' Workshop is an opportunity for 6 young playwrights (18-30) in the East of England to receive support, development and mentoring. -
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. -
A Play, a Pie and a Pint
Two yearly submission windows for Emerging and Established Playwrights
A Play, a Pie and a Pint run two yearly open submission windows – two opportunities for them to read new work by writers aged 18+ who are Scottish or Scotland-based. -
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 | Emerging Artists Showcase
Deadline: Midnight on 1st December 2026
Are you an emerging playwright? Would you love to see your work performed on a London stage? Rebound Productions is looking for original one-act plays, featuring 2 or 3 characters, to be performed as part of their Emerging Artists Showcases. -
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 Angel Academy
Free scriptwriting community
A free screenwriting community offering practical guidance, feedback and connection for writers at every stage of their script writing journey. -
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. -
Script East Midlands | Playwriting Course
WORKSHOPS: 8 weekly sessions from 30th September 2026
Writers based based in or around Boston, Lincolnshire can sign up to a free 8-week playwriting course, beginning on 30th of September. All levels of ability and experience welcome. -
Script East Midlands, Story Engine Birmingham and BBC Comedy | Midlands Comedy Roundtable
Applications close: 4th December 2026, 5pm
Script East Midlands and Story Engine Birmingham have joined forces with BBC Comedy to run an online roundtable for emerging comedy scriptwriters in the 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. -
Tall Story Pictures | Script Call Out
Opens 9am on Monday 19th October 2026 and closes later the same day
Tall Story Pictures have announced their next TV script callout for under-represented writers. -
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. -
VAULT Creative Arts | Playwriting Award
Deadline: 23:59 on Friday 6th November 2026
The VCA Playwriting Award is an annual award that offers one writer a £2,500 prize alongside a 4-week production. -
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.
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