Leodis playwriting prize announced for unproduced new writers

A new writing award has been announced at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

The Leodis Prize is open to writers of any age who have not had a play performed, published, or been professionally represented.

The winning writer will have their debut play produced by Leodis in association with Pleasance Theatre Trust, premiering at the Fringe in 2026. The play will also be published by Methuen Drama, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing, and the winner will receive £2,000 and representation from Leodis.

Daniel Hinchliffe, managing director of Leodis Talent and founder of the award said today: “I wanted to create a writing prize to find a new voice in theatre that is open to anyone, especially without age restraints. I don’t think our industry does enough to support new theatre writing and I wanted to ensure we created a pathway to the Fringe that is fully funded for our winning playwright to allow them to concentrate on the play and not the process of producing. I am delighted to be launching this new prize with Pleasance and Bloomsbury Publishing, companies that I admire greatly for their support of new writing.”

The judging panel will include performer Tamzin Outhwaite, writer Jenna Fincken and director Sam Yates. Submissions open on 12 August 2025 and close on 2 November 2025, with the winner announced in March 2026.

Anthony Alderson, director of the Pleasance Theatre Trust, added: “The Fringe has always been about discovery and it remains the launchpad for some of the most exciting new works.  It is a place to find and platform new voices. The Leodis Prize is the kind of initiative that keeps the spirit of the Fringe alive and urgent and we are proud to be partnering with the award to stage the winning play and help to uncover new artists.”