Phoebe Waller-Bridge, James Graham and more back scheme for affordable playwright accommodation in London

Writers’ Block, a new initiative offering affordable accommodation in London to playwrights, has attracted support from Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Jack Thorne, James Graham, Sally Wainwright and Peter Morgan.

The scheme connects playwrights from disadvantaged backgrounds with people in London who have spare rooms or properties they are willing to offer at reduced rates, helping writers afford time in the capital for meetings, rehearsals and other career opportunities.

Waller-Bridge has donated the rent-free use of a London flat she bought specifically for writers at the start of their careers. Thorne has also contributed financially and spoken about the difficulties facing writers without access to accommodation in London.

He said: “I was lucky when I started out, my brother lived in Croydon and was able to put me up. He did so, rather selflessly, for five years, before I moved to Luton and he got his peace. For many writers the need for a roof makes writing impossible which is why this pilot is so important. If we want stories told about our complicated world, we need writers of every background writing them. If you’re from privilege your biggest problem is what to fill a page with, if you’re not, so much of your struggle is about the need to survive.”

Other writers supporting the initiative include Lee Hall, Rebecca Lenkiewicz, Stephen Beresford, Caryl Churchill, Martin McDonagh and David Lan. The Estate of Harold Pinter has also contributed.

Graham added: “The industry’s urgent pursuit of representation is still letting down the biggest area of under-representation of all, which is class. When I first made it to London, I slept on friend’s floors and worked in call centres and bars while I wrote. Every spare room a scheme like this can give to writers starting out in London, not only helps them write but saves them from giving up completely. We don’t need grand gestures, just someone to open a door and help us keep going.”

Writers’ Block was created by Sofie Mason and Diana Jervis-Read, the founders of the Off West End Theatre Awards and OffWestEnd.com. It builds on their Adopt a Playwright Award, established in 2008 to support emerging writers from disadvantaged backgrounds.

The award has supported 55 writers as winners or runners-up, including Ryan Calais Cameron, whose work includes Retrograde and For Black Boys, Sarah Grochala and Kenny Emson. The annual £10,000 award has often been used to help cover the cost of accommodation in London, prompting Mason and Jervis-Read to develop a scheme offering more sustained support.

Writers’ Block was launched in partnership with Omnibus Theatre in Clapham. Its network of hosts, known as Omnihosts, offers accommodation for no more than £30 a night or £500 a month, with many charging less. Waller-Bridge’s flat is available rent-free, with the resident responsible for bills.

During its pilot year, 15 homes have signed up and 12 writers have used the accommodation, with stays ranging from single nights to longer-term arrangements. The scheme has also funded the purchase, construction and equipment of a Writers’ Cabin, providing playwrights with a free space to work.

Research from the Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre and the Sutton Trust found that just 16 per cent of people working in the creative industries come from working-class backgrounds. Meanwhile, 41 per cent of members of the Adopt a Playwright group live outside London, highlighting the financial barriers facing writers who need to travel to the capital.

The savings made through the scheme can be substantial. Playwright Emma-Louise Howell estimates that her accommodation has saved her around £850 a month, while Tommy Sissons estimates a saving of £600 a month. Steve Hevey estimates that his Omnihost arrangement saved him between £4,000 and £6,000 over a year.