New Earth Writers UK Academy Plus
Photo credit: Ikin Yum
A BESEA writers' programme dedicated to the development of a full length play, part-time (approximately 30 total hours) over 5 months October 2026-February 2027. Delivery is a mix of in-person and online; for regional playwrights, all in-person delivery will be provided at the nearest New Earth regional hub and travel costs will be covered.
The programme supports five early-mid career BESEA playwrights from across the UK who have a full length play that they would like to take to the next level through a supported and rigorous redrafting programme.
During the UK Writers Academy Plus 2026-27 Programme, the participants will create a new draft of their submitted work. They will integrate dramaturgical techniques and feedback through mentorship, a revision structure and system of support by experts and peers; as well as New Earth and venues where applicable.
Course Leader: Mia Chung
Key Dates:
In Person (based on location) / Hybrid
7 October – London Table Read Event
8 October – Manchester Table Read Event
14 October – Birmingham Hippodrome Table Read Event
Online
30 September – Meet and Greet, 7-9pm UK Time*
4 November – Masterclass - 7-9pm UK time
18 November – Masterclass - 7-9pm UK time
Late November 2026 – Individual Mentor Sessions
Late February 2027 – Individual Feedback Sessions
March 2027 Date TBD – Closing session*
28 October – Online Focus Time, 7-9pm*
25 November – Online Focus Time, 7-9pm*
16 December – Online Focus Time, 7-9pm*
20 January – Online Focus Time, 7-9pm*
*Indicates optional dates. All other dates are mandatory. Every attempt will be made to make individual sessions fit into your existing schedule.
Deadline: Tuesday, 30 June, 10am
You must submit a full and complete script or text to be considered for this programme. We acknowledge there are many ways of creating work and if you are a theatre maker or deviser, you may not be used to writing a traditional script. We are open to reviewing scripts that might be in an unconventional format (eg. a physical theatre script). Please, however, ensure someone else reading your submission can understand as much as possible what is happening in your work to give yourself the best chance of selection. We are looking for a full and complete script or text, not a pitch or an idea.
Your script/text:
Must be new writing
Be roughly between 60-90 minutes in duration
Be primarily a written body of theatre. The piece can be experimental and include elements of musical, dance, opera or physical theatre as long as the main body of work is written.
Other Considerations:
New Earth Writers UK Academy Plus will be delivered in partnership with HOME Manchester and Birmingham Hippodrome, and each venue will provide additional support to one playwright on the programme based in Greater Manchester and the Midlands respectively. These venues are interested in supporting the development of projects that have viable routes to production through their programming pipelines. As such, playwrights living and working in the Midlands or Greater Manchester may wish to consider the following if you’d like to be selected for the ringfenced slots and additional venue support:
For Manchester: Contemporary stories and family work (for 3+) that are studio shows (1 or 2 people shows, or some 3 or 4 handers) is of particular interest.
For Birmingham: New work for a studio theatre space is of particular interest.
About the Course Leader:
Mia Chung is the author of You for Me for You, Exquisite Corpse, Skin in the Game, an adaptation of The Orphan of Zhao, and We Spend Our Lives. You for Me for You had a world premiere at Woolly Mammoth Theatre in autumn 2012 and a Boston premiere at Company One in winter 2013. A new draft of the play was presented in the New Eyes Festival at Mu Performing Arts in Minneapolis in January 2014 and the Interact Theatre/Asian Arts Initiative reading series in Philadelphia in March 2014. She has received awards and fellowships from Southern Rep, RISCA, TCG, and others; and her work has been developed by the Bay Area Playwrights Festival, Civilians’ R&D Group, Doorway Arts Ensemble, Icicle Creek Theatre Festival, Inkwell, Kennedy Center, LAByrinth Theatre Company, Magic Theatre, Mu Performing Arts, Page Salon, Playwrights Realm, and Stella Adler Studio. She received a Sloan commission and a Creative Arts Council grant. She is a member of New Dramatists and the Ma-Yi Writers Lab. She attended Yale (BA); the University of Dublin, Trinity College (M.Phil.); and Brown (MFA)
FAQ
How much do I need to pay to attend New Earth Academy?
NOTHING - it’s completely free. We aim to keep all our New Earth Academy and New Earth Academy Plus free at the point of access to reduce financial barriers for participants.
Though this course is primarily online, for events that will be in person, we also offer travel bursary places for participants in need of financial support. If you'd like to apply for the travel bursary, please tell us why in your application and the amount you'd like to apply for.
I am not a resident in the UK, can I apply for this programme?
Unfortunately, due to obligations to our funders, you must be a resident in the UK to take part in this programme.
Do I need to have a full draft of my script to apply?
Yes, this is a re-drafting programme and we will be focusing on editing and re-drafting existing work.
Do I need to have any professional writing credits to apply?
No, we are open to anyone’s application with a complete script.
What does “new work” mean?
New work refers to work that is currently in development, unpublished, or recently produced. We are looking for scripts that you want to undergo a development process during this Academy and are open to re-writing and re-drafting as part of this process.
What does hybrid mean?
Hybrid means that some events will have online viewers in attendance listening to the session and participating, as much as possible, remotely. These online participants will likely be other members of the Writers UK Plus cohort, members of the New Earth team who are unable to travel and the course leader.
What time will the in person table read sessions be?
Depending on your location and how many writers we are accommodating in your region, we will be scheduling a time for your reading during the day. We are expecting all members of the cohort to attend online to support other members of your cohort for their table read sessions.
I am not based in the Midlands or in Greater Manchester, can I apply for the programme?
Yes, there are places on this programme for writers based anywhere in the UK.
For the in person/hybrid event in October, it would take place in the nearest city to you (London, Manchester or Birmingham).
What is “Online Focus Time”?
This is structured time to check in with the cohort, ask any questions to New Earth and help you allocate time to write and edit your work.