Submissions are now being accepted for the 2025 Popcorn Writing Award, hosted by the Popcorn Group, a prominent film and theatre production company. This distinguished award honors innovative and daring writing at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, with a generous prize fund of £6,000 awarded to writers recognized for their exceptional scripts. In addition to the cash prize, winners will receive invaluable support from the Popcorn Group and mentorship from BBC writers, which includes meetings and potential consideration for the BBC Writers Voices 2026 programme.
Launched in 2019, the Popcorn Writing Award is dedicated to promoting bold storytelling that thoughtfully engages with contemporary issues, challenges societal conventions, and enriches public discourse. To qualify, plays must be original works with fewer than seven preview performances prior to this year’s Edinburgh Fringe, and they must be staged at one of the award’s partner venues.
All shortlisted writers will benefit from mentorship meetings with the Popcorn Group, and those from the UK and Ireland can also have a one-on-one meeting with the BBC Writers team. Longlisted writers based in these regions will have the opportunity to submit their scripts for consideration for the BBC Writers Voices 2026 programme.
Charlotte Colbert, founder of the Popcorn Group, expressed her excitement about the award’s return in 2025: “I’m thrilled that the Popcorn Writing Award will be back at the Edinburgh Fringe, a remarkable platform where fresh voices and courageous storytelling are celebrated. Each year, we’re reminded of the importance of theatre as a catalyst for change. It’s a joy to support writers who are exploring new narratives and tackling real-world themes with originality and bravery.”
Previous finalists and winners have gone on to receive commissions from major broadcasters and have had their works staged in London and New York.
The 2024 Popcorn Writing Award was awarded to “VL” by Kieran Hurley and Gary McNair, as well as “Weather Girl” by Brian Watkins, which recently completed a successful run at the Soho Theatre and is being adapted for television. Finalists included “The Book of Mountains and Seas” by Yilong Liu and “Knock on the Roof” by Khawla Ibraheem, which transferred to the Royal Court Theatre. A special mention was given to “Pop Off, Michelangelo!” by Dylan MarcAurele, which is currently enjoying an extended run at Underbelly Boulevard Soho in London.
Notable past winners include Bryony Kimmings, Karim Khan, and Sabrina Ali, whose play “Dugsi Dayz,” which won in 2023, secured a transfer at the Royal Court as part of David Byrne’s inaugural season as Artistic Director.
The shortlist will be curated by a panel from the Popcorn Group in collaboration with BBC Writers, featuring accomplished voices from the industry. Past committee members include Golden Globe winner Ruth Wilson, Tony Award-winner Enda Walsh, Oscar winner Gonzalo Maza, and BAFTA-winning Wunmi Mosaku. The winners will be announced by the Popcorn Group during this year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Submissions are OPEN until 10 am on July 8, 2025. To be eligible, plays must meet the following criteria:
1) Be new works with fewer than seven performances prior to the 2025 Edinburgh Fringe.
2) Be staged during the Fringe at one of the partner venues: Assembly, Gilded Balloon, Pleasance, theSpaceUK, Summerhall Arts, Traverse, Underbelly, Greenside, Paradise Green, or ZOO Venues.
Interested writers should submit their new work, a 50-word summary of their play, a 10-word tagline, and a list of any previous performance dates to the programming team at their respective venue, using the subject line: “Popcorn Writing Award 2025 // Title of Play // Writer’s Name // Venue Name.”
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