Manchester-based theatre company Hive North is taking submissions for OutStageUs, its annual new-writing competition.
Now in its sixth year, the project nurtures and showcases the best new writing within and about the LGBTQ+ community, offering a creative platform for queer writers, whether emerging or more established.
Submissions must be received before midnight on May 11. All scripts will be read blind by a team of readers and feedback will be offered to shortlisted writers, who will then be offered the chance to talk to producers about their script. Up to 10 scripts will be chosen and staged in July at The Lowry in Salford (July 14-15) and receive a £350 fee.
The organisers are eager for submissions from global majority and neurodiverse writers, and those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, and for work that entertains and challenges perspectives and writing that brings under-represented stories to light. The competition is open to all ages.
Hive North founder and artistic director Adam Zane said: “We're on the lookout for bold scripts that push boundaries. This is the time for storytellers to bring us their most compelling, authentic LGBTQ+ narratives.”