Mega Meet + ScriptEM Bursary

An opportunity for East Midlands-based playwrights and UK-based directors.

Expand your creative network, build new connections, and be in the mix to win a £250 bursary.

 

Applications open: Monday 27th October, 9am

Applications close: Monday 24th of November, 5pm

Have you hit a brick wall in your career?

Want to meet that next great collaborator? Introducing MEGA MEET

If you want to listen to this information as audio, click below.

MEGA MEET is an online networking event linking East Midlands playwrights to hungry directors around the UK.

Aimed at artists who feel stuck between “emerging” and “professional”, Mega Meet is a space to feed future collaboration, experimentation and community.

Meet your next great collaborator, and be in with the chance of winning the ScriptEM Bursary, a one-off award to celebrate UK theatre talent.

Key dates

  • Applications open: Monday 27th October, 9am

  • Applications close: Monday 24th November, 5pm

  • Application outcome by: Friday 28th November

  • Bursary winners selected by: Monday 22nd December

  • MEGA MEET: a Saturday in mid/late-January 2026 (TBC)

Why Mega Meet?

The East Midlands is home to a proud tradition of creativity, and some of the UK’s most celebrated playwriting voices, including Alfred Fagon winner Mufaro Makubika and George Devine winner Jane Upton, to mention but two.

We aren’t northern, we aren’t southern, and we’re not Birmingham (no offence). Full of untapped talent.

However, we are also the most disproportionately underfunded region in England. Mega Meet looks to address that, bridging different areas of the UK to spark inter-regional collaboration and conversation.

Project partners: the Core at Corby Cube, Curve Theatre and Theatre503.

Supported using public funding by Arts Council England.

More about Mega Meet

After creating an online profile, writers and directors will pair themselves up based on mutual interests

  • Taking place on a Saturday in January 2026 (date TBC), Mega Meet is a curated day of online networking

  • Paired writers and directors will meet through 15-minute video calls, talking about what matters to them

  • The day will include facilitated group discussions for everyone present

  • Connections made could fuel your next great project, or build new theatre friendships, feeding inter-artist advocacy

  • One playwright and one director will then be selected for the ScriptEM Bursary: £250 for one writer, £250 for one director, to be used as they wish

The selection process

  • Selection for Mega Meet will be made by ScriptEM founder Hugh Dichmont and acclaimed director/theatre-maker Hannah Stone

  • 20 writers and 20 directors will be selected for Mega Meet

  • You will be informed about the outcome of your application by Friday 28th November

  • All unsuccessful applicants who meet the opportunity criteria will be offered an alternative Applicant Opportunity

  • All successful applicants will qualify for the ScriptEM Bursary

  • One winning playwright and one winning director will be selected by two of our project partners: Cara Nolan, Creative Programmes Practitioner, Curve Theatre and Steve Harper, Literary Manager Theatre503. All bursary-qualifying Mega Meet creatives will be informed of the bursary result by Monday 22nd December

  • Bursary selection will be made based on your Mega Meet applications. No extra information is needed.

Apply Here

Writers click here
Directors click here

FAQs

  • ScriptEM is an organisation focused on theatre artists in its own region. There is an under-investment in the East Midlands, and these kinds of opportunities seek to address that. For this opportunity, we are following Arts Council England’s definition of the East Midlands, spanning Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire and Rutland: www.artscouncil.org.uk/sites/default/files/download-file/Map_area_boundaries.pdf

  • Only if you write stage plays too, and have had one professional credit in theatre. (See criteria)

  • A show of minimum 45-minutes, which ran for more than 1 performance, in which the audience had to pay for tickets, and artists involved were remunerated.

  • You have to be minimum 18-years-old to enter. There is no upper age limit.

  • No. There is no fee available for writers or directors to take part in Mega Meet.

  • Yes. If you are a playwright or director, and consider yourself stuck between “emerging” and “professional”, that is all that matters.

  • No, you can only apply as either a writer or director, as we want 20 of each present at the event for pairings. However, if you are selected, and want to talk about the other side of your practice during your one-to-ones, then please do!

  • Please do. If you are selected for Mega Meet, and there’s anything we can do to support you to be at your best, let us know, and we will do everything we can to facilitate that. Additionally, you can submit audio or video answers for your application, if that helps.

  • Yes, all applicants can get some personalised feedback on their application, if desired. They will also be offered an alternative opportunity.

  • That is still to be confirmed, but will benefit both writers and directors.

  • The two bursary recipients will be selected by our project partners, with one writer and one director awarded £250 each. Winners will be selected based upon their Mega Meet applications. The winners can spend their bursaries however they want to, on their practice, household bills, a holiday… anything!

  • Beyond meeting the criteria, you will need access to a computer with a webcam and the internet. On the day, you will need to be in a space free from distractions and excess noise (i.e. at home or an enclosed office, rather than a public place).

  • Rather than Zoom, it will take place via ‘Deal Room’, a platform that allows the creation of personal profiles for all participants. More information will be released to successful applicants, closer to the time.

  • If selected for Mega Meet, your personal profile is a way to let people know who you are creatively: what things you have made before, what kind of shows you like to make, creative interests, recurring themes, other artists you admire. The idea is to create a snapshot of you as a creative, to help you to hit the ground running when you meet.

  • All pairing will be done by the selected creatives before the event. You need to make invitations, as will they, which will need to be accepted to set up your one-to-ones.

  • Whilst we recognise that weekends aren’t good for everyone, they generally work for most people. Unfortunately we won’t be able to offer alternative days, as this event can only take place on one day, due to the nature of the event and the platform. If you aren’t able to take part in Saturday events, so therefore can’t apply, then get in touch, and we will add you the list for the alternative Applicant Opportunity.

Any questions not covered in the FAQs, please get in touch:

script@scripteastmids.co.uk

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