Write From The Hip is a year-long script development program designed to support self-identifying emerging playwrights through mentorship, participation in a playwright’s unit, and one-on-one dramaturgy. Participants work towards the completion of a full-length play that culminates in a public reading with professional actors and a director as part of our Groundswell Festival. We are looking for intersectional feminist content by women (*including, but not limited to trans, cis), Two-Spirit, non-binary, and gender expansive playwrights who are emerging in craft – there is no age limit to apply. Participants will receive a $2,000 CAD honorarium – $1,000 for starting the program, and $1,000 for the completion of their draft and participation at the Groundswell Festival.
Please note: This program is open to women and gender-expansive people. This includes cis and trans women, trans men, as well as non-binary, 2-Spirit, genderfluid, and gender non-conforming folks. We accept applications from early career theatre artists and/or arts workers who are aged 18+. The program will run from January-November 2025 and will culminate with the Groundswell Festival and will be held in-person in Toronto, mostly at our new home at 877 Yonge Street. For that reason, we are strongly recommending that participants be based in Toronto.
PROGRAM SCHEDULE
Group meetings will take place within the following windows (exact dates and times to be determined with the cohort):
January 21-27, 2025: Initial welcome meeting
April 7-13, 2025: Group meeting
June 16-22, 2025: Group meeting
September 8-14, 2025: Group meeting
Fall 2025: Groundswell Festival
Interstitial one-on-one meetings between playwrights and the Write From The Hip program director take place virtually on an as needed basis.
APPLICATION TIMELINE:
October 16 at 11:59pm ET: Application Deadline
October 17- December 2: Deliberation
Week of December 2: Applicant Interviews
Early December: Final decisions, all applicants will be notified.
Frequently Asked Questions
All applicants must:
- Identify as a woman and gender-expansive person per Nightwood’s mandate. This includes cis and trans women, trans men, as well as non-binary, 2-Spirit, genderfluid, and gender nonconforming folks
- Be over the age of 18
- Be eligible to work in Canada
- Self-identify as early in their playwrighting career (ie, have not had a professional production of your work)
If you fall outside of the eligibility feel free to reach out and we can offer other suitable avenues to connect with Nightwood and the theatre community at large.
We’re looking for playwrights and creators who are 18+ and self-identify as early career. The program is best suited for folks who are in the first few years of their professional practice or are looking to expand into playwriting from another creative writing medium. Post-secondary training is not required.
We believe that you will get the most out of this program if you are not currently a full-time student and we’d encourage you to apply once you’ve completed your program.
Based on feedback from previous years, we have decided to make this year’s program Toronto-based. We encourage anyone who can be in Toronto for 4-5 meetings a year and the Groundswell Festival to apply. There will continue to be other opportunities for artists across Canada to connect with Nightwood. Stay tuned!
Applications are viewed by a small team of Nightwood Staff, the WFTH Program Director, and WFTH Program Associate. We consider a number of factors, including:
- Who we feel will get the most out of this program.
- Who would not get this kind of opportunity elsewhere.
- Who demonstrates values that align with Nightwood’s.
- How well could the Program Director support each participant’s goals.
- Cohort composition/creating a dynamic group (this includes composing a synergistic group with divergent identities with a spectrum of life/professional experiences, variety in content and form, a range of stages of progress with the submitted plays (brand new unwritten ideas to full plays being reworked)
- Our chemistry with the applicant.
- A love for your play.
You can reach Jade via email at jade@nightwoodtheatre.net.
Nightwood’s Write From The Hip playwright unit is generously supported by RBC Emerging Artists.
