Following ten years of working with Scottish writers to discover and explore the world of radio drama, BBC Scotland Radio Drama producer, David Ian Neville has teamed up with Playwrights' Studio Scotland, as a main partner in their IGNITE project, to encourage young people between the ages of 16 and 26, to write for radio and the stage.

The project is bringing the expertise of professional producers and writers to six locations throughout Scotland this autumn, in a bid to encourage aspiring young writers to try their hand at developing their writing skills for the world of radio drama and the stage. They will also be encouraging them to enter IGNITE - a Young Playwrights' competition where applicants have the potential to win professional mentoring and the chance to hear their work recorded in BBC Scotland's Radio Drama studio in Glasgow. It is not necessary for competition applicants to have attended the workshops, nor is it necessary for workshop participants to enter the competition.

Jeff Zycinski, Head of Radio, Scotland, is passionate about putting skills and experience back into the community and noted, "There is a huge amount of raw talent in young writers throughout Scotland and am I delighted to see our experience and training skills put to excellent use in the community. We are keen to hone this talent and cultivate a new wave of Radio drama writers who have the potential to write for ourselves and for independent producers across Scotland."

The Young Playwrights' workshops continue the Radio Drama Department's commitment to encouraging new young writers. This new project is a welcome addition to the already established series of Writers' Labs developing and nurturing the talent of writers for radio. These Labs have helped to bring a new generation of writers to radio drama over the years, with their work being broadcast on BBC Radio 4, BBC Radio 3, BBC Radio Scotland and BBC Radio 7. Leading writers to have broken through include Gregory Burke whose first professional production, OCCY EYES on BBC Radio 3 came out of an idea he pitched at the first Writers' Lab. The Radio play later became the successful stage play, THE STRAITS. Gregory commented, "BBC Scotland's Writers' Labs are to writing in Scotland what the Ajax Academy is to Dutch football. The Lab I attended was invaluable in making contacts within the BBC and within the wider writing community. In a job as solitary as writing, contact with others who are struggling to achieve the same things is always inspiring".

The workshops will take place at the following venues:

Aberdeen, Lemon Tree, Sat 3 Oct, 11am - 1pm

Dumfries, Crichton Campus, Sat 24 Oct, 11am - 1pm

Dundee, Dundee Rep Theatre, Sat 31 Oct, 11am - 1pm

Glasgow, Tron Theatre, Sat 14 Nov, 11am - 1pm

Inverness, Eden Court Theatre, Sun 22 Nov, 2pm - 4pm

Edinburgh, National Library of Scotland, Sat 28 Nov, 11am - 1pm