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Opportunities

Explore new writing opportunities and events from the BBC and across the industry.

Open Call

Our annual open submission opportunity for all writers aged 18 and over and resident in the UK or Republic of Ireland.

  • How and When to Send us a ScriptOur Open Call window for the submission of Drama and Comedy Drama scripts is now closed. Outcome emails have been sent to everyone who submitted and we are currently making selections for our development groups. The next Open Call is likely to be at the end of 2022. The dates will be announced on here and our social media.

Opportunities from BBC Writersroom and across the BBC

Non-BBC Opportunities

  • Act Bedford and Content Created - Radio Theatre For The Mind's EyeDeadline: 27th August 2022
    Writers based in the UK and around the world are invited to submit short audio play scripts in this open themed event. In combination, Act Bedford and Content Created are aiming to select and produce at least ten plays from those submitted in this year's 2022 invitation event.
  • Anthroplay & Escape Bar - Escape Through Words!Deadline: Thursday 14th July 2022 at 11am
    Anthroplay are looking for poetry, spoken word and monologues from new and existing writers/performers for their next Escape Through Words scratch night.
  • BFI Film Academy Labs 2022/2023Monthly events for young filmmakers
    BFI Film Academy Labs are all about helping 16- to 25-year-olds break into the screen industries.
  • British Comedy Guide - BCG Pro Video ContestDeadline: Various
    Each month, a panel of judges will select a sketch, which will be awarded £100 and shared with over 150,000 comedy fans via British Comedy Guide's social media platforms.
  • The Comedy Crowd 'Heart and Brain' Comic Writing ChallengeDeadline: midnight on 5th July 2022
    The Comedy Crowd has teamed up with Nick Seluk, creator of New York Times bestselling comic series ‘Heart and Brain’, to launch a new competition aimed at uncovering writing talent.
  • Danú Media - TV and Feature Film Project SubmissionsDeadline: 10th August 2022
    Danú Media is a bi-lingual multifaceted film and TV production company located in Ireland. They are currently seeking new ideas suitable for TV and Feature Film projects.
  • Devon and Cornwall Screenwriting GroupEvent: The group meets online every month
    The group meets to provide reciprocal feedback on completed TV and feature scripts written by group members.
  • Evening Standard Stories Festival - 'What's Your Story' CompetitionDeadline: 24th July 2022 at 11.59pm
    Do you have a story that you’re itching to tell about yourself? Maybe it’s a tale of identity, self-discovery, overcoming adversity or finding a place to call home. Perhaps your story is one of loss, of forgiveness, of passion or adventure. It might be strange, funny, moving or surprising. Answer the question, ‘What’s Your Story?’ in 1,000 words or less, written as poetry, as narrative, as a script for any medium: TV, film, audio or stage, or performed in a two-minute video.
  • HiveNorth - OutStageUsDeadline: Sunday 17th July 2022 at 11.59pm
    Hive North are looking for LGBTQ+ scripts for OutStageUs, a showcase of new work to be performed at The Lowry in Salford.
  • The John Byrne AwardDeadline: Various
    Deadlines: Monthly on the last day of each month for £250 prize, 31st January for annual £7500 prize. The John Byrne Award is an online exhibition and competition exploring personal and societal values. A single piece of creative work (any kind is accepted - Audio, Video, Imagery, Writing) can be entered. You must be living or studying in Scotland.
  • Kenmor Films - Callout for ScreenplaysDeadline 31st July 2022
    KenMor Films are searching for their next production to be based in the UK, on a budget under 500K. At this point please send only logline and synopsis. If interested they will request a full script.
  • Script ClubEvent: Script Club meets up online approximately every 2 months
    Much the same as a traditional Book Club, the group gather to discuss different scripts drawn from the extensive catalogue of BBC Writersroom.
    *Please Note* while the BBC Writersroom help share and support the Script Club, it is not organised by or affiliated to BBC Writersroom.
  • SLAMinutes - SLAMinutes does Women's Mental HealthDeadline: Friday 15th July 2022 at 5pm
    SLAM are looking for 30 writers, artists or performers who identify as female to submit one minute on women’s mental health for performance at London's Arcola Theatre on 30th July.
  • Theatre Gu Leòr & BBC Radio nan Gàidheal - Gaelic Radio DramaDeadline: 9am on 4th July 2022
    Are you interested in writing Gaelic radio drama? Theatre Gu Leòr, in collaboration with BBC Radio nan Gàidheal, is looking to commission Gaelic writers to write a new Gaelic radio drama.
  • TYPE! - Micro playsRolling submissions
    TYPE! is a new bookmark magazine looking for short/micro plays or screenplays (2-5 minutes in length) to feature in the next edition.
  • UEA & FutureLearn - An Introduction to Screenwriting A free online course for new and experienced writers built by the University of East Anglia’s School of Literature, Drama and Creative Writing on the FutureLearn platform.

Do you have an Opportunity that you would like us to include on this page?

Please visit our Opportunities Listing Requests page for full details of the information we require and how to get in touch.

Our remit is scriptwriting so in general we can't promote opportunities or events from organisations outside the BBC which are for novel writing, short stories, poetry etc.

We can only promote opportunities and events which are free for writers to enter or attend and don't ask for payment from writers at any stage.

BBC Comedy Association

From 2021, Comedy writer and writer/performer development is now part of the new BBC Comedy Association, which brings together all comedy outreach that is happening across the BBC under one strategy. This includes the Caroline Aherne Bursary, the Felix Dexter Bursary and the Galton & Simpson Bursary

We will no longer open a window specifically for Comedy script submissions or run further Comedy Room writer development groups via BBC Writersroom. 

BBC Comedy Association plans unveiled - More details

Interested in breaking into Comedy?

Visit the BBC Comedy Commissioning website to find out more about opportunities