Middle Child are inviting playwrights with “a meaningful connection to Hull” to apply for one of seven paid commissions for Fresh Ink: Hull Playwriting Festival 2025.
The available commissions include two full-length 70-minute plays, two 30-minute plays and three five-minute monologues.
All seven will be performed script-in-hand by professional actors at the 2025 festival, after the development of two drafts with the Middle Child literary team.
Matthew May, Middle Child literary manager, said: “We are once again delighted to invite writers with a meaningful connection to Hull to apply for commission, to be performed at next year’s festival.
“What you write about is up to you, but we’re looking for stories that speak to contemporary Hull. They don’t need to be set here, or about here, but they do need to say something to the people that live here.
“There is something for writers of any level, over the age of 18, from brand-new writers, through to emerging and more established playwrights, and it’s a pleasure to see writers of all experiences share a platform, as they did at this year’s festival.”
The inaugural Fresh Ink: Hull Playwriting Festival took place across Hull’s Fruit Market over the weekend of 20-21 July.
Paul Smith, Middle Child artistic director, said: “Our first-ever festival was a huge success, with six talented writers paid to each write a new piece of theatre, all of which were performed to nearly sold-out audiences at the Stage@TheDock.
“We also shared excerpts of work by the Middle Child Writers’ Group, a series of writing workshops, from the likes of Travis Alabanza and Amy Trigg, and industry talks, including a keynote by David Byrne, artistic director of the Royal Court.
“The brilliant feedback we have had from audiences, writers, performers and participants proves there is an appetite for developing new writing in this way.
“All of this has been made possible by the fantastic support of our co-founders, Wykeland, and the many additional supporters and partners who placed their faith in us to deliver an innovative new festival.
“We look forward to building on this success for 2025 and beyond.”
Rosie Race was commissioned to write a full-length play, No Woman Is an Island, for the 2024 festival.
She said: “I felt genuinely supported and nurtured throughout the process, working with Middle Child in ways which I wish was the norm across the industry as a whole.
“To top it off I had a brilliant festival weekend seeing my work and that of the other writers. It was heartwarming and emotional and I wish I could do it all over again.”
Dominic Gibbons, managing director of Wykeland, said: “We’re thrilled the first Fresh Ink festival was such a big success, with Stage@TheDock and the pop-up space becoming a buzzing hive of creativity and networking.
“Seeing new writing performed for the first time in front of an audience was incredibly special. We’re hugely excited for the future of Fresh Ink and the positive impact it will have for writers with a connection to Hull.”
Writers interested in applying for Fresh Ink 2025 can find out more about each commission, including how to apply, at middlechildtheatre.co.uk/fresh-ink
Applications close at midday on Tuesday 10 September.
Fresh Ink is produced by co-founders Middle Child and sponsored by co-founders Wykeland, with support from the J F Brignall Charitable Trust.