Pentabus Reveals New Jerwood Foundation Writer in Residence Bursary and Applications Open

Pentabus has announced Jerwood Foundation support for the 2025 Pentabus Writer in Residence Bursary, and the opening of applications.

This £12,000 bursary supports a playwright in the early stage of their career, providing them the opportunity to spend up to a year writing at Pentabus in South Shropshire. During their time with Pentabus, the recipient will be supported to write at least one new full-length play or piece of theatre, while learning more about how a professional theatre company works.

Jerwood Foundation are providing £40,000 in funding over two years to fund the Bursary, which includes £8,000 per year to assist the process of finding and supporting the writer. The £12,000 Bursary is an increase of £2,000 from previous bursaries, recognising the increased cost of living and need to support artists of all levels at a financially challenging time.

Previous Writers in Residence include Laura Waldren and Henry Madd (2023), Florence Espuet-Nickless (2021/22), Tom Powell (2020/21), Sophie Ellerby (2018/19), Tim Foley (2017), Joe White (2016) and Simon Longman (2015).

Laura won the Papatango Prize for her play Some Demon, which opens at the Arcola on June 14th, before touring to Bristol Old Vic. Henry Madd's Land of Lost Content recently finished a UK tour and was named one of The Stage's Top 10 shows of the Edinburgh Fringe. Florence Espeut-Nickless is currently under commission to The National Theatre and Bristol Old Vic. Tom Powell won the Papatango Prize in 2021 and his play Surfacing has just completed a UK tour. Sophie Ellerby is about to shoot Care, a short with Stef O'Driscoll. Tim Foley won the Bruntwood Judges Prize for Electric Rosary, and his play Driftwood recently toured the UK, produced by Pentabus and ThickSkin. Joe White's Little Big Things recently played at Soho Place in the West End and his adaptation of George Orwell's 1984 spent six weeks at number one most listened on Audible. Simon Longman was the recipient of the 49th George Devine Award for Most Promising Playwright.

Pentabus was a recipient of the Channel Four Writer in Residence Bursary for three years in a row until 2017. In 2018, they were awarded a grant from the Clive Richards Foundation to continue to support a Writer in Residence for four years. In 2023, Pentabus secured additional support from Film4 and the Peggy Ramsay Foundation to host an additional Writer in Residence.

Key dates:

• Application deadline: Mon 22 July.
• Shortlist Interviews 1 - Online the week of 7 November.
• Shortlist Interviews 2 - In-person at Pentabus the week of 14 November.

Jerwood Writer in Residence will start their residency from December 2024.

Commenting on the announcement, last year's Writer in Residence Laura Waldren said:

"My year with Pentabus was truly transformative. The grant allowed me the time and space to write without the constant pressure of worrying about money, and the team offered not only superb artistic support, but also incredibly valuable practical career support.

These kinds of opportunities are essential for early career writers, and I feel very privileged to have had the chance to spend a year working with such a brilliant team."

Laura Wardle from Jerwood Foundation commented:

"I am delighted that Jerwood Foundation is supporting Pentabus, a leading rural theatre company, with a two-year £40,000 total grant to enable their important Writer in Residence programme, which will provide playwrights critical writing opportunities in the early stages of their careers."

The Writer in Residence will join Pentabus as they conclude their 50th anniversary celebrations. Pentabus began its 50th anniversary year by winning an Off West End Award for The Silence and the Noise, written by former Writer in Residence Tom Powell, and continue to celebrate their anniversary with recently announced flagship production Make Good, a new musical about the Horizon Post Office Scandal, with book by Jeanie O'Hare and music and lyrics by Jim Fortune, co-produced with New Perspectives. Pentabus have also moved to a new home at Ludlow Assembly Rooms, after 40 years at the Old School House in Bromfield.

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