Research Projects 2026

Research Projects 2026

Deadline: Friday 18th September 2026, 1pm
We’re excited to introduce a new strand of support in our programme: Research Projects. These small bursaries offer playwrights up to £500 for networking opportunities, research, short courses or similar career development opportunities. If you need up to £500 to cover (or towards) a short term career development opportunity, this fund is for you.

This support is for playwrights who have some experience of professional practice.

We typically support projects that do some or all of the following: 
-advance a playwright’s professional development 
-support the early stages of research for a piece of live performance
-enhance a specific element of practice  (for example, accessing a historical archive, interviewing relevant people, participating in a practical workshop around the subject)
-create a new opportunity for collaboration (across artform, international boundaries or geographical distances) 
All fields marked with * are required and must be filled.
- The selection panel is a mixture of Playwrights’ Studio staff and artists.
  
  When selecting projects, the panel looks at how the support will enable you to reach your proposed outcome. They will also consider whether your proposed budget and timeline are realistic. Since Playwrights' Studio does not produce work, the panel does not assess how ‘produceable' any eventual play emerging from this work would be, but whether this support would help you to further develop the concept, develop your practice or complete a phase of research. As a result, Research Projects allow artists to explore areas they may otherwise struggle to find space or funding to develop.
- Application Form
- In what format are you applying:
- The application form has been updated to reflect that you are applying by video. Please complete the sections below. Full details on how to apply via video are found in the About You section.
- I confirm:
- In what areas do you feel you'll need support to deliver this work? This will not prejudice your application but help us set aside the right resources if you should be successful.
- Name
  
  First NameLast Name
- Address
  
  Street Address
  
  Street Address 2
  
  Town / CityCounty
  
  Postcode
- Email
  example@example.com
- Phone Number
- Please let us know of any communication or other access requirements we should be aware of in order to support your participation in Research Projects.
- If you would prefer to upload an access rider, you can do so here.
  
  Cancelof
- Please upload a CV detailing your writing career as a playwright to date
  
  Cancelof
- In your video, please tell us:
  - What you'd like to research and why you would like to be considered.
  - What you expect the impact of undertaking this research to be.
  - What language you will be using (English, Gaelic, Scots, British Sign Language).
  - The proposed costs of your project of up to £500. This does not have to be detailed but it needs to indicate the likely costs of the project. All collaborators should be paid at Playwrights' Studio day rate of £200.
  - The proposed timescale of your project. All projects should be completed within 6 months.
  Please include any other information you would like the panel to know about you as part of your application. The Equalities Form completed as part of this application is processed separately and anonymously and therefore cannot be considered as part of your submission. However, if there have been barriers to your development that you consider to be important for your application, please feel free to include that information as part of the video.
- Please include a link to your video below
  Suggested length: Five minutes
- Please include any relevant links for your research project here.
- Tell us about what you'd like to research and why you would like to be considered.
  Maximum 300 words
- Please include any relevant links for your research project here. If you are proposing to attend a workshop, course or other public event, please add it here.
- What do you expect the impact of undertaking this research (as above) to be on your practice?
  Maximum 300 words
- What language(s) will you be using?
- Proposed costs of your project (up to £500)
  This does not have to be detailed but it needs to indicate the likely costs of the project. When preparing your budget, playwrights and all collaborators should be paid £200 per day for their work. For UK travel, our per diem rate is £35.84 per day.
- You may use the template below to help you prepare your budget, if you wish.
- Proposed timescale of your project.
  Outline when you plan to begin and when you expect to finish. All projects should be completed within 6 months.
- Tell us anything else about yourself you feel is relevant to your application.
- Confirmation
  
  By submitting this form, you confirm that all information supplied is accurate and complies with the Terms and Conditions and Acceptable Use Policy of Playwrights’ Studio, Scotland.
- Your Privacy
  
  The information supplied in your application will be processed in accordance with current Data Protection legislation. A digital copy of this form will be shared with the selection panel in order for them to read your submission as part of this process. A digital copy of this form will be stored on Microsoft OneDrive, an internet-based data storage system. Microsoft is signed up to the EU-US Privacy Shield. No hard copy of this form will be retained. See our Privacy Policy for full details of why and how we process your personal data and your rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
- Should be Empty:

Research Projects 2026

Application Form