HOW IT STARTED

A smiling older woman with short, wavy gray hair, wearing a colorful patterned sweater, leaning against a white wall in an indoor setting.

“INK is a seedbed of talent, jobs and opportunities for writers, directors, actors and crew at any age and every level.”

Julia Sowerbutts - Artistic Director

INK began with a writer’s desperate cry that there were almost no platforms for new scripts to see the light of day. So we made one. In 2015 we staged 15 short plays at our first festival in Halesworth, Suffolk. Fast forward ten years. We are now producing at least 70 original short plays from over 1000 annual script submissions.

There is no big secret to this success. There are very few places in the world where a complete unknown can get their work produced to the same standard as a seasoned professional in front of a live audience. Writers want their work to be seen; and audiences are hungry for stories.

The magic of short plays is that they never overstay their welcome, and the best always leave you wanting more.

wHAT WE do ⟶

What’s on now

Welcome to the vibrant world of INK, where creativity takes shape in all kinds of exciting ways throughout the year. Our events and activities offer more than just a festival – they’re an ongoing celebration of storytelling, performance and community.

What's On

Two young performers in school uniforms with red and black striped ties engaged in a theatrical scene on stage. The girl is standing on a platform, leaning forward and speaking intensely to the seated boy, who looks uncertain and slightly distressed.

INK Festival 2025

Last year’s INK Festival was a resounding success, transforming Halesworth into a vibrant stage for over 65 original short plays performed across 12 buzzing venues from 24–27 April, with a dedicated Schools Day on 28 April.

Man with curly blonde hair sitting at a desk with a puppy and a bag of popcorn.

find out more

support us

We are a charity, we don’t do it for money. But we can’t do it without money or indeed the goodwill of our fantastic patrons, board and volunteers. If you feel you can help, or would like to help in any way, we would love to hear from you.

learn more

INK Wins 2025 ABTT Stephen Joseph Award

Awarded for “Groundbreaking Work That Has Changed the UK Performing Arts Landscape”

Find out more

A woman with blonde hair smiling, wearing a dark pinstripe blazer and a yellow scarf, holding a framed certificate and a small award.

“The world should pay attention to INK.”

Libby Purves The Times
"The region’s answer to The Edinburgh Festival."

BBC Look East
"The INK Festival - a beacon of creativity."

West End Review
"A superb event of the highest quality."

Writer from Canada
"The amount of sheer talent on display was remarkable."

Audience Member
"Like the best music festival only for the spoken word."

Audience
"What a thrill and a joy to be a part of the creative chaos."

Performer
"Championing the new and the up-and-coming."

Simon O’Hagan The i Paper
"Everywhere I went there were happy people. What an achievement."

Esther Freud
"Encouraging new writing is paramount to the survival of live theatre."

The Stage
"INK Festival is one of the UK’s biggest celebrations of short drama."

The i Paper
"WOW! What fabulous entertainment you have created."

Audience