Script Submissions 2025
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU – SUBMISSIONS ARE NOW OPEN
N.B. GENERAL SUBMISSIONS DEADLINE EXTENDED TO 15 SEPTEMBER
STUDENTS’ DEADLINE – 31 OCTOBER
Script submission is free. We welcome scripts from writers of all ages, all levels of experience, regardless of background, disability, ethnicity, gender identity, race, religion, or sexual orientation.
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IMPORTANT DATES:
- 30 May 2024: Submissions categories announced – see below
- THE SUBMISSION PORTAL IS OPEN NOW
- 15 September 2024: General Submissions deadline at 23:59 – new date!
- 31 October 2024: Submission deadline for Students at 23:59
- Spring 2025: Play choices selected – all writers notified
- 24-28 April 2025: INK Festival in Halesworth, Suffolk
You will hear back from us – please resist the urge to contact us…
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ABOUT INK
INK is the UK’s leading short new play company, producing every year over 70 new scripts for stage and radio at the annual 5-day INK Festival in Halesworth Suffolk. The festival acts as a launchpad for many scriptwriters. For example in 2024, 28 scripts were requested by producers for potential development and future production.
Read more about INK here.
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2025 CRITERIA FOR SUBMISSIONS
PLEASE READ CAREFULLY:
Who is eligible?
- Open to anyone resident in the UK and Ireland, and to UK and Irish nationals living abroad
- Entries must be new writing or never professionally performed in the UK
Your script submission:
- Each writer may only submit a maximum of two scripts
- Plays should preferably have a minimum of two actors and a maximum of four actors. Actors could always play multiple roles
Formatting:
- Entries should be submitted online in MS Word format (NOT a PDF or other format)
- Entries should be in 12-point text, with 1.5 line spacing, and include page numbers
- Please complete and attach the 2025 Festival cover page – see link below – ESSENTIAL
- Please include a character list
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SUBMISSION CATEGORIES
Remember that 1 page of script approximately = 2 minutes.
PLAYS FOR STAGE
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Open Topic
A 20-minute or under script on a subject of your choice. We are delighted if the play includes the potential for movement, physical theatre, projection, imaginative lighting and staging
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Play on a Bus
The title for a 10-minute or under script for two actors that will be performed on a static 16-seater minibus. Actors should not remain seated
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Planet INK
Like many organisations with a moral compass INK is eager to engage with the climate challenge whether with local or global issues. 20-minute or under script concerning for example: coastal erosion, drought, loss of habitat, clean water, renewables, migration, sustainability
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Cock Ups!
The title for a 15-minute or under script that hopefully will amuse!
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Voices from the Larder
The title for a 20-minute or under script that will be performed in a food bank.
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Monster in your Pocket
The title for a 20-minute or under family show appealing to audiences aged 9 – 90
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Top Flight
To celebrate Ipswich Town FC’s promotion to the Premiership – the title for a 20-minute or under script. It does not have to be about football.
PLAYS FOR RADIO
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Long Radio
A 45-minute script on a subject of your choice. Please submit just the first 4 pages, (8 sides), along with a 50-word synopsis. If we like the script, we will ask for the full-length version
Please DO NOT send the full-length LONG RADIO script when you initially submit
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Radio Comedy
A 20-minute or under script that will amuse!
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THE SELECTION PROCESS
- Every script is read by at least three readers to create the long list
- The long list is re-read by the Artistic and Associate Directors to create the short list
- The short-listed plays are then grouped together into hour long shows, (consisting of three to five scripts) with subject matter, length and cross-casting all taken into consideration
- Directors select which combination of plays they wish to direct
- All entries will be contacted, ideally by January 2025, but with 1000s of submissions it is sometimes later. Please do not ask about your script’s progress – however tempting
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INK SCRIPT WRITING TIPS
- Reflect natural speech
- No exposition. Cut to the chase. Less is more
- Subtlety works well with a serious topic. Don’t bash audience over the head with it
- A scene is better with some movement. Give characters opportunities to be active
- Humour never goes amiss
- By the end something needs to have changed
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Are you ready?
WE CANNOT STRESS HOW IMPORTANT IT IS THAT YOU INCLUDE THE COVER SHEET IN YOUR DOCUMENT
WITHOUT IT WE CANNOT TELL WHICH CATEGORY YOU HAVE ENTERED
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Download the cover page template and fill it in
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Attach cover page to your script and save as one file (Word Document please)
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Submit your script as a Word document via the questionnaire portal
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FAQs
Q. I have uploaded the wrong script – what should I do?
A. Go through the entire process again upload the correct script with same name V2 – put a note on the cover page saying this version is the correct version
Q. I don’t know how to attach the cover page?
A. Please ask someone who works with Word Documents a lot – they will help you
Any questions to submissions@inkfestival.org
Q. Can I get away with not attaching the cover page?
A. Only if you copy the content across to your document so that we can see your details alongside your script
Q. Can I submit a PDF?
A. No because our system is not set up to save them and they have to be processed separately
