Research Projects
Applications Open
Applications Open
About
Deadline for applications: 1pm, Friday 18th September 2026
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. With a short application form, 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 fund projects that:
advance a playwright’s professional development
support the early stages of research for a piece for live performance
create a new opportunity for collaboration
enhance a specific element of practice (for example, accessing a historical archive, interviewing relevant people, participating in a practical workshop around the subject)
What can you apply for
Research Projects offer playwrights a flexible way to explore a new idea or invest in their professional development. Alongside our Self-led Projects – which helps writers develop skills, travel for research, collaborate with creatives or work with dramaturgs – this strand provides up to £500 for opportunities such as networking, short courses, early-stage research or other activities that help move your practice forward.
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.
Up to £500 is available per project. Any budget must include venue hire as spaces may not be available in-kind. For dramaturg sessions, budget £200 for a standard 2-hour session, including prep time.
All projects will receive organisational support from Playwrights’ Studio. This includes project management, contracting collaborators, budget management, scheduling, booking of spaces, travel arrangement, booking courses or events, facilitating introductions and advice.
If you need assistance with your budget or have any questions before applying, please contact Geri Lang at geri@playwrightsstudio.co.uk at least three days prior to the deadline.
Playwrights’ Studio Scotland does not commission or produce work. Therefore, we cannot support:
funds to substitute commissioning, self-commissions or production fees
costs of producing a play
plays that have already been produced or received script development elsewhere
Research Projects are intended to support research and professional development activities, rather than providing time or fees for the initial writing of a play.
Key Dates
The key dates for Research Projects are self-determined, allowing you to set your own start and end dates based on the scope of your research. You will outline when you plan to begin, when you expect to finish and the date by which you will submit a short summary of your findings.
We ask that writers only apply if they anticipate being able to complete the research project within 6 months.
Eligibility
To be eligible for a Self-led Project, you should be:
A playwright who has had some experience of professional practice.
or
A playwright who meets the criteria detailed here.
And:
Be resident in Scotland or from Scotland and living elsewhere.
We are unable to accept applications from playwrights who:
Are in full-time formal education (i.e. 16 hours total or more per week). This is due to our own funding conditions.
Have directly received support from Playwrights' Studio in the previous 18 months (this doesn't include attending workshops or groups run by us).
If you are in any doubt regarding your eligibility, please contact us at info@playwrightsstudio.co.uk
Access and Equality
End of Project Reporting
Upon completion of the Research Project, you will be asked to create a short report of 500-1000 words on the research you understood. This could be written or a short video extract of equivalent length. This may be shared with our funders or used as part of future promotion of this support.
How to Apply
As part of your application, you will be asked to:
Tell us about what you’d like to research.
What you expect the impact of undertaking this research to be.
Provide a proposed budget (up to £500).
Specify when your research will take place.
Detail any support you may feel you need from Playwrights’ Studio.
Deadline for applications is 1pm on Friday 18th September 2026. Please submit using the Research Project form.
Whilst we recognise the value of MA courses and the important role they play in artistic development, this fund is not designed to support tuition fees or formal postgraduate study. This programme is designed to enable self-directed research that supports your creative practice.
If you’re applying for money towards a course, workshop or other public event, there is space to include the link.
You can either submit a written application, or a video application. We accept submissions in English, Scots, Gaelic or BSL. If you are unable to submit online and would like the application form in different a different format, please email info@playwrightsstudio.co.uk
What happens next?
You will receive an email confirmation on JotForm once you have submitted. Decisions will be communicated by Thursday 29th October.
Questions?
Our Frequently Asked Questions page may help with your query. If your question is not answered by this page, please email info@playwrightsstudio.co.uk and we will be happy to help.