The Bill Cashmore Award offers a U.K. wide paid opportunity for young writers aged 18-30. to submit their new one-act play to be professionally produced. For the first time in 2027 the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre is partnering with Bristol Old Vic in a partnership that will see the two winners’ plays performed by young talent companies in both venues.

Both theatres will produce their own production of the plays with unique Casts and Creatives Teams. The two winning entries will run as a double bill and will be performed by the Bristol Old Vic’s Young Company and Young SixSix in April 2027, and the Lyric’s SPRINGBOARD trainee actors in August 2027. 

The award is kindly supported by the Bill Cashmore Award Founder Sasha Bates.

Applications for the 2027 prize are now open for writers aged 18-30 with no literary representation and no more than two professional writing credits. The deadline for applications is Tuesday 25 August at 12pm.

Rob Lehmann, Director of Young Lyric, said: “We’re thrilled to announce this brand-new partnership with Bristol Old Vic. The Bill Cashmore Award is a unique opportunity for two young writers to have their one-act plays professionally produced. This partnership will allow us to open the opportunity to even more UK-based writers, supporting their development and producing their work in not one but two world-class venues. We cannot wait to read the submissions and realise these two productions in 2027.”

Lucy Hunt, Engagement Director at Bristol Old Vic, said: “It’s great to be working with the Lyric on the Bill Cashmore Award bringing opportunities for young writers to get their plays out there and for young actors to perform fresh new work. Bristol Old Vic and the Lyric Hammersmith share an ethos towards the development of young artists, and we hope that our writers and casts will network and learn from each other through this process”.