Pentabus have announced that applications for the 2026 Jerwood Writer in Residence are now open.
A £12,000 bursary will be used to support a playwright in the early stage of their career, providing them the opportunity to spend between 6 months to a year writing at Pentabus in Ludlow, South Shropshire. During their time working with Pentabus, the successful applicant will be supported as they write at least one new full-length play or piece of theatre, while learning more about how a professional theatre company works.
This is the second year that Jerwood Foundation are supporting Pentabus; the Jerwood Foundation have provided £40,000 to fund the bursary which includes £8,000 per year to aid with the process of finding and supportitng the successful writer of the application process.
The £12,000 Bursary for this year’s successful applicant is an increase of £2,000 from previous bursaries – the increase recognising the increased cost of living and need to support artists of all levels at a financially challenging time. This application is fantastic as it is helping to ensure writing and the arts are not just limited to those from higher-income backgrounds, and that anyone can get into the industry.
The Jerwood Foundation was first established in 1977 and is a UK charity committed to supporting excellence and emerging talent in the arts in the UK. To date, Jerwood Foundation has committed over £112 million to support the arts in the UK. Also included in the Jerwood group of organisations is Jerwood Space. This is a dedicated rehearsal space providing theatre, musical theatre, opera and dance companies with an outstanding environment within which to create their work. With all this being said, it is clear that the passion for making the arts accessible is at the heart of Jerwood Foundation, an attitude shared by Pentabus.
Pentabus are the only rural touring company that is committed to producing new work and tours to communities across the UK and beyond. Their work brings communities and young people together, bringing outstanding contemporary productions directly to isolated rural communities, as well as platforming rural stories in urban settings.
For over five decades, Pentabus have produced over 329 new plays, supported 258 new playwrights and reached over half a million audience members. Pentabus were also the first to live stream from a village hall!
Excelling at finding and nurturing new talent, and having hosted Writers in Residences since 2014, people working with Pentabus have gone on to be highly successful. Playwrights have gone on to be commissioned by the Birmingham Rep, Bristol Old Vic, Hampstead Theatre, HighTide, Manchester Royal Exchange, Nottingham Playhouse, Royal Court, The Bush, and the National Theatre.
Pentabus champions people of all ages to explore their creativity with particular emphasis on creating pathways into careers in the creative industries for those underrepresented, and people who live rurally under 30. Pentabus Young Company is an initiative offering playwriting workshops in schools, further and higher education, work experience and mentorships – encouraging creativity from early stages of education, something of vital importance.
With all this being said, it is clear that Jerwood Foundation supporting Pentabus to find a new writer in residence is a brilliant partnership that has shown before and will show again, the brilliant work that can be created as a result.
The 2026 Jerwood Writer in Residence will be the 10th writer in residence Pentabus has hosted, all of whom have gone on to win awards and achieve great success. The current Jerwood Writer in Residence is Liv Hennessey, who was nominated for an Olivier Award for her play Vardy V Rooney: The Wagatha Christie Trial, and previous writers include
Laura Waldren and Henry Madd (2023), Florence Espuet-Nickless (2021/22), Tom Powell (2020/21), Sophie Ellerby (2018/19), Tim Foley (2017), Joe White (2016) and Simon Longman (2015). This just goes to show what a fantastic opportunity this is and a brilliant way to get new writing to the stage.
Those wishing to apply should make themselves aware of the key dates for the 2026 Jerwood Writer in Residence application process:
The application deadline is Monday 14th July at 10am.
The shortlist Interviews (1) will be on Wednesday 17th December (online)
The shortlist Interviews (2) will be on Thursday 15th Jan (in-person, Ludlow)
The details of the application process and what is required can be found on the application page, here: https://pentabus.co.uk/artists/jf-writer-residence-applications
The successful applicant, aka the Writer in Residence, will start their residency in Spring 2026, and there will be a period of overlap with current writer Liv Hennessey.
Hennessey commented, “Being this year’s Jerwood Writer in Residence at Pentabus is an amazing experience. I have the space and time to write a brand-new play, and I’m currently immersed in all the wonderful work Pentabus does with their Young Writers. I can’t wait to meet the next Writer in Residence for walks, chats and all things theatre. Apply, apply, apply!”
In addition to announcing the Jerwood Bursary, Pentabus Artistic Director Elle While recently won a BAFTA for her work directing CBeebies As You Like It at Shakespeare’s Globe, and Olivier and Tony-award winning director Marianne Elliott OBE joined the board as trustee. Pentabus Executive Director Verity Overs-Morrell added, “The announcement of our second Jerwood Writer in Residence and 10th Writer in Residence is a moment of pride for Pentabus and
one that simply wouldn’t be possible without the extraordinary philanthropic vision and generosity of Jerwood Foundation. This new residency is testament to the belief that great art should be nurtured, wherever it is found.”
With all this being said, this process is a very exciting time for both Pentabus and the applicants themselves. What a fantastic way to get new voices and writing off the ground! With a little over a month until the application deadline, time is ticking – so don’t delay and get your applications in! You never know what your writing will lead to! And I, for one, will be eagerly awaiting news on the successful applicant and work that comes out at the end of the process!
You can find out more and apply here: https://pentabus.co.uk/artists/jf-writer-residence-applications
You can find out more about Jerwood Foundation here: www.jerwood.org
One Show at a Time 