Apply now: 2023 Phelim Donlon Playwright’s Bursary & Residency


Main image: Phelim Donlon 1936 - 2014.

Irish Theatre Institute (ITI) in association with Tyrone Guthrie Centre, Annaghmakerrig are delighted to announce the call for the 8th Phelim Donlon Playwright’s Bursary & Residency. The Bursary & Residency provides a professional playwright with time, physical resources and mentoring towards writing a new play. Named in honour of Phelim Donlon, former Drama Officer at the Arts Council and a dedicated member of the first Irish Theatre Institute PLAYOGRAPHYIreland Advisory Panel, this award is an acknowledgement of his valued contribution to Irish theatre.

Shortlisting and The Award

Three artists will be shortlisted, and the shortlist will be announced on Friday 25th November.  The awardee will be announced on 8th December. The award comprises an ITI writers’ bursary of €2,000 and a 2 weeks’ fully resourced residency in Tyrone Guthrie Centre, Annaghmakerrig. The shortlisted artists will each receive €500.

 Eligibility Criteria

  • Application is open to professional playwrights resident on the island of Ireland or Irish nationals living abroad with a minimum of 1 full-length play professionally produced in Ireland, by an established production company, festival, or independent producer.
  • It is open to individual writers and writing partnerships with a history of working together.
  • Play proposals should be based on original ideas, and not adaptations or reimagining’s of existing works. Play proposals must be based on a new idea, and not a project already begun, or in receipt of other support.
  • Writers who have previously submitted to this award, but were unsuccessful, are welcome to re-apply. However, writers should not submit the same writing sample or play proposal submitted in previous years.

How to apply

Please complete all sections of this APPLICATION FORM.

Closing Date

Applications will be accepted at any time until the deadline at 12pm (midday), Friday 4th November 2022.  Incomplete and late applications will not be considered. All submitted applications will receive an email receipt. If you do not receive a receipt, it has not been received. (Make sure to complete all sections)

 Equality and Diversity

ITI is committed to equality and diversity. We encourage applications from artists resident in the Republic and Northern Ireland, and from people of all genders, nationalities, races, cultural and ethnic backgrounds, ages, religions, languages, different abilities, sexual orientations, or socio-economic statuses. We particularly encourage applications from members of groups who are underrepresented in the Irish arts sector.

Selection Process and Timeline

All eligible applications go to the selection committee comprising three artists/makers. The shortlist (three artists) will be announced on Friday 25th November. The Bursary recipient will be announced at a celebration in Irish Theatre Institute, 17 Eustace Street, Dublin 2 on 8th December 2022.

General Data Protection Regulation

The purpose for processing your data is to process your application to the Phelim Donlon Playwright’s Bursary & Residency. The information you provide will be assessed by a panel comprising of three artists/makers Your information will be retained for five years if you are granted a Bursary and for one year if your application is unsuccessful. If you do not furnish the personal data requested, ITI will not be able to process your application.

The Phelim Donlon Playwright’s Bursary & Residency is supported through the generosity of a private donor and funded by the Arts Council /An Chomhairle Ealaíon.

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