Call for Applications:
Phelim Donlon Playwright’s Bursary & Residency 2025
in association with Tyrone Guthrie Centre Annaghmakerrig
The Phelim Donlon Bursary & Residency provides a playwright with time and resources towards writing a new play. It is named in honour of Phelim Donlon- an independent theatre producer for many years and the Drama Officer at the Arts Council from 1983 – 2001. He was committed to the arts and was a passionate advocate for new and emerging talent. Phelim was also a dedicated member of the first Irish Theatre Institute PLAYOGRAPHYIreland Advisory Panel. This award, now in its 10th year, is an acknowledgement of his valued contribution to Irish theatre. You can learn more about Phelim here.
The recipient will be announced at an event in Dublin in late March. It comprises of a bursary of €2,000 and a 2 weeks’ fully resourced residency in Tyrone Guthrie Centre, Annaghmakerrig.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
To be considered eligible you must:
• Have an established practice as a playwright – this means that you must have a minimum of one full-length play (where you are a named writer) that has been programmed or produced by an established production company, theatre venue, theatre festival, or independent producer.
• Be resident on the island of Ireland or an Irish National living abroad.
• Be an individual writer, or part of a writing partnership that has a history of working together.
• Be working on a new project (i.e. not a project already begun, or in receipt of other significant support).
• Have a play proposal that is based on an original idea, and not an adaptation or reimagining of an existing work.
• Playwrights who have previously submitted and were not successful are welcome to reapply.
MAKING YOUR APPLICATION
Please complete the application form.
The application form asks for the following:
1. A statement of your artistic intent and ambition as a playwright (400 words).
2. An outline of the new project you propose to work on during your Tyrone Guthrie residency (300 words).
3. How receiving this award would benefit you at this moment in your practice (300 words).
4. The name of a specific play that makes you eligible.
5. To upload;
a) A 20-page sample of your writing for theatre which you believe best represents your work to date.
Pages numbering in excess of 20 will not be read. Samples should be as recent as possible (no more than 10 years old) and must have had a staged production. Please submit single authored samples only, unless submitting as a writing partnership.
b) Production evidence of the sample submitted. This could include a review, programme, poster/flyer, video link, image, or evidence of an award for your play.
A maximum of 3 items will be accepted. Please note that evidence of staged/rehearsed readings and amateur productions will not be considered.
c) A CV outlining your recent experience with an emphasis on writing activities (max 2 A4 pages)
TIMELINE
Mid December: Call out published
7th January: Applications will open and the application form will go live
4th February: Deadline for applications, 12pm
w/c 24th February: Artist Panel – reading panel meet for deliberation and nominations
3rd March: All applicants notified
Late March: Ceremony and recipient announcement
CALL OUT & SELECTION PROCESS:
Applications will be reviewed by ITI’s team for eligibility and initial review. Reading and selection of the shortlist and recipient are done by an artist peer panel. The panel is selected from a diverse range of artists and playwrights familiar with this residency.
FURTHER QUESTIONS AND ASSISTANCE FOR APPLICANTS
As mentioned above, we welcome questions from all potential applicants, but specific access supports, and access costs are also available. These supports are for applicants with disabilities to cover any requirements you may have to remove barriers that might stop you from completing your application. ITI can cover access costs, as defined by the Arts Council. If you’d prefer to meet one of our team to talk through these guidelines or would like to submit your application in another format (like video), please contact us on info@irishtheatreinstitute.ie.
If anyone has any questions, worries, or concerns or before anyone potentially rules themselves out of applying, please contact us. Please contact Narod Shahinian at nshahinian@irishtheatreinstitute.ie or call us on 01-6704906.
Frequently Asked Questions about Phelim Donlon Playwright’s Bursary & Residency 2025
