BUXTON OPERA HOUSE ANNOUNCES LOCAL SCRIPTWRITING COMPETITION WITH OPPORTUNITY FOR PROFESSIONAL SCRIPT DEVELOPMENT AND A FULL PROFESSIONAL PRODUCTION IN EARLY 2026

Buxton Opera House and Pavilion Arts Centre has launched a scriptwriting competition for local writers in and around Buxton to uncover and develop original plays that shine a light on our community – past, present, or imagined. Whether it’s set in your favourite local café, inspired by neighbourhood legends, or tackles environmental themes close to home, the script should celebrate what makes our area unique.

Three writers will be shortlisted to take part in a professional script development workshop with an experienced scriptwriter. From there, one script will be selected for further development and mentoring, ready for a full production staged by Buxton Opera House in early 2026 in the Pavilion Arts Centre. The deadline for script applications is Thursday 31 July 2025.

 Paul Kerryson, Buxton Opera House CEO said “Following the recent successful premiere productions of The Keeper of the Books in 2024 and One Night in Buxton in February this year, Buxton Opera House is thrilled to be offering this brilliant opportunity for local emerging writers. As ever, we are grateful to Arts Council England for supporting Buxton Opera House in providing artistic platforms for local creativity”.

Buxton Opera House is looking for:

• A brand new, unpublished, and unperformed play
• A clear connection to Buxton — through story, setting, or character
• A meaningful connection to the environment – this could be thematic, geographical, or woven into the narrative
• Content that is suitable for all ages
• Structured as two acts, each approximately 45 minutes long
• A maximum of 10 principal characters
• Writers must be 18 or over to apply
• You must be available on:
• 13th September 2025 for a script development workshop
• 28th January – 1st February 2026 for the final production

Submissions will be judged anonymously by a panel appointed by Buxton Opera House. 

Further information, application details, and Terms & Conditions can be found here.