Cloudburst’s 2025 Open Call/ Apply Now (Award: £500)
In its 2025 open call, Cloudburst is looking for four unproduced and unknown playwrights. The selected playwrights will create scripts that align with the core themes of their upcoming production, A Manchester Anthem. The themes include class, identity, community, and leaving home. Cloudburst understands the importance of fresh voices in the creative scene and acknowledges the barriers early-career writers face. Thus, the 2025 Cloudburst Open Call will provide accessible opportunities, paid commission, and professional readings in both Manchester and London for selected playwrights.
What Is A Manchester Anthem?
A Manchester Anthem is an upcoming theatrical production that explores what ‘home’ means to different people and how that definition shifts with age and time. It was inspired by the socio-political textures of Manchester, its youth culture, and how class, personal identity, and community relationships shape the lives of ordinary people. Cloudburst’s 2025 Open Call is meant to deepen and contextualize these conversations. Thus, they are seeking fresh, evocative, and unique interpretations of the theme, told through short-form theatre.
Who Can Apply for Cloudburst’s 2025 Open Call?
This competition is free and is open to:
- New and upcoming playwrights. Writers who have performed plays are NOT eligible.
- Writers from or based in London or the North of England (Cheshire, Cumbria, County Durham, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Merseyside, Northumberland, North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, East Riding of Yorkshire, Tyne and Wear, North Lincolnshire, and North East Lincolnshire).
Awards for Cloudburst’s 2025 Open Call
The winning entries will get:
- £500
- Performed by professional actors at Manchester (Hope Mill Theatre) and London (Riverside Studios).
Submission Guidelines for Cloudburst’s 2025 Open Call
- Entries should adhere to traditional script formatting. To achieve this, use scriptwriting software like Celtx, Trelby, or Final Draft.
- Submitted scripts should be a maximum of 30 minutes long (i.e., 22-38 pages long depending on how dialogue-heavy it is).
- Scripts should have no more than three characters and should be saved as a PDF. Entries submitted as .doc or .txt will not be read.
- Submissions must engage with one or more of the following themes: class, identity, community, and leaving home.
- The deadline for entry is 9 AM BST on Monday, 7th July 2025. Late entries will not be read.
Tips for a Great Entry
1. Be Relatable but Inspirational
A good story should mirror the lived experiences of individuals from a specific community or socioeconomic group. However, more than just holding up a mirror to society, a great story leaves the readers with something to aspire to and work towards.
2. Start with a Character, Not a Message
The best stories are character-centered. Characters drive stories. Start with a flawed but relatable main character. You can use scriptwriting tools like Dan Harmon’s Story Circle to help chart and plan your MC’s growth. Establish acute and chronic tensions in your character’s life. At the end of your story, your MC should emerge changed—either physically, emotionally, or psychologically—for better or worse.
3. Avoid Cliches
Stories about “moving to London to make it big,” “two friends falling out over politics,” or “love across the socioeconomic divide” can be powerful—but only if approached with freshness. Use structure, pacing, or perspective to bring something different.
Tip: Think about form—monologues, nonlinear timelines, or dual-language scenes might help elevate a familiar story.
Cloudburst’s 2025 Open Call is more than a commissioning opportunity—it’s a statement of belief in untapped voices. So polish that script, format your PDF, and take the leap.
Apply Here via Cloudburst’s Official Site
