The Cooper Prize 2026 Opens for International Playwrights

Playwrights around the world now have an exciting opportunity to showcase bold and original theatre works through The Cooper Prize 2026, a prestigious international playwriting competition presented by The 16th Street Foundation and Company 16.

The prize offers a substantial $20,000 AUD award to the winning playwright, alongside the possibility of a full production commission. Finalists will also receive professionally directed public readings of their submitted scenes performed by professional actors.

What Is The Cooper Prize 2026?

The Cooper Prize was created to support playwrights willing to explore difficult, philosophical, and controversial ideas with honesty and creative freedom. Unlike many commercial theatre opportunities, this prize encourages writers to challenge assumptions and pursue meaningful artistic expression.

This year’s prompts draw inspiration from Victor Frankl’s Man’s Search for Meaning and Fyodor Dostoevsky’s The Brothers Karamazov.

Themes 

Applicants should engage with themes such as:

• The battle between doubt and faith
• Whether suffering is redemptive or meaningless
• The power of truth

Writers looking to strengthen thematic depth in their scripts may find this guide on theme in fiction and thematic concepts especially useful while preparing submissions.

Submission Requirements for The Cooper Prize 2026

To apply, playwrights must submit:

• A one-page document explaining:
  • Their motivation for writing
  • The issues explored in the work
  • Their philosophical perspective or worldview
  • A synopsis or treatment of the play
• Ten pages of the play manuscript

The competition is open to both published and unpublished playwrights worldwide.

Applications that fail to meet the stated requirements will not be considered.

Why apply?

Beyond the financial reward, the Cooper Prize offers visibility, professional feedback, and industry recognition. The competition is reviewed by a panel of respected theatre professionals led by Iain Sinclair and Harry Haynes.

For playwrights balancing creative work with deadlines, these productivity tips for writers can help maintain momentum during the writing process.

Deadline

Applications close on June 19, 2026.

Apply