Deadline: July 31, 2025
SUBMISSION FORM
NOVA is Tara Theatre’s flagship paid playwriting programme. We are looking to commission playwrights of South Asian heritage or connections that want to develop and showcase their work.
WHAT ARE WE LOOKING FOR?
As Tara Theatre approaches its 50th anniversary, we’re recognising and celebrating the rich history and vast tapestry of stories that have built British theatre.
This year we are paying homage to the past and exploring the hidden legacies that exist in British history. The untold or forgotten stories of South Asian diaspora communities – our ancestors that have indelibly left their mark on British society.
KEY THEMES FOR NOVA 2025/26:
NOVA is Tara Theatre’s flagship paid playwriting programme. We are looking to commission playwrights of South Asian heritage or connections that want to develop and showcase their work.
WHAT ARE WE LOOKING FOR?
As Tara Theatre approaches its 50th anniversary, we’re recognising and celebrating the rich history and vast tapestry of stories that have built British theatre.
This year we are paying homage to the past and exploring the hidden legacies that exist in British history. The untold or forgotten stories of South Asian diaspora communities – our ancestors that have indelibly left their mark on British society.
KEY THEMES FOR NOVA 2025/26:
Radical Revolutions Stories of revolution that radically shifted the political landscape
Stories that galvanised communities to action Hidden Legacies Stories of bravery, courage and autonomy Queer Lineages Hidden queer stories from the diaspora that have been lost to time
OdysseysUntold migration stories about finding new homes / hopes
Stories about the process of travel Defiant Victories Untold stories of protest and victory.
We want you to go on a journey of discovery – trace back to the past and find the rarely told stories that need to be shared. Look into the history, find the stories, do the research.
We want to invite you to convert fact and history into fiction. Explore verbatim theatre, gather information about real people and their lives to create new plays, new stories and new original drama.
We want to uncover the stories we haven’t heard before. Talk to the people in your lives. Challenge your process. Think outside the box.
This year’s NOVA playwrights will be developing new, original plays platforming unheard voices and stories.
Give us the work that hasn’t been staged but needs to exist within the British South Asian canon.
WHAT IS OUR OFFER? A commission of £1,500
Writing Masterclass and dramaturgical support from our in-house artistic team and an acclaimed playwright. Past playwrights include Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti Opportunities to speak to our marketing and producing team In-kind space at Tara Theatre to write and develop your work A period of development for your work from page to stage, culminating in a public performance led by a professional director and actors at Tara Theatre Invited industry and facilitated audience feedback for future development of the work Networking and producing opportunities
HOW DOES IT WORK?
A window will open for submissions on Tuesday 8th July at 12PM for writers to send us their work through an online submission form.
Writers can submit their ideas in the form of either: A synopsis A pitch A script extract (no more than 10 pages long)
Please note: if you are submitting a synopsis or a pitch, please provide an example of your writing no more than 10 pages long.
This should be accompanied with thoughts around the following questions:Tell us about yourself. Please briefly include information about your background and your location. (150 words)
Why is this an unheard story that deserves to be told? (150 words)
Tara Theatre makes politically charged theatre. How does your play align with this ethos? (150 words)
Your submission can be sent to us as either a written, video or audio submission. (3 minutes maximum).
Please note, if you make a video or audio submission you will still need to include a sample of your writing.
WHAT CAN YOUR IDEAS BE?
Your ideas can be original ideas and adaptations.
SUBMISSION WINDOW
Our script submission window at Tara Theatre opens on Tue 8 Jul at 12PM and closes on Thu 31 Jul at 12PM.
Due to current limitations with funding, we aim to use our resources in the best way possible to support writers.
At present we only have capacity to receive scripts during this window. Our team will aim to read every script submitted to us within this window and you will hear back on whether you were successful or not within 8-12 weeks of submission.
If you would like to have an informal chat about NOVA, please email our Associate Director, Gavin Joseph at gavin@taratheatre.com
KEY DATES
Submissions open 12PM on Tue 8 Jul
Submissions close 12PM on Thu 31 Jul
NOVA Longlist announced W/C 15th Sep
NOVA Shortlist announced W/C 29th Sep
NOVA Playwrights announced W/C 27th October
Rehearsals and Showcase W/C 4th May 2026
ACCESS
If you would like to submit your application in a different format such as Large Font or another Accessible Format, we would be happy to accommodate this. Please contact shahreen@taratheatre.com
We actively encourage people from a variety of backgrounds with different experiences, skills and stories to join us and influence and develop our working practice. We are particularly keen to hear from candidates from Global Majority backgrounds and candidates who self-identify as disabled and neurodiverse. All candidates who self-identify as disabled who demonstrate that they meet the essential criteria will be invited for interview. Tara Theatre is committed to equality of opportunity for all staff and applications from individuals are encouraged regardless of age, caring responsibilities, disability, gender, gender identity, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, and sexual orientation.
We want you to go on a journey of discovery – trace back to the past and find the rarely told stories that need to be shared. Look into the history, find the stories, do the research.
We want to invite you to convert fact and history into fiction. Explore verbatim theatre, gather information about real people and their lives to create new plays, new stories and new original drama.
We want to uncover the stories we haven’t heard before. Talk to the people in your lives. Challenge your process. Think outside the box.
This year’s NOVA playwrights will be developing new, original plays platforming unheard voices and stories.
Give us the work that hasn’t been staged but needs to exist within the British South Asian canon.
WHAT IS OUR OFFER? A commission of £1,500
Writing Masterclass and dramaturgical support from our in-house artistic team and an acclaimed playwright. Past playwrights include Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti Opportunities to speak to our marketing and producing team In-kind space at Tara Theatre to write and develop your work A period of development for your work from page to stage, culminating in a public performance led by a professional director and actors at Tara Theatre Invited industry and facilitated audience feedback for future development of the work Networking and producing opportunities
HOW DOES IT WORK?
A window will open for submissions on Tuesday 8th July at 12PM for writers to send us their work through an online submission form.
Writers can submit their ideas in the form of either: A synopsis A pitch A script extract (no more than 10 pages long)
Please note: if you are submitting a synopsis or a pitch, please provide an example of your writing no more than 10 pages long.
This should be accompanied with thoughts around the following questions:Tell us about yourself. Please briefly include information about your background and your location. (150 words)
Why is this an unheard story that deserves to be told? (150 words)
Tara Theatre makes politically charged theatre. How does your play align with this ethos? (150 words)
Your submission can be sent to us as either a written, video or audio submission. (3 minutes maximum).
Please note, if you make a video or audio submission you will still need to include a sample of your writing.
WHAT CAN YOUR IDEAS BE?
Your ideas can be original ideas and adaptations.
SUBMISSION WINDOW
Our script submission window at Tara Theatre opens on Tue 8 Jul at 12PM and closes on Thu 31 Jul at 12PM.
Due to current limitations with funding, we aim to use our resources in the best way possible to support writers.
At present we only have capacity to receive scripts during this window. Our team will aim to read every script submitted to us within this window and you will hear back on whether you were successful or not within 8-12 weeks of submission.
If you would like to have an informal chat about NOVA, please email our Associate Director, Gavin Joseph at gavin@taratheatre.com
KEY DATES
Submissions open 12PM on Tue 8 Jul
Submissions close 12PM on Thu 31 Jul
NOVA Longlist announced W/C 15th Sep
NOVA Shortlist announced W/C 29th Sep
NOVA Playwrights announced W/C 27th October
Rehearsals and Showcase W/C 4th May 2026
ACCESS
If you would like to submit your application in a different format such as Large Font or another Accessible Format, we would be happy to accommodate this. Please contact shahreen@taratheatre.com
We actively encourage people from a variety of backgrounds with different experiences, skills and stories to join us and influence and develop our working practice. We are particularly keen to hear from candidates from Global Majority backgrounds and candidates who self-identify as disabled and neurodiverse. All candidates who self-identify as disabled who demonstrate that they meet the essential criteria will be invited for interview. Tara Theatre is committed to equality of opportunity for all staff and applications from individuals are encouraged regardless of age, caring responsibilities, disability, gender, gender identity, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, and sexual orientation.