About the Queensland Premier’s Drama Award
As the richest playwriting prize in the country, the Queensland Premier’s Drama Award demonstrates to Australian artists how highly valued theatre is in the cultural life of Queensland.
The Award provides both recognition for excellence in playwriting, as well as offering finalists a rigorous script development program. It is open to playwrights with an unproduced play they believe will speak to Queensland audiences today.
The Award celebrates and expands Australia’s theatrical canon by discovering, developing, and producing new Australian plays that are of importance to Queenslanders. It seeks to contribute to social debate and conversation about issues that matter to us all. It creates employment and career opportunities for more Australian theatre artists. It centres the audience at the heart of the theatre-making process and encourages people from around the country to come to Queensland to see new works from the best Australian playwrights. This is the most significant playwriting award in the country – we want everyone to enjoy it.
Writers and performance makers from all backgrounds and lived experiences are encouraged to enter the Queensland Premier’s Drama Award.
Via an online form, entrants must submit the following documents:
- A complete draft of your play, that does NOT include your name anywhere on the document.
- Your CV summarising your writing/creative experience.
- A one-page Artist Statement outlining:
- What inspired your play.
- Why your play will be of importance to Queensland audiences.
- What development support you believe your script requires.
Please review the Conditions of Entry before submitting your script.
Entries closed Friday 3 September 2021
This award is open to all Australian citizens and permanent residents residing in Australia, who have written a play that has never been professionally produced. Playwrights of all ages, emerging or established, are encouraged to enter.
Please review the Conditions of Entry for further eligibility requirements before you submit your script.
A panel of industry professionals reviews the anonymous entries, leading to a shortlist. The shortlisted artists meet the award judges to discuss their plays. Three finalists are selected to receive paid development with directors, actors and dramaturgs. The development period culminates in a public reading. Following this, a single winner is chosen to receive a full professional production in Queensland Theatre’s next season.
Please visit our FAQs for further details regarding the process.
2021
Jul | Entries open, 7 Jul
Sep | Entries close, 3 Sep
Nov | Entrants notified of their status, shortlisted artists interviewed by judges
Dec | Three finalists selected
2022
Jan | Finalists announced
Feb | Creative development, phase 1
Mar | Creative development, phase 2
Apr | Creative development, phase 3 and finalists readings for judges
Late Apr | Winner selected and announced
(tbc) Aug | Queensland Theatre 2023 Season launch including winning play
2022–23
Creative development of the winning play continues
2023
World premiere season of the winning play
