Script Surgeries

From January 2027, we'll be launching a new Script Surgery programme, offering three free one-to-one dramaturgical conversations each month with members of the National Theatre of Scotland artistic team. This programme replaces our Script Reading Programme the same number of opportunities for us to engage with new plays.

Designed for writers with an early draft of a stage play, these sessions offer the opportunity to step back from your work and explore it in depth with an experienced dramaturg. Whether you're wrestling with a redraft, feeling stuck on next steps, or looking to sharpen and strengthen a script you've already developed, the conversations are intended to help you identify the most useful next steps for your script.

Each Script Surgery will be led by one of our experienced dramaturgs: our Dramaturg, Dramaturgy Fellow or Associate Artist. Collectively, they have a wealth of experience working with playwrights at every stage of their careers and understand both the excitement and vulnerability that comes with sharing a new play, particularly in its early stages.

Each selected writer will receive a one-off hour-long one-to-one conversation, either in person at Rockvilla in Glasgow or online. The session will be an opportunity to discuss your script in depth, exploring its strengths, challenges and possibilities. The conversation will be tailored to your work and your ambitions for it, offering reflections, questions and constructive dramaturgical feedback to help you clarify your next steps and develop the strongest possible version of your play.

We want these sessions to be genuinely useful: a space for writers who are serious about developing a play and deepening their craft, and who are looking for a creative, rigorous and supportive dramaturgical conversation. Whether you want help unlocking a particular challenge, shaping your next draft or interrogating the bigger questions in your play, we're interested in helping you move the work forward.

Who is this opportunity for?

At this stage, the Script Surgeries are aimed at playwrights who have an early draft of a stage play they would like feedback on.

To be eligible:

Writers must have had no more than two professionally produced productions.
Submitted scripts must be stage plays intended for live performance.
Submitted plays must be at least 45 minutes in length.
Unfortunately, we're unable to consider screenplays, television scripts, audio dramas or musicals as part of this opportunity at present.

How it works

The submission window will open in December. For the first three months of the year, we'll offer three Script Surgeries each month. Writers will be selected at random from eligible submissions.

Further information, including submission dates and how to apply, will be announced when submissions open in December on our Opportunities Page.

Associate Director

A new paid part-time two-year freelance post. This new model responds to a growing sectorial need for opportunities for Scotland based mid-career directors to develop their stage craft working at large scale, as well as gaining artistic director/leadership skills around finance, fundraising, comms and governance. This pilot role has been offered by invitation and will be trialled across 2026 – 2028.

Where we have the available resource, we will also build additional training Associate and Assistant Director roles into our shows. These will most likely be advertised through an open call, but on occasion we may offer these to directors we are already building a relationship with who we think will most benefit from the opportunity.

Fellowships

From September 2026 – February 2028 we will be working with a second cohort of paid Directing, Producing and Dramaturgy Fellows, who were selected through an open call.

More information about the Fellowship Programme can be found here.

Community Focussed Artist Schemes

Tender Ground

We recently ran an open call for short residencies experimenting in co-creation with the public, communities or individuals who aren’t usually engaged in theatre making. Designed to support the discovery of unexpected outcomes, Tender Ground awarded four residences to artists working at the intersection of contemporary performance and social engagement.

Artists Working in Children's Theatre

Artists making work for young audiences who are interested in our Theatre in Schools Scotland program, can share information about upcoming, in-progress or existing work through our rolling, open call process.