Core Writer Program
Core Writer Program supports professional playwrights nationwide with workshops and artistic collaboration through Playwrights’ Center to develop new stage work and advance their careers.
Funder: Playwrights' Center
Due Dates: January 28, 2027, at 11:59 p.m. CT (Application and recommendation letter)
Funding Amounts: Three-year appointment with paid annual workshops and travel and housing for nonlocal writers; no annual stipend
Summary: Supports professional playwrights nationwide in developing new stage work and advancing their careers through workshops and artistic collaboration.
Key Information: Applicants must reside in and have the legal right to work in the United States throughout the term.
Description
Playwrights’ Center’s Core Writer Program is a three-year appointment for committed professional playwrights with a sustained body of work and a distinct artistic vision. The program supports 20–25 writers nationally each year, providing time, collaborators, and resources to develop new work for the stage. Writers direct their own development goals, with support from directors, actors, dramaturgs, designers, and Center staff.
Each Core Writer is guaranteed one workshop annually and may apply for public-season opportunities through PlayLabs, the Ruth Easton New Play Series, In the Lab, and Fridays@4. The program emphasizes collaborative development of the text rather than guaranteed productions or audience exposure. The Center also advocates for writers through its network of theaters, colleges, universities, and cultural institutions. Writers become Affiliated Writers after completing their terms and may reapply for additional Core Writer appointments.
