BBC World Service International Radio Playwriting Competition 2009 (20/10/2008)

The BBC World Service radio play writing competition is back on and the entries are open from 18 October 2008 to 31 March 2009.

BBC World Service International Radio Playwriting Competition 2009 will be the eleventh biennial competition, run in conjunction with the British Council.

This competition is at the heart of what World Service Drama does. It’s about hearing your stories and voices and a reminder of what a fantastic, powerful and accessible medium Radio Drama is to tell your story. Whether you’re experienced, new, or somewhere in between, we want to hear from you.

Applicants are invited to write a radio play of approximately 60 minutes in length, on a subject of their choice. The play must be the original, unpublished work of the person or persons submitting it.

The competition is open to any writer who is not normally a resident of the United Kingdom. The play must be written in English but can be translated by a third party (we are not able to offer any assistance with translation costs). Translated work must be identified as such, and the translator must be credited.

This year there are two main prizes given: to the best play written in English as a first language and to the best play written in English as a second language. The two prize winners will each receive £2500 sterling and a trip to London to see their plays being recorded and to attend a prize-giving evening. There are also additional prizes of digital or short wave radios being given for the best radio play to be written from each of the following geographical areas: The Americas; Europe; Africa and the Middle East; South Asia; Russia and the Caucasus; Asia and Pacific. All writers whose plays reach the judges' final shortlist will receive BBC goodie bags.

Please note that local British Council offices are listed as a point of call for applicants, and that applicants can use local BC offices to drop off their application forms and plays.

Submissions and application forms can also be emailed to radioplay@bbc.co.uk. Applications close on Tuesday 31st March 2009.

For applications and more information please visit:

www.bbcworldservice.com/radioplay

www.britishcouncil.org/arts  

www.britishcouncil.org/srilanka