Local Young Writers
Create work rooted in your community with peers and experienced writers
An annual, six month scriptwriting course for young writers aged 18 to 30 who live, work or study in Shropshire, the West Midlands, the Welsh Marches and nearby parts of Wales.
Through a series of in-person and online workshops, young writers are guided and supported by experienced scriptwriters and a professional director to develop a new short script for the stage. Learning and working collaboratively throughout the course, these scripts are brought to life with help from a professional creative team and ultimately performed by professional actors as part of our annual Young Writers Production in July.
No previous experience of playwriting is necessary as this programme is aimed at young people who may not even know they’re writers yet, as well as those who have some experience of writing.
What do we mean by local?
When we say ‘local’, we mean people who live within reasonable travelling distance of Ludlow and can attend our sessions in person on Saturdays at 10am.
This includes people living across Shropshire, the West Midlands, the Welsh Marches and nearby parts of Wales. This could include areas such as Ludlow, Shrewsbury, Telford, Ironbridge, Bridgnorth, Kidderminster, Stourbridge, the Black Country, Stafford, Worcester, Hereford, Leominster, Tenbury Wells, Knighton, Presteigne and surrounding areas.
You don’t need to have an English postcode to apply, what matters is that you are within reasonable travelling distance of Ludlow and can attend sessions in person on Saturdays at 10am.
Applying for the programme
- Deadline for applications: Monday 4 January 2027
- Successful writers announced: Friday 15 January 2027
To apply, please complete the application form. You will be asked to share some information about yourself, your interest in the programme, and an extract of writing of up to 10 pages.
Access and support
We want the application process and the programme to be as accessible as possible. If you have any access requirements, need support completing the application, or would like to discuss whether the programme is right for you, please contact our Engagement Lead connor@pentabus.co.uk
Frequently asked questions
How many sessions are included in the programme?
The programme includes seven group sessions—a mixture of in-person and online workshops—plus two individual 30-minute online sessions.
Where do the in-person sessions take place?
All in-person sessions take place at Ludlow Assembly Rooms.
When are the in-person sessions?
- Saturday 6 February 2027
- Saturday 20 February 2027
- Saturday 6 March 2027
- Saturday 8 May 2027
- Saturday 5 June 2027
When are the online group sessions?
- Thursday 18 March 2027
- Thursday 8 April 2027
When will the individual online sessions take place?
Each writer will have two 30-minute one-to-one online sessions. Dates will be confirmed with successful applicants.
Do I need to attend every session?
Yes. Writers are expected to attend the full programme, including all in-person and online group sessions and both individual sessions.
What have previous writers said about the programme?
“Not a single false note about the quality of the work—the staging was incredible. It felt so polished.”
“We felt valued to be part of something so professional. It’s rare to be invested in this way—we never normally have that scale of ambition, with actors in a studio, basic lights and scripts in hand. This felt so special.”
“It felt amazing to be involved in something like this in the West Midlands. Normally, if you don’t live in London, it’s impossible to access this kind of project.”