By Grace Hatchell – touring schools to encourage participation.
Polka Theatre has announced the return of its Playwriting Award for 2026 — the only major UK award dedicated to new plays for children aged 7–13. With submissions open until 19 July 2026, the initiative aims to address a long-standing gap in theatre, championing bold new writing for young audiences and offering a full production and publication for the winning script.
I’ll be honest with you — this one stopped me mid-cycle.
Not because it’s making a big song and dance about itself (it isn’t), but because of what’s quietly sitting underneath it.
Because when a theatre has to say “the only award of its kind”, you do start to wonder… what’s everyone else been doing?
So yes, Polka Theatre has announced the return of its Playwriting Award for 2026 — submissions are open now and close at midday on 19 July — but this isn’t just another call-out for scripts. It’s a bit of a spotlight moment for an age group that’s been oddly left waiting in the wings.
If you’re feeling brave (and I do mean brave), you’ve got until midday on 19 July 2026 to send your script over — quietly, mind, no names on it — to producing@polkatheatre.com. From there, every eligible piece gets a proper read-through by a panel, before a shortlist is revealed in early October. Then it’s on to the final stage, where — and I rather love this — Polka’s young ambassadors have their say too, so you can’t just charm the grown-ups. The winning playwright will be announced later in 2026, and it’s not just a nice round of applause they’re getting — the play will be fully staged at Polka Theatre and published by Methuen Drama, which is about as proper as it gets.
We’re talking about children aged 7 to 13.
Not toddlers. Not teens. That in-between stage where imagination is still wild, but you’re starting to ask bigger questions about the world. And yet, when it comes to new writing… there’s barely anything designed specifically for them.
I mean — have we all just assumed they’ll grow into theatre eventually?
Or worse… that they don’t need stories written properly for them?
Polka clearly isn’t buying that.
The award, delivered in association with The Garek Trust and with Methuen Drama as publishing partner, is built to do something quite specific: give writers the space (and the encouragement) to create bold, original work for this exact age group. And not in a “let’s simplify it down” kind of way — but in a way that respects just how sharp and perceptive young audiences actually are.
And here’s the bit I really like — the scripts don’t just get read by industry panels. They’re also shaped by input from Polka’s young ambassadors.
So the very people the stories are for… get a say in what works.
Honestly? About time.
The process itself is properly thought through. Scripts are submitted anonymously (so no leaning on big names), shortlisted in early October, and then move through final judging before a winner is announced later in the year. The prize isn’t just a pat on the back either — it includes a full staging at Polka Theatre and publication of the script.
That’s a real pathway, not just a nice idea.
And if you’re thinking, “does this actually lead anywhere?” — last year’s winning play Dweeb-A-Mania by Sarah Middleton went on to pick up multiple award nominations after its run, which tells you everything you need to know about the level they’re aiming for.
There’s also a series of free online masterclasses running across May and June, led by theatre-makers including Nina Segal, Patrick Hughes and Sarah Middleton herself. So even if you’re not quite ready to submit, there’s a way in — a chance to understand what writing for this audience really involves.
Because that’s the thing, isn’t it?
Writing for children isn’t easier. If anything, it’s harder. You can’t hide behind cleverness or overcomplication. It has to land. It has to feel real. And it has to hold the attention of an audience who will absolutely let you know if it doesn’t.
Helen Matravers, Polka’s Artistic Director, put it quite plainly — there’s a worrying decline in young people engaging with the arts, and initiatives like this aren’t just about theatre, they’re about access, confidence, and giving younger audiences something that actually speaks to them.
And standing there (well, leaning on my bike, if we’re being honest), I couldn’t help thinking…
Maybe this isn’t just about creating new plays.
Maybe it’s about deciding who theatre is for in the first place.
Because if we want people to fall in love with it — really fall in love with it — we probably shouldn’t wait until they’re old enough to buy their own tickets.
So why has theatre ignored this age group? Maybe it hasn’t been deliberate. Maybe it’s just been easier to focus on the audiences with wallets, or the ones loud enough to be heard. But somewhere along the way, that middle space — where curiosity is at its sharpest and imagination still runs wild — got a bit overlooked. And if that’s the case, then this award isn’t just filling a gap… it’s quietly asking the rest of the industry why that gap was there in the first place.
Right. I’m off to see if anyone in the village hall has secretly written a masterpiece. I’ve got a feeling there’s a few future playwrights knocking about… and now, for once, somewhere proper for them to go.
Polka Polka Playwriting Award Book your masterclasses here.
Grace x
About the Author
