Following on from the success of the Popcorn Writing Award in conjunction with the Edinburgh Fringe, the NFTS Popcorn Award has been set up dedicated to film and television, to champion stories with strong identities which look to shape the conversation around social and political issues in a thought-provoking way.

The Popcorn Writing Award is the only award celebrating new writing at the Edinburgh Fringe. The award offers a £6,000 prize fund pot that goes directly to writers recognised for their notable, groundbreaking scripts.

It champions brave and imaginative writing which playfully and artistically questions and addresses current affairs and societal trends and contributes positively to public debate.

Partnering venues include Assembly Festival, Gilded Balloon, Pleasance, Summerhall Arts, Traverse Theatre, Underbelly, Greenside Venues, ZOO Venues, Paradise Green and theSpaceUK.

Past Committee members have included: Lena Headey, Wunmi Mosaku, Ruth Wilson, Gonzalo Maza, Michael Longhurst and many others from across film, television, theatre and beyond.

SUBMISSIONS ARE NOW OPEN FOR 2025

Click here for more information

Submissions are OPEN until 10am on 8th July 2025. Plays are eligible if they:

1) Are new pieces of writing with fewer than seven performances prior to the 2025 Edinburgh Fringe.

2) Are being staged during the Fringe at one of the partner venues - Assembly, Gilded Balloon, Pleasance, theSpaceUK, Summerhall Arts, Traverse, Underbelly, Greenside, Paradise Green or ZOO Venues.

To be considered, writers must send their piece of new writing, a 50-word summary of their play, a 10-word tagline, and a list of the show’s previous performance dates (if any). These materials should be submitted to the programming team at their respective venue with the subject line:

“Popcorn Writing Award 2025 // Title of Play // Writer’s Name // Venue Associated”

Any questions about the award should be directed to awards@popcorngroup.co.uk.