Abbey Theatre’s Box of Tricks is an eight-week, paid skills development programme for artists who are new to playwriting and interested in exploring how theatre can be written, shaped and imagined today.
Led by the Abbey Theatre’s Literary & New Work team, this professional development opportunity supports artists to develop the tools of playwriting while building work in a supportive peer environment. The programme welcomes bold ideas and singular perspectives from across performance disciplines.
What is it?
Box of Tricks is an eight-week skills development programme for new playwrights. This paid professional development opportunity invites 12 participating artists to get to grips with some of the tools of writing for theatre so that they can build whatever kind of play they want.
Who is it for?
Artists with an established practice in making or giving live performances for an audience in any artistic discipline (dance, spoken word, music, live art, theatre) who have an idea for and an ambition to write a piece of theatre. We want to support bold ideas and singular perspectives.
What the programme offers
Over eight evening sessions in Spring 2026, selected artists will:
- Develop their writing practice within a community of peers
- Explore key aspects of playwriting craft, including character, language, space, stakes and structure
- Engage with the Abbey Theatre’s Literary & New Work team, Associate Artists and internationally recognised theatre makers
Eligibility
To apply, you must:
- Be based on the island of Ireland
- Be over 18 years of age
- Be available to attend all eight sessions
This opportunity is suitable if:
- You are working on your first full-length play, or
- You have written no more than one play over 60 minutes in duration
This opportunity is not suitable if:
- You have written more than one full-length play (60+ minutes)
- You hold a third-level qualification in playwriting
- You do not yet have an established artistic practice
Dates, fees and location
Dates: Tuesdays, 7, 14, 21, 28 April and 5, 12, 19, 26 May 2026
Time: 6.30pm – 9.30pm
Location: Abbey Theatre, Dublin 1 (in person)
Fee: €100 per session (€800 total)
Travel: Limited travel support available for participants based more than 50km from Dublin
How to apply
Deadline: 5pm, Friday 6 February 2026
Apply via the Abbey Theatre.