The Silver Gull Play Award

Overview

The Silver Gull Play Award is an important literary prize for new theatrical writing by a playwright resident in New South Wales or the Australian Capitol Territory. Established in 2015 by subtlenuance theatre, New Theatre became home for the Award in 2020.  A list of previous winners and shortlisted plays is located at the bottom of the page.

Sponsored by Joy Minter, the total prize money for the award is $7000. The winning playwright receives $5000 and the remainder of the prize pool is split evenly between the shortlisted writers.

The Silver Gull Award aims to recognise an outstanding play that aligns with New Theatre’s commitment to producing ‘Plays With a Purpose’. We’re looking for plays that support our ethos, provoke thought and discussion about the human condition, reflect on contemporary society, and engage with the challenges that concern us all.

ENTRIES FOR THE SILVER GULL AWARD 2026 OPEN ON MAY 1ST AND CLOSE ON JULY 31ST 2026

To be eligible for The Silver Gull Play Award, plays must:

• be at least 60 minutes in length
• be unpublished and unproduced*
• be unencumbered by agreements for future production or publication
• be an original work of the playwright
• be written by a playwright who resides in NSW or ACT
• be written by a playwright over the age of 18 years as of 1 January of the year of the award
• not be an adaptation of a work from one format to another (eg novel to play)
• not be a musical

Plays may have been shortlisted for, but must not have won, another Australian playwriting competition as of the time of entry.
*Plays may have undergone a development, workshop or public reading.

In sending us your play you assure us that you have read the eligibility criteria for The Silver Gull Play Award.
You declare your eligibility under the criteria listed.
You guarantee you are the sole copyright holder of all material used.

Entry terms and conditions:

Playwrights may submit only one play for consideration. They may not submit a play which they submitted for this award in a previous year.
The decision of the judging panel is final and no correspondence will be entered into. The judges reserve the right to decide any questions of eligibility, to publish a shortlist, and to not make an Award.
New Theatre does not commit to programming or producing the winning play. The playwright retains the rights to their play.
The work must be submitted electronically via email.

SUBMITTING YOUR SCRIPT:

Please do not print your name anywhere on the script or synopsis. All entries are judged ‘blind’.

Your entry must include the following:

• A completed entry form as a pdf, attached to your email. Please label this file ‘[title of your play] – entry form’. The entry form will become available on May 1st, 2026.
• An electronic copy of the script as a pdf, attached to your email. Please label this file ‘[title of your play] – script’. Please number the pages.
• A detailed synopsis of your play (approximately 350 words) as a pdf, attached to your email. Please ensure the title of your play is at the top of this page. Please label this file ‘[title of your play] – synopsis’.
  In the synopsis, you must include a section which outlines why you believe your play fulfills the requirements of being in line with New Theatre’s ethos: a commitment to producing ‘Plays With a Purpose’. We’re looking for plays that provoke thought and discussion about the human condition, reflect on contemporary society, and engage with the challenges that concern us all.
  Entries that do not fulfill these requirements will be deemed ineligible.

Email your entry to: silvergullawards@gmail.com with the subject line: ‘Silver Gull Play Award submission – [title of play]’.

Entries must be received by midnight, 31 July 2026.

All enquiries should be directed to the above email address.

The shortlist will be announced in September of this year, and the awards night will be held on October 19th.