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Submission Opportunities for Women in Theatre
(previously known as Theatre Funding Newsletter)
For full #StageOpps Listings please scroll
or click links below for specific listings
Project Submissions
Script Submissions
Onstage
BackSTAGE
Funding
Residencies
Other Resources
If you are a longtime recipient of #StageOpps and #ScreenOpps,
you know that they started as the Funding Newsletters,
brought to you by WomenArts, who still support the ongoing production of these opportunities as well as our Funding Resources pages.
WomenArts' founder and president, Martha Richards,
received the 2020 Elsa Rael VintAge Award
(for Advocacy for Women in the Arts & Media as They Age) from us
on Zoom Saturday, November 14, 2020.
Check out our VintAge page for more info.
Project Submissions
EAG Midsummer Play Festival
We are thrilled to invite you to apply for our inaugural Midsummer Short Play Festival. We are seeking new and original plays and musicals (not to exceed 20 minutes) and monologues (not to exceed 5 minutes). This opportunity is nonunion only. Please read all of our policies below before applying.
o Deadline: May 23
o Application Fee: Free to submit! One submission per playwright please.
o Eligibility: A festival of short original plays (up to 20 minutes) and monologues (up to 5 minutes). Musicals are welcome!
We provide performance space, but you are responsible for assembling your team and preparing the performance.
Pieces should be bare-bones with no lighting or sound cues (beyond lights up, lights down).
o Contact: Please contact Johnny Culver (johnnyculver@pineyforkpress.com). Please do not email or call the EAG office. Thank you!
o Categories: Short Plays, Monologues
2025-26 PlayGround-NY Writers Pool
25 early-career playwrights as well as 3 alternates will be competitively selected from applications to form the Writers Pool. Members of the Writers Pool may submit scripts to be considered as part of the Monday Night PlayGround-NY staged reading series. Four times each season, September through March (see tentative schedule below), PlayGround-NY will announce a prompt and Writers Pool members have just four-and-a-half days to generate an original short script (max. 10 pages) inspired by the prompt. The top six scripts each round will be staged publicly with leading local directors and actors. Those not selected may submit their scripts to Recess for cold readings via zoom (see below). From the plays staged throughout the season, up to six will be selected for Best of PlayGround-NY (produced in April 2026). Writers Pool members can gain peer feedback on their work by participating in Recess cold readings (one week after each Monday Night PlayGround-NY and generally via Zoom) as well as through a staff one-on-one session (available upon request). New this year, Writers Pool Alternates will have full access to Recess.
o Deadline: May 31
o Application Fee: None
o Eligibility: Writers must reside within the five boroughs of New York City
NEW THIS YEAR: Writers Pool members must commit to submitting for ALL FOUR Monday Night PlayGround-NY events in a given season (see below for schedule, subject to change). Writers failing to meet the eligibility requirements must sit out the remainder of the season and one additional full season. Alternates are asked to submit each round and may be admitted to the Pool should there be an opening during the season.
The submission of a script to Monday Night PlayGround-NY grants PlayGround-NY the exclusive option to stage the play as part of the Monday Night PlayGround-NY and, should it be so selected, to present the world premiere as part of Best of PlayGround-NY and non-exclusive option to publish the script in a “Best of PlayGround” anthology.
Playwrights must submit a 10-page max, properly formatted script as PDF attachment. Both previously produced and unproduced scripts are eligible. See below for formatting examples.
The script must have the playwright’s name, address, email and phone number at the top of the first page and include a detailed cast breakdown, and all pages must be numbered.
The script title must be labeled by Lastname, Firstname_Title (e.g., Shakespeare, William_The Tempest).
Excerpts from longer works are not accepted but short plays that meet the above requirements and are derived from a longer work are accepted.
BIPOC, trans/gender-non-conforming & playwrights with disabilities are encouraged to apply.
Current members of the Writers Pool must reapply in order to be considered for the following season.
o Contact: info@playground-ny.org
o Categories: Plays
Vanguard Arts Fund
Vanguard Arts Fund applications are now open for Olney Theatre Center’s 2025-26 season. The Vanguard Arts Fund provides development support to diverse teams of artists interested in creating works - especially works that cross artistic disciplines - in a collaborative environment. From the seed of an idea for a new play, to a concept for a classic adaptation, to a first draft or first song of a musical, we provide intensive workshop time at various stages of the development process. We commit to these artistic teams in hopes of producing their work at Olney Theatre Center in a future season. The Vanguard Arts Fund was launched in 2017 with a $350,000 endowment gift from the Eugene B. Casey Foundation; the Fund’s success in developing shows we’ve gone on to produce prompted the Foundation to add $1 million to the endowment in 2022. What kind of projects are we looking for? While OTC will consider text-based work that springs from the mind of a singular playwright, successful proposals for new work will more likely bring together more than one generative artist in an interdisciplinary fashion to explore new or classic stories. So, a director and videographer working on an off-beat immersive experience, or workshopping a new musical, or a number of designers or actors coming together with a playwright to devise something, or a playwright and director working jointly to create something, or a composer working with a bunch of musicians and a choreographer on an idea all are examples of exciting proposals. Directors, actors, playwrights, designers, stage managers - we want to hear from anyone with a great idea and a great plan to pursue their artistic visions. We are committed to ensuring the majority of projects we fund are led by BIPOC generative artists, and intend to support at least one BIPOC-created musical each year.
o Deadline: May 1
o Application Fee: None
o Eligibility: Please send the following information as a single pdf to hallie@olneytheatre.org. We are accepting applications until May 12, 2023, and announcements will be made in June. Please include the following in your application:
Project point of contact information (pronouns, email, phone number, city/state)
In 1-2 pages: About the Project
Point of View
At what stage of development is this project currently, and what is the project’s development history?
In up to 1 page: What are your goals for a Vanguard Arts Fund workshop? How will this workshop support the development of this project?
How much time do you think you need to explore this project?
The names and bios of the artists/collaborators involved in this project
Number of performers or other types of artists needed for a workshop (if known)
Any supporting materials (script drafts, song recordings, synopsis, orchestration, etc.)
o Contact: hallie@olneytheatre.org
o Categories: Plays, Musicals
Exhume Submissions for Fall 2025
We strive to publish visual art, poetry, prose, and drama in order to help writers who discuss queerness and trauma find a home for their works. Though we especially seek submissions that discuss these topics, we accept good writing across the board. We appreciate work that speaks to the human experience on a raw level. Consider works like Allen Ginsberg’s “Howl,” Jo Ann Beard’s “The Fourth State of Matter,” and John Cheever’s “The Swimmer.” Above all else, we want writing that makes us feel something. Writing can be traditional, experimental, or a hybrid of the two. Surprise us! We accept both established and emerging artists and writers across the board. We welcome simultaneous submissions, though we ask that you let us know immediately should your submission be accepted somewhere else. At this time we do not accept previously published work.
o Deadline: Submissions are open April through June.
o Application Fee: None
o Eligibility: All submissions should be emailed to exhumeliteraryjournal@gmail.com. Please list the genre you’re submitting under in the subject of your email, as well as your first and last name. Please paste your third-person bio, maximum 75 words, in the body of your email and submit your works as attachments in .doc or .docx format. All documents should be submitted in 12 point fonts. Submit up to 3,500 words of prose in one double-spaced document.
o Contact: exhumeliteraryjournal@gmail.com
o Categories: Short Plays
Peach Theatre and Film Festival
The PEACH Theatre and Film Intl. Festival is a unique and rare experience that merge two beautiful genres of arts and entertainment. Both theatre and film, showcasing a series of short films and selected plays, in one of the world's most famous cities, internationally known for being the home of entertainment. Los Angeles, California. Our mission is to select films and plays based on content, quality, and merit. It is also our volition to honor the creatives selected, with integrity and respect for their hard work, discipline and sacrifice to get their productions completed and ready for display. As playwrights, filmmakers and entertainment professionals ourselves, we understand what it takes, and for that reaso
To enter the NEW YORK SCREENWRITING AWARDS, you must agree to its Terms and Conditions.
o Categories: Feature, Short, Animated, Documentary
Veterans Repertory Theater
Savage Wonder prides itself on opportunities for veteran writers. Savage Wonder offers on-going playwrighting competitions as well as the Savage Wonder literary blog. You may select which opportunity interests you below.n, we salute you! Continue history with us!
o When/Where: November 12
o Deadline: April 5 (Early Bird Deadline), June 10 (Regular Deadline), September 30 (Late Deadline)
o Application Fee: $35-$55
o Eligibility: All entries must be uploaded in PDF format. (www.freepdfconvert.com)
All entries must be submitted in English, formatted in 12-point courier font.
You may submit your entry via FilmFreeway. No preference will be given to either method of submission.
Entries must be received by the applicable Entry Deadline.
NEW YORK SCREENWRITING AWARDS will not share your screenplay with anyone except the official judges of the competition.
By entering the NEW YORK SCREENWRITING AWARDS you represent that your entry is your original work, and does not infringe on the copyright or other rights of other people.
Entry fees are non-refundable.
We do not accept hardcopy submissions by mail.
The decisions of the judges are final.
NEW YORK SCREENWRITING AWARDS reserves the right to make any necessary changes, postponements, or cancellations to event scheduling at our discretion.
o Deadline: July 3
o Application Fee: No Fee
o Eligibility: Until July 3, 2025, Savage Wonder is accepting submissions for both full-length AND 10-minute playwriting competitions. Playwrights must meet one of the following criteria:
Current or former: US military, law enforcement, fire service, EMS, foreign service, intelligence service, DoD employee, DoD Contractor; or
Immediate family of the service member.
For full-length plays:
The competition winner will receive a $5,000 grant.
The second-place finalist will receive a $3,500 grant.
The third-place finalist will receive a $2,500 grant.
For 10-minute plays:
The competition winner will receive a $1,000 grant.
The second-place finalist will receive a $750 grant.
The third-place finalist will receive a $500 grant.
o Categories: 10 minute plays, Full-Length Plays
o Contact: info@vetrep.org
YouthPlays
Welcome! YouthPLAYS publishes challenging, entertaining plays and musicals that are appropriate for teen and younger actors and/or audiences, as well as shows that have the potential to cross over to universities or community theatres. We accept emailed queries only. DO NOT SUBMIT A FULL SCRIPT unless you fit one of the four categories below: Current YouthPLAYS Authors: Please log in first. You may submit multiple scripts (one at a time). Playwrights 19 and Under (Worldwide): You may submit one script only that adheres to the guidelines for the New Voices One-Act Competition for Young Playwrights from January 1, 2025 through May 1, 2025. (Scroll to the bottom to read the guidelines!) BIPOC playwrights 20 and Older (US-based only): You may submit one script (please wait for a submission decision prior to submitting another script). Please be sure to mention in your Note to the Publisher that you are a member of this group. Requested Scripts: This means you submitted a query, and we emailed you back requesting the full script. Please mention in your Note to the Publisher that we have requested the script.
o Deadline: May 1
o Application Fee: None
o Eligibility: Please make sure the query includes all of the following in the body other email (no attachments): The play's title.
A brief synopsis.
The approximate running time.
A cast breakdown (e.g. 2 males, 4 females, 8+ any gender). Please address specifically whether the play contains any significant young (teen or younger) characters.
The producing groups for which you think the play is most appropriate (e.g. high schools, middle schools, TYA theatres, etc.).
Production/development history.
Any encumbrances (e.g. some part of it is published in a non-exclusive anthology). Also, please disclose any agency representation at this time.
Why you believe this play is a fit for our mission.
Again, do NOT include the script, in whole or in part, with your query.
o Contact: submissions@youthplays.com.
o Categories: Full-length Plays
NYLonFusion
We are accepting new works for our 2025/ 2026 This Round’s On Us festivals, each of which will focus on certain broad eras.(see below). But the plays do not necessarily have to be set in these time periods, but they should at least be informed by the social, cultural and/or political happenings of the time. Whether you find inspiration in the movies, music or theater of a particular era, the major events that formed the historical narrative or which have been ignored by history, or the everyday lives of people in the bygone days of the not-so-long-ago, you can send your 10-minute play to NyLonFusion@gmail.com
o Deadline: The Gilded Age/Cage Deadline: February 15th, 2025. (Festival June 27-28), The New Deal Deadline: June, 1, 2025, The Great Society Deadline November 12, 2025
o Application Fee: No Fee
o Eligibility: Each submission should be no longer than ten pages or approximately 10 minutes in length. Not have been previously produced. To be considered This Round's On Us please submit/email the following: A cover letter, brief synopsis, resume and full script to nylonsubmissions@gmail.com Please be specific as to which project you are submitting to. Write on the SUBJECT LINE For example: This Round’s On Us: The Gilded Age/ Cage.
o Categories: Short Plays
o Contact: NyLonFusion@gmail.com
City Theatre Seeks 10 Minute Plays for the Susan J Westfall National Short Playwriting Contest
City Theatre is looking for the best short plays from all over for our upcoming 2024-25 season that furthers our mission to identify, acknowledge, and award excellence in dramatic writing. Having produced hundreds of plays, we want scripts that are lively and timely, hilarious, provocative, poignant, and surprising. We look for plays that span style and genre. We will consider bilingual scripts and ten-minute musicals. We have no restriction on the age range of the characters. In other words, we are seeking compelling plays that rise above the ordinary. City Theatre seeks compelling plays that rise above the ordinary. Playwrights from across the country are invited to submit lively, timely, hilarious, provocative, poignant, and surprising scripts. We look for plays that span style and genre. We will consider bilingual scripts and ten-minute musicals. Contest finalist scripts are contenders for production at various productions and programs City Theatre presents year-round. To submit a play, please visit citytheatre.com on June 1st. We highly encourage the submission of plays from writers who self-identify as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color), women, and LBGTQ+. We invite writers at all career levels to submit. Contest finalist scripts are contenders for production at various productions and programs City Theatre presents year-round. The contest opens on June 1st and will remain open until the maximum number of submissions are received. Each playwright may only submit one play for consideration. Playwrights are encouraged to submit as soon as possible when the contest opens.
o Deadline: None Given
o Application Fee: Free
o Eligibility: Each script must be no more than ten pages long. We start counting when the actual play begins. City Theatre is opening a limited submission call for NPX playwrights only. This submission call will be limited to the first 200 scripts. We will only accept one play per playwright, and if you tag your play for this submission, you MAY NOT submit to City Theatre's general submissions via our website. Playwrights may only submit ONE play to ONE submission call. Those who submit twice will have their plays deemed ineligible (please don't make us do that!) Previously submitted plays, longer one-acts or full-length plays or musicals won’t be accepted or returned. City Theatre will consider previously produced works with a production history included with submission. The volume of scripts submitted prevents us from providing feedback or criticism.
o Categories: Short Plays, Plays
o Contact: Please reach out if you have questions not covered by the information above: info@citytheatre.com
Blackboard Plays - Reading Series Submission
Founded in 2008, Blackboard Plays has been devoted to Black Playwrights throughout the African Diaspora.
o Deadline: None Given
o Application Fee: Free
o Eligibility: Black Playwrights Submit up to 10 pages in consideration for a Feature reading. A Feature and a Community Night are the two main ways to have your work supported by Blackboard. Those not selected for a feature, are encouraged to attend a community night, which is structured like an Open Mic Night for Playwrights, where up to 10 pages is cold-read by Actors in person or on Zoom (During COVID-19 Social Distancing Practices).
o Categories: Short Plays, Plays
Neurodivergent New Play Series
Neurodivergent playwrights in NYC since 2023 - is accepting recurring submissions as we prepare for our 2024-25 Season.All submissions should be for full-length plays between 45 to 180 minutes long and may have received a previous reading or production outside of NYC, as long as they are unpublished. All neurodivergent/disabled writers (autistic, ADHD, dyslexic, OCD, Tourette's, etc.) at all stages of their careers are encouraged to apply - especially BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and female-identifying writers. There is no submission fee or any other fee for being involved in this process.
o Deadline: Rolling Basis
o Application Fee: None
o Eligibility: Plays can be of any genre, although we are especially seeking works that challenge traditional methods of storytelling & have something important to say about the world that isn't being heard enough. We ask that you submit only one play every 30 days during our recurring submissions process.
Contact: neurodivergentplays@gmail.com
o Categories: Full-length Plays
Kingdom Theatre: Writers for Black History and Women's History Month celebrations February and March 2024
Seeking playwrights diverse works regardless of gender, race, culture or orientation for our history celebration events convening February and March of 2024. Seeking full lengths, shorts and 1 act. The plays for Black History month and Women's History month does not have to be about those months. Selected plays will be featured throughout our Special events throughout both months. Selected plays will be showcased with 1 full production.
o Deadline: None Given
o Application Fee: If Selected, there is a $100 fee. No fee to submit. Submit at, actressclassy@gmail.com
o Eligibility: We provide the following,
1.Creative Staff
2. Cast
3.Venue for cold readings, rehearsals and performances.
4. Press and industry professionals to see your work
o Categories: Plays, One-Acts
o Contact: actressclassy@gmail.com
Freshwater Theatre
Freshwater Theatre prides itself on constantly working with new artists, expanding our family. We’re always on the lookout for new scripts and new technical artists to work with.
o Deadline: Ongoing
o Application Fee: Free
o Eligibility: While we certainly are interested in world premieres of new plays, we also are very interested in second and third productions of new works, as we believe this to be the key to finding the works that will propel theater into the future.
We will only respond to playwright submissions for plays that come into serious consideration for future production. We cannot give any specific time frame on if/when a response will be given.
o Categories: New Plays
o Contact: info@freshwatertheatre.com
SCRIPT Submissions
International Human Rights Art Festival Queens
QUEENS-BASED ARTISTS ONLY The submission window is now open for performance work in any form - every discipline! Please note:the performances must be fully produced by you; IHRAF is a presenting platform.
o Deadline: June 15
o Application Fee: None
o Eligibility: A brief description of your piece, including approximate running time - we’re accepting 10-20 mins works.
A cover letter, including details regarding the piece’s discipline, issue of concern treated and a brief summary of your artistic goals
Your bios or resumes and the names of any collaborators already on board
A sample of work (scripts, pics, videos, songs, any other links or file that could help us to know more about your project)
As email subject, please type IHRAFQueens 2025, then add Association-Company-your name (i.e. IHRAFestival 2024, Joan Doe)
We are seeking artists who use their creativity as their weapon of justice, and operate under our signature values of
Beauty as a fundamental artistic principle;
Sincerity and Vulnerability of presentation;
Celebration of Diversity, and opening doorways of engagement with all members of society.
o Categories: Short Plays
o Contact: Submit all work to costanza@humanrightsartmovement.org
The Barr Hill Players: Script Submissions for 2025 Fellowship Staged Reading
As a part of our 10th annual season, the Barr Hill Players (BHP) will present a staged reading of new works by emerging playwrights. Selected scripts will be workshopped by our ensemble of acting fellows during the BHP summer intensive in Greensboro, VT, then presented for a developmental staged reading at La MaMa ETC Galleria in New York City on August 16, 2025. At BHP, we believe actors can serve as generative collaborators in the development of new plays. This reading creates an opportunity for playwrights to gain an outside-in, actor-led perspective to inform further development of their dialogue-driven work.
o Deadline: May 15 (Regular Deadline), June 15 (Late Deadline)
o Application Fee: None
o Eligibility: Priority may be given to earlier submissions
Length: Full-length (60-100min)
Cast size: 8-12
*Scripts that can be cast with exactly 12 actors are particularly desirable
The scripts we’re looking for are:
Written for “balanced” ensembles (all roles have meaningful stage time)
Grounded in spoken dialogue (not primarily movement-based, not musical/sung)
Somewhat flexible in ensemble composition (gender, ethnicity, age, etc.)
Eligible under the Actors’ Equity Staged Reading Guidelines (have not been/will not be registered with Actors’ Equity for a Reading March-August 2025
You may submit up to 3 plays for consideration. If you submit the form more than 3 times, only the first 3 submissions will be considered. Please review the FAQs below before submitting.
o Categories: Full-Length Plays
o Contact: You may email your submission with all the inputs required (on the online form) to info@barrhillplayers.org.
Community Players Theater - Page to Stage 2025
Page to Stage: An Original Staged Reading is an opportunity for playwrights to submit their work to be performed through Community Players Theatre (Bloomington IL.) To those wishing to submit their work, please make sure it follows this criteria:
o Deadline: July 31
o Application Fee: None
o Eligibility: The script must be unpublished
It is fine if the script has gone through workshops or readings
No more than 2 locations within the script
Cast size 2-6
Can feature a child but the majority of the cast must be adults
Few adjustments will be allowed once the script has been submitted
PDF or Word Doc formatting
No musicals
A playwright is not limited on how many they can submit
This process is for the benefit of audiences to hear new plays and new playwrights
o Categories: Full-Length Plays
o Contact: Scripts are due by July 31st, 2025. Please submit all scripts to Ashleigh Rae-Lynn (playreading@communityplayers.org)
Don McAnn Playwriting Contest
The Oswego Players were established in 1938 as a non-profit community theater organization dedicated to live theater productions and theater education for Oswego area residents. Consistent with those goals, a playwriting contest was established to promote the creation of original, one-act plays by contemporary authors.
o Deadline: June 15
o Application Fee: None
o Eligibility: The contest is FREE and open to any playwright who is 18 years or older and resides (or attends college) in the state of New York.
All plays must be based on original concepts (no adaptions of any works or no verse plays), unpublished and unproduced.
The Oswego Players reserves the right to produce and perform any of the prize winners.
The content, theme, and time period of the play are at the discretion of the writer.
Since a live production of the of at least one of the prize winners is planned* simplicity is highly recommended:
One act, single set, with a run time of 20 to 30
Written so it can be staged with minimal set, props, lighting and sound effects, and costume design.
The story should not exceed eight characters due to the potential unavailability of actors.
All entries must include a cover page which includes the name of the play, name of the playwright, and an updated address, phone number, and email address.Provided there are enough entries, the following cash prizes will be awarded:– 1st Prize: $250.00 – 2nd Prize: $150.00 – 3rd Prize: $75.00
o Categories: One Act
o Contact: Submissions must be received by June 15th of the contest year and sent either electronically to osweplay@yahoo.com or through the mail, Donald J. McCann Memorial Playwriting Contest, P.O. Box 183, Oswego, NY 13126.
The Risk Theatre Modern Tragedy Competition
Edwin Wong announces year three of The Risk Theatre Modern Tragedy Competition, the world’s richest specifically for the writing of tragedy: at stake is $12,265 (CDN) in prize money, a workshop, and travel stipend.
o Deadline: May 31
o Application Fee: $49
o Eligibility: The Risk Theatre Modern Tragedy Competition (henceforth ‘the Competition’) is open to one-act and multi-act plays, 90 – 120 minutes in length (not including intermission). Generally, a properly formatted play of this length will be 80 to 110 pages long. If your script is significantly outside these parameters, it is probably ineligible.
Playwrights may submit more than one script, but each script must be accompanied by a separate entry fee and entry form.
Entries must be received by the Competition no later than 9PM, May 31, 2021 Pacific Time (PDT).
The Competition is open to writers of any nationality BUT all entries must be written in English.
The script must be original. Adaptations of other works will not be accepted with two exceptions: 1) adaptation of works that are in the public domain will be accepted; for instance, a contemporary adaptation of a classic Greek acktragedy; 2) adaptation of works to which the author holds sole copyright will be accepted; for instance, a short story written by the author.
Scripts that have been simultaneously entered in other playwriting competitions are eligible.
Musicals are eligible. Jurors will judge musicals on the basis of the libretto only. They will not have access to the music.
Scripts that have gone through a workshop or been given public reading ARE eligible.
Scripts that have been professionally produced at the time of submission are NOT eligible. Any public performance for which production members have been paid beyond a token honorarium will be considered a professional production.
Scripts which have been commissioned are NOT eligible.
o Categories: Full Length Plays, New Works, Musicals
o Contact: tragedycompetition@gmail.com
Woodward/Newman Award 2026-2027
The Woodward/Newman Award is an exclusive honor offered by Constellation Stage & Screen, started through the support of Joanne Woodward, Newman’s Own Foundation, and the Newman family, celebrating Paul Newman & Joanne Woodward’s tremendous history of work on stage and screen. It presents the best unpublished play of the year with a cash prize of $3,000 and a full production as part of Constellation’s Mainstage season. Please note that there are significant changes to our submission and selection process from previous years. In order to make the Woodward/Newman Award accessible to all, we have eliminated submission fees as well as the contest format. The Woodward/Newman Award will continue to be awarded to an unpublished new play once per year and come with a $3,000 cash prize and a full production. Submissions will be accepted and reviewed by our literary team on an ongoing basis, and will be considered for the award as well as for all 7 production slots in our season. So a play that is not selected for the Woodward/Newman slot in our season, may still be considered and selected for production. This will allow us to now accept open submissions for all types of plays (including TYA shows). Plays submitted by midnight, August 31st, 2025 will be considered for the 2026-27 season, while plays submitted beyond that date will be considered for the 2027-28 Season. All submissions will be kept on file for 2 years after submission.
o Deadline: August 31
o Application Fee: No Fee
o Eligibility: Full-length” plays should have a complete running time of between 1 hour 15 minutes (75 minutes) to 2 hours 15 minutes (135 minutes). TYA shows should have a complete running time of over 40 minutes.
Plays submitted must be unpublished at the time of submission (independently published is acceptable).
Each play should be individually submitted at the following link: CONSTELLATION STAGE & SCREEN PLAY SUBMISSION.
You will be asked to submit your play as an attachment and all other information (bio, history, synopsis, character breakdown) will be entered into a form. Musical submissions may upload demos as an attachment or include a link to a shared folder.
Limit of 2 play submissions per year.
$3,000 cash prize is in lieu of royalties for the full production. Housing & transportation will also be provided.
Any unpublished play submitted to Constellation regardless of method (e.g. online form, agent submission, direct contact) may be considered for the Woodward/Newman Award.
Please note that we are moving away from a “finalists” model in lieu of keeping all plays under consideration for extended periods (2yrs). We will only announce a winner.
If you have any questions, please email literary@seeconstellation.org.
o Categories: Plays
Southern Soul Theatre Ensemble Presents the Inaugural 10x10 Play Festival
The Southern Soul Theatre Ensemble proudly announces the Inaugural 10x10 Play Festival, celebrating creativity, culture, and community! In honor of Juneteenth, this festival amplifies Black and Latinx voices through a dynamic showcase of 10-minute plays.
o Deadline: None Given
o Application Fee: None
o Eligibility: Eligibility: Open to Black and Latinx playwrights (one submission per playwright).
Play Length: 10-minute plays (8-10 pages).
Cast Size: 2-6 characters.
Themes: Works should reflect the diversity of Black and Latinx cultures; all genres welcome.
Original Work: Must be unproduced or have had limited exposure (readings/workshops accepted).
Format: PDF submissions only, including a title page with name, contact info, and a brief synopsis.
Deadline: Selected playwrights will be notified by April 15th.Southern Soul Theatre
o Categories: Plays
Community Players Theatre
Community Players Theater seeks full-length plays. Enhanced Staged Reading: There will be sets, costumes, and props. It is a short rehearsal process which is why we are not requiring memorization. Restriction: Story must take place in no more than 2 locations. Cast no larger than 6. Must be in English.
o Deadline: August 31
o Application Fee: No Fee
o Eligibility: Playwrights are more than welcome to submit as many scripts as they would like. There is no restriction on if a show has been performed before. We just ask that you let us know so it can be properly advertised. Submit to Playreading@communityplayers.org
o Categories: Plays
Talking It Out: A Virtual Festival in Support of Mental Health Awareness
The Talking It Out Virtual Arts Festival in support of mental health empowerment, is thrilled to be returning this Fall after a year-long hiatus! We are now accepting play submissions to be featured in our new ongoing series of live play readings in NYC and audio drama podcast to be featured worldwide. This year, we will be accepting submissions for short plays, (less than 20 minutes) one-act plays, (20-40 minutes) & full-length plays (60-120 minutes) of all genres, including comedy, drama, sci-fi, horror, experimental, etc. Plays will be accepted on an ongoing basis, with playwrights to be notified at least 3 months in advance of their proposed performance date.
o Deadline: none listed - playwrights are welcome to submit one play every 30 days
o Application Fee: Free
o Eligibility: The one requirement - in terms of subject matter - is that all plays should deal with the topic of mental illness. (i.e. anxiety, depression, PTSD, mental health in the context of neurodivergency, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, dementia/Alzheimer’s, etc.) There is no submission fee, and playwrights are welcome to submit one play every 30 days. Plays that have received a previous reading or production outside of NYC are eligible, as long as they are unpublished.
o Categories: One-Act Plays
o Contact: talkingitoutfest@gmail.com
The Autry: 2025 OPEN Submission for Production Consideration
We accept scripts all year long. Do you have a full-length script that has been developed and produced that you would like us to consider for a future Native Voices production in Los Angeles? Please follow the Checklist for All Submissions below and in the Native Voices Script Submission form, check the box for 2025 General Production Consideration.
o When/Where: Open all year
o Deadline: None Given
o Application Fee: None
o Eligibility:Full-length plays (60+ pages) receive will be read and evaluated.
o Categories: Full-length Plays
NY Theatre Festival Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter
This is a unique opportunity to invite people from the industry to see your production! People are more likely to go see a show than to read an unsolicited script - some industry people receive on average thousands of submissions per month. They understand that the journey for a show to be successful often goes through several productions and this is your chance to show that you can start that process! Our dedicated team is here to help you get your work out. We are with you from the moment you begin tech rehearsals, all the way through to your closing performance. You will never be left alone during the process. We will help you choose from the 85 set/furniture pieces we offer to dress your stage for your run, and we will give you a complete crash course on how to use the audio/light/video system in just 3 minutes, which are intentionally designed to be very user friendly. After we show you how to use the tools we provide and how to best utilize the space, The Festival’s team will provide prime responses to every inquiry, as well as a telephone # you can call anytime during relevant hours throughout the run of your show. In 12 years and 22 seasons we have successfully hosted 1,400 plays and 300 musicals, as well as rewarding over 300 participating artists cash prizes.
o Deadline: TBD
o Application Fee: None
o Eligibility: Submissions Accepted from a 30-mile radius outside of Manhattan and only run if the entire cast and crew are from New York City. Plays are considered on a first-come, first-serve basis. The earlier you submit, the better your chances are of having your script invited to the festival. Each applicant is fully responsible for all elements of their production, including directing, casting, stage-managing. We know exactly what you need to make your show a success and we welcome you into our community of playwrights and theater innovators!
o Categories: Plays, Musicals
Nomad Theater
Nomad Theatre seeks new unproduced short plays to be a part of our upcoming season! Our mission is to provide an immersive theatre experience by exposing audience members to eclectic and moving stories, taking theatre outside of a traditional theatre space and into site-specific locations. This year, we have three opportunities for playwrights to submit their original new short plays. Open to US playwrights, selected plays in our mainstage season receive a $15 honorarium ($40 for one-acts selected for By The Fireside) full production and a ticket to attend. Selected plays must be unpublished and unproduced at time of submission. We encourage anyone to submit, even if you’ve never written a play, especially underrepresented playwrights, including women, LGBTQIA+, BIPOC, disabled, etc. Nomad will not produce theatre that is derogatory Entries will be judged on the following criteria:
How well it meets the theme.
Overall writing quality (Plot - we like different or quirky, weird, out-of-the-box theatre; Character Development; Dialogue)
Suitability for our actors and space - low tech, 1-4 characters, flexible casting
o Deadline: May 2025
o Application Fee: None
o Eligibility: One submission per playwright per opportunity (three submissions total)
We suggest formatting similar to the Dramatist Guild Guidelines
A cover page should include the title, the playwright’s name, contact information, a brief synopsis, and character descriptions
Pages should be numbered
Minimum of 1, maximum of 4 characters
No musicals
o Categories: One-Act Plays
o Contact: nomadtheatresubmissions@gmail.com
Torch Literary Arts
Torch Literary Arts welcomes submissions of original creative work by Black women writers. We are interested in work that challenges and disrupts preconceived notions of what contemporary writing by Black women should be. Your stories and poems are valuable and necessary. Write freely and submit what you are excited to share with the world. Submissions are accepted for Friday Features only. We accept submissions on a rolling basis. Simultaneous submissions to other journals are welcome as long as they are identified as such and we are notified immediately upon acceptance elsewhere.
o Deadline: Rolling Basis
o Application Fee: No Fee
o Eligibility: Include a one (1) page cover letter noting the title(s) of the work(s) submitted.
Upload your text submission as a Word (DOC, DOCX) or portable document format/PDF (PDF).
Typed, double-spaced (poetry may be single-spaced) pages.
Numbered pages.
Margins should be set at no less than 1” and no greater than 1.5”.
Poetry: submit up to five (5) poems totaling no more than eight (8) pages.
Fiction, Hybrid genre: 12-point font. No more than ten (10) pages or 2500 words (whichever is achieved first). Excerpts of longer works are welcome if self-contained.
Drama/Screenwriting: submit one act or a collection of short scenes no longer than ten (10) pages. Excerpts of longer works are welcome if self-contained. Indicate if a performance video or dramatic audio reading will be available with the text submission if selected.
Restrictions: We do not reprint previously published work for TORCH Friday Features.
o Categories: Scripts
The Tank Presents
Each season, our The Tank Presents program serves hundreds of emerging artists as they create over 1000 performances of new works in music, theater, film, dance, comedy, and storytelling. As part of our mission to remove the economic barriers from the creation of new work, we never charge our artists to use our space for their performances! In addition, we also provide free rehearsal space, as well as free marketing and promotion of their event. Our The Tank Presents presenting model removes the daunting cost of space rental from the equation of art making, and provides an affordable home for emerging artists to create art that pushes the boundaries of their mediums. Through this program, artists can present readings, works-in-development, short runs of full theatre productions, screenings, concerts, storytelling festivals, comedy shows, and more.
o Deadline: None Given
o Application Fee: None
o Eligibility: To submit work for consideration as part of Tank programming, please email submissions@thetanknyc.org with the following information:
Show title
Discipline (theater, music, comedy, etc.)
Approximate running time
Summary of piece
Brief summary of artistic goals
Brief explanation of how the piece exists in the world (i.e. - art exhibit, soundscape, outdoor experience, digital hybrid)
Sample of work that will give us a sense of what it is you’re trying to make and that you know how to make it
Bio of lead artist(s)
The name of the Tank show you viewed
Submissions are accepted on a rolling basis.
o Categories: Plays
o Contact: submissions@thetanknyc.org
Diversionary: Seeking new, full-length LGBTQIA+ works
Diversionary is always seeking new, full-length LGBTQIA+ works for consideration. Please follow the guidelines below if you would like to submit your work. Because of the volume of submissions, those that do not follow the guidelines will not be considered.
o Deadline: None
o Application Fee: None
o Eligibility: Please send all of the above items as a single document in pdf format to frankie@diversionary.org. For music, please send the items in mp3 format or include a link to be accessed. No physical submissions sent to the theatre will be considered.
a one-page synopsis, character breakdown, and playwright bio
a development/production history of the submitted work (including date written and any readings, workshops, and full stagings)
a ten-page sample of the work
three audio recordings of music, twelve minutes total, if it’s a musical
o Categories: Full Length Plays, Musicals
o Contact: frankie@diversionary.org
Murmuration Theatre
Murmuration Theatre Company is seeking plays that have a cast size between 2-11 for our 2023 & 2024 seasons Accepting work for consideration in the following categories: New Voices Showcase: Curated selection of 4-10 new plays (scripts 2 - 40 pages); fully staged and directed by our creative team. Mainstage Show: a one act or full length play (scripts 35 - 120 pages); fully staged and directed by our creative team. In development: Actor's Lab Performance Series: a monthly selection of scenes or short plays (any length), performed at workshop or staged reading level.Playwrights selected for our mainstage production will receive $30 per performance of their one-act or full length play; playwrights selected for our New Voices Showcase will receive $10 per performance of their short or one-act.
o When/Where: Brooklyn, New York
o Deadline: None
o Application Fee: None
o Eligibility: Please submit PDF copies of scripts via the google form below, and feel free to reach out to murmurationtheatreco@gmail.com with any questions or concerns. Multiple submissions are allowed. Preference will be given to playwrights who are able to attend at least one performance of their work in the NYC area.
We will be accepting submissions on a rolling basis, and hope to be in touch with responses within 30 days of submission. Please feel free to reach out after that point if you have not received word from our team.
Solo Shows, Theatre for Young Audiences and Musicals will not be considered.
New writers as well as writers with voices that have historically been underrepresented in the theater industry (gender identity, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, religion, ability status, etc.) are encouraged to apply.
o Categories: Full-Length Plays, One-Acts
o Contact: murmurationtheatreco@gmail.com
Manhattan Repertory Theatre Play Production Program
Self-Produce a production of your best play in New York City as live theatre comes back to life in this New Renaissance of Theatre. We will do all the work, from hiring a production team and staff, to casting, directing, building costumes, set design, lighting design, payroll and more. From 3 performances to 20 performances for one simple Production Fee. Pre-Pandemic, 2017 - 2019, we produced 60 plays in Midtown Manhattan for playwrights all over the world. Production time frames available: Late Autumn 2021, Winter/Spring 2022.Currently, as we move back into production in New York City, we are only accepting Full-Length plays and Musicals - 60 to 150 minutes. Production fees range from $12,000 to $50,000 depending on the "size" of your production, scenic elements, and the number of performances.
o Deadline: TBD
o Application Fee: None
o Eligibility: If you are serious about self-producing your play in New York City, please forward us: An email cover letter with information about you and your work. your play attached as a .pdf, an attached Synopsis of your play, with the approximate running time, and your set, lighting and costume requirements.
o Categories: Full Length Plays, New Plays
o Contact: manhattanrep@yahoo.com
Shubert Fendrich Memorial Playwriting Contest
To encourage the development of quality theatrical materials for the educational, community and children’s theatre markets, Pioneer Drama Service is proud to sponsor the annual Shubert Fendrich Memorial Playwriting Contest.
This is an ongoing contest, with a winner selected by June 1 each year from all eligible submissions received the previous year. All eligible plays accepted for publication will be considered contest finalists, from which the winner will be selected. The contest winner will receive a $1,000 royalty advance in addition to publication.
o Deadline: Ongoing
o Application Fee: None
o Eligibility: You can start the submission process by contacting us here.
We will only consider manuscripts with a running time between 20 and 90 minutes.
Submissions must be family friendly in both subject and language. NO cursing. NO explicitly adult content.
We prefer casts that are either balanced or favoring females. The more gender neutral roles, the better.
We favor plays and musicals with ensemble casts, where more than just a few have a chance to shine.
Plays with elaborate set, costume or technical requirements are not appealing because of the limited resources of many of our customers. Pictures, sketches or descriptions of your vision are always helpful.
We recommend your submissions have had at least one production or reading, hopefully staged. We feel this fundamental field test is necessary before a play can be considered for publication since plays are created for the purpose of performance.
Manuscripts must be computer-printed in dark ink. We do not require specific formatting. However, your efforts to ensure your script is free of misspellings and typos will help the submissions editor.
We hope that Pioneer Drama is your first choice as a publisher, and we encourage you to submit to us exclusively. However, we do accept simultaneous submissions with the understanding that you will accept the first contract you’re offered and not use the situation to seek multiple offers from which to choose. If you receive another offer, please notify us immediately so we may rescind your submission.
The following information must accompany your submission or query:
100-200 word synopsis.
Cast list that indicates the number of female roles, the number of male roles and the number of roles that can be performed by either gender. We do not accept one-person shows.
Running time.
CD and/or score for musicals. We appreciate the opportunity to hear the music, if possible.
Set design(s). Please feel free to provide diagrams and/or pictures.
Proof of production or staged reading (i.e., review, program, etc.) A DVD of your performance is ideal, though not required.
Age of intended audience.
A self-addressed envelope of sufficient size with appropriate postage for the return of your materials. We will NOT return manuscripts or accompanying material if this is not included.
Cover letter and/or resume.
o Categories: family friendly
o Address: Pioneer Drama Service, Inc. Attn: Submissions Editor PO Box 4267
Englewood, CO 80155-4267
o Contact: https://www.pioneerdrama.com/ContactUs.asp?ID=6
Urban Stages Emerging Playwright Award
Our $500 Emerging Playwright Award (coupled with press coverage) is given to playwrights who show excellence and dedication throughout this process – from development to the stage. Out of hundreds of submissions a year, we select 15-20 plays for readings. From these, we select 1-3 plays annually to go on to our workshopping phase. Our workshops are meant to prepare a play for our Off-Broadway stage. From our workshops, we select 1-2 plays for full productions, complete with a playwright’s contract and compensation (separate from the award).
o Deadline: Ongoing
o Application Fee: None
o Eligibility: Plays may have been developed or produced elsewhere, but never produced in New York City. Plays from overseas and throughout the US are accepted and considered, but special attention will be given to playwrights who live in or near New York
o Categories: Full Length Plays, New Plays
o Contact: 212.421.1380
Onstage
For US, By Us at Green Room 42
For Us, By Us is a bold, satirical, and unapologetically Black cabaret celebrating the legacy, joy, and chaos of Black musical theatre, Black culture, and Black music. Rooted in community, storytelling, and pure theatrical energy, it’s basically a cookout… with Broadway vocals, R&B riffs, gospel spirit, and a little bit of organized mess. This show is primarily for Black artists, but we are also seeking performers of color and yes—white people, don’t be scared! We need you for the chaos (and we might need someone to sing A Whole New World or Whistle While You Work, respectfully). For Us, By Us is meant to be joyful, soulful, and fun—not too serious. It’s a satire, a celebration, and a love letter to Black brilliance.
o Deadline: Auditions will close in May 2025
o Details: Singers with strong stage presence, comedic timing, and bold, theatrical personalities
Music Director/Accompanist (piano-based) to assist with rehearsals and live performance
Submit a 1–2 min vocal video (preferably a song fitting the vibe—gospel, musical theatre, R&B, pop, soul, or country)
Suggested song ideas: I’m Here (The Color Purple), Rise Up (Andra Day), A Change Is Gonna Come (Sam Cooke), Run and Tell That (Hairspray), Family (Dreamgirls), Jimmy’s Rap (Dreamgirls), and more.
You can suggest a song you’d love to sing—but note, the final set list will be curated based on everyone’s voice types and the overall show arc.
Include a song you’d LOVE to sing and a song you would NOT want to sing.
Optional: headshot, resume, or anything else you want to share!
o Audition Information: Submit a brief resume or description of your experience
Let us know if you’re comfortable playing R&B, gospel, musical theatre, and/or pop styles
Optional: share any clips or examples of past accompanying work
For more Onstage opportunities, visit Backstage.com; ActorsAccess.com; and Playbill.com.
Backstage
The Ryan Hudak LGBTQ+ Dramatic Writing Award
The Ryan Hudak LGBTQ+ Dramatic Writing Award is open to New York State playwrights and screenwriters, including those who live within the five boroughs of New York City.
o Deadline: June 17
o Application Fee: None
o Eligibility: Applicants must meet the following criteria:
Must be a working playwright or screenwriter. Acceptable forms of playwriting or screenwriting include stageplays, screenplays, teleplays, libretti, radio plays, and audio dramas. No audio is accepted.
Must self-identify as LGBTQ+.
Must be a current full-time resident of New York State for a minimum of 12 months at the time applications close.
Must be at least 25 years of age at the time the application closes.
Cannot be enrolled in a degree-seeking program of any kind.
Can be past recipients of any NYFA grant or fellowship programs, except past recipients of the The Ryan Hudak LGBTQ+ Dramatic Writing Award.
Cannot be a NYFA employee, members of the NYFA Board of Trustees or Artists’ Advisory Committee, and/or an immediate family member of any of the above.
o Contact: apply@nyfa.org
Neukom Literary Arts Award for Playwriting 2025
The Neukom Institute for Computational Science at Dartmouth College – in collaboration with Northern Stage – is excited to announce the 2025 Neukom Institute Literary Arts Awards for Playwriting, for full-length plays and other full-length works for the theater addressing the question “What does it mean to be a human in a computerized world?”. The award comes with a $5,000 honorarium as well as a weeklong workshop and public reading produced by Northern Stage (https://northernstage.org/) in early 2026. Note that works that have received a full production are NOT eligible for the competition
o Deadline: May 1
o Application Fee: None
o Eligibility: An anonymized (blinded) copy of the piece
Playwright resume/bio
Production history of the piece
1 page statement of purpose that answers the following questions:A. How does your piece address the theme of exploring humanity in our computerized, digital world?
B. The winning play will have a weeklong workshop and public reading at Northern Stage in White River Junction, VT in early 2026. What are your developmental goals for the play and how would this workshop serve those goals?
o Categories: Full Length Plays, New Plays
o Contact: Questions? Email Brandy (Yijin) Zhang bzhang@northernstage.org and Mandi Benjamin mbenjamin@northernstage.org.
Lincoln Center Fellows Program Senior Manager
The Lincoln Center Leadership Fellows Program (LCLF) is a prestigious, highly selective board readiness program for private sector leaders who are interested in making an impact by becoming a trustee of an arts organization. The goal of the program is to provide Fellows professional and personal development during the 18-month fellowship to prepare them to be elected trustees of various Lincoln Center resident organizations. This prestigious fellowship engages participants through thoughtfully curated learning sessions on cultural nonprofit management and governance, artistic programming, audience cultivation, fundraising and innovation, and by providing access to performances, events, and social networking opportunities. Fellows hear from leading Trustees and top executives across sectors in NYC, Arts philanthropists and Lincoln Center Leadership who offer their real-world perspective as fiduciaries of Lincoln Center’s resident organizations. Fellows are encouraged to engage in an exchange of ideas and insights that help take the Lincoln Center campus to new heights. Each Fellows class represents a diversity of professional experiences, artistic interests and backgrounds, in alignment with Lincoln Center’s commitment to inclusive excellence at every level. Housed in the Advancement and Innovation department of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, the Senior Program Manager (PM) will report directly to the SVP, Advancement and Innovation who oversees the Fellowship. Alongside the SVP, the PM will support the growth and stewardship of this innovative program. Given the nature of this role, the ideal candidate must possess strong project & time management abilities, and demonstrate ease & effectiveness in managing relationships across all levels of seniority. The PM will help drive project success towards budget and impact targets.
Primary Responsibilities:
Drive the development of a learning and network-building plan that exposes Fellows to the business of nonprofit management, including strategy; financial planning and analysis; fundraising and development; marketing; and audience access.
Research and identify potential Fellowship candidates utilizing prospect research databases, networking, etc.
Coordinate start-to-end logistics and planning for events and networking opportunities for Fellows
Collect and analyze key metrics and prepare reports about the status and impact of the program
Track program budget
Support proper governance, with respect to the nomination and selection of Fellows, and board placement, among other actions.
Support the development of the Fellowship’s alumni network.
Engage with Fellows to understand and support their individual interests and desired outcomes.
Optimize the value of the program for resident organizations by understanding each organization’s goals and strategy.
Fulfill requests to access Fellowship benefits and access
Special research projects as requested
o Compensation: $105,000.00 To $120,000.00 Annually
Senior Director of Ticketing & Customer Service, The Metropolitan Opera
The Senior Director of Ticketing & Customer Service for the Metropolitan Opera drives policy, standards, and accountability for a world-class customer service operation of over 40 staff and works as a critical member of the Sales & Marketing team to achieve the organization’s earned and contributed revenue goals. The Met seeks an individual who can continue its long history of exceptional customer relations across all Met performances and offerings, including ticket and subscription sales for performances at the Metropolitan Opera House, worldwide customer service for Live in HD, digital products and platforms, donor relations, merchandise ecommerce, and more. The successful individual will understand the diverse, complex, and rewarding nature of collaborating within a world-class 21st century arts organization, while being prepared to evolve practices and policies to serve an ever-changing audience base. They will need the motivation and nuanced leadership acumen to own and drive complex projects while building buy-in and ensuring long-term success. The Senior Director of Ticketing & Customer Service leads a large operation of skilled customer service and order fulfillment professionals responsible for handling over $80 million in annual box office revenue, and annual attendance of 650,000. A commitment to the ongoing development of this team and its individual members is of the utmost importance, along with an ability to stay abreast of cutting-edge developments in technology and customer experience to ensure the operations are evolving apace. The Senior Director of Ticketing & Customer Service is a critical member of the Sales & Marketing team and provides leadership of the Customer Service team in carrying out all functions in the most efficient way possible. The Director is responsible for maximizing the use of Tessitura across the organization and overseeing the team that provides direct application support, focusing on a CRM strategy that maximizes sales and donations through analysis of customer insights. The role directly supervises: Director, Call Center & Donor Relations; Director, Tessitura Systems Support; Subscription Services Manager; Director, Revenue Processing & Data Entry; and Special Services Manager.
Primary Responsibilities: Leadership
Lead the Customer Care team in serving every customer efficiently, with a focus on maximizing ticket sales and donation revenue to achieve the Met’s institutional goals.
Provide Met audience members across all performances and programs with an exceptional customer service experience.
Ensure that the Customer Care team is equipped with the necessary tools to carry out their core functions, and communicate information about all current Met performances, programs, and activities.
Serve as the primary liaison between the Marketing team and members of Local 210 (Call Center), as well as a key liaison with Local 751 (Box Office). Design and facilitate regular collaborative communication between Customer Care and fellow Met departments.
Determine ongoing needs of both team and individuals to continue to develop in their professional capacities.
Technology & Applications
Manage support of the Tessitura application, including support of external users, such as third-party ticketing partners and consultants.
Lead the Application Support team to address organizational needs, prioritize requests, and implement standard and required changes and modifications.
Test and go live with all new Tessitura application releases.
Encourage utilization of on-going training programs using network resources.
Partner with web team to optimize the digital experience, including ecommerce functionality, tech-enabled customer care, and systems integration.
Work with web vendors and internal website team to implement project changes for annual ticketing programs.
Customer Service Policy & Training
Design and implement customer-centric policies that ensure optimal service and efficiency for both Met audience and staff.
Manage customer relationships, problem resolution, and deliver service to the internal and external customer base for the Met, American Ballet Theatre (ABT), and rentals.
Identify opportunities to enhance processes and procedures within the department.
Create and implement systems to address and resolve instances of customer friction or dissatisfaction.
Serve as the internal ambassador for audience members, constantly aiming to improve service from all departments.
Develop comprehensive plans for training the entire customer care staff.
Support organizational Tessitura training.
Order Fulfillment: Ticketing, Membership, and SubscriptionManage the staff directly responsible for fulfilling ticket orders from inception to fulfillment and delivery for the Met, ABT, and rentals.
Work with the Marketing Department and Box Office to ensure that ticket fulfillment processing is being carried out smoothly and efficiently.
Coordinate interdepartmental processes in order to ensure smooth workflows.
Ensure that end-to-end subscriber ticketing experience (including processing, seating, and changes) is carried out smoothly.
Ensure sound processes for all data entry of membership gifts and ticket orders, while ensuring consistent constituent records and high data integrity.
Inbound Customer Care
Work with the Call Center and Donor Relations Director to properly implement all marketing programs and ticket sales plans for Met, ABT, and rentals.
Ensure that all Inbound Call Center representatives receive materials and project plans for any new initiatives.
Analyze calling patterns, review statistics, recommend upselling incentive programs, and verify the department is adequately staffed to meet organizational goals.
Other Responsibilities
Participate in new system development and procedure design and implementation.
Work on special projects, i.e. Met Opera app, Met Opera On Demand integration, Live in HD, etc.
Collaborate with various departments on projects as needed.
Provide auditor with all audit requests and make necessary adjustments to process to conform to audit requirements.
Review and evaluate all customer order forms and marketing mailing pieces and identify areas for improvement.
Create procedures that will provide other departments with productive information.
Manage Pay and Non-pay department budgets.
Make process recommendations as required.
o Compensation: $160,000 - $180,000 a year
Director of Development & Marketing
In partnership with the Executive Artistic Director, the Director of Development and Marketing (DODAM) will be tasked with the development and marketing implementation for the Montgomery Theater, located in Souderton, PA. Development responsibilities include management of individual giving campaigns, corporate giving, grant writing, and special fundraising events. Marketing responsibilities include strategizing and implementing email campaigns, social media, print materials, managing special offers, and additional advertising as needed.
DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS
- As an advocate of the theater, the DODAM develops strong relationships with patrons, donors, professional organizations, other theaters, and community leaders
- Responsible for all giving including individual, corporate and sponsorship
- Responsible for the grant-writing process, including 6 annual grants and approximately 2-5 additional applications per year
- Plan, organize, and attend all fundraising eventsMARKETING
- Oversee and prepare advertising, publicity, press releases, and production literature in partnership with the Marketing and Production Coordinator
- Develop and execute promotional plan for educational programming
- Database and website management
- Grow existing subscription program
- Coordinate and promote special eventsADMINISTRATION
- Oversee administrative staff and volunteer personnel
- Manage space rentals
- Various other administrative tasksREPORTS TO Executive Artistic Director
SUPERVISES Marketing and Production Coordinator & Office Volunteers (2-3 per year)
o Start Date: June 2nd
o Compensation: $55,000.00 – $60,000.00 per year
Milwaukee Repertory Theatre
o Seeking: Various Roles
o Location: Milwaukee, WI
o Website: https://www.milwaukeerep.com
For more information: https://www.milwaukeerep.com/about/work-us/jobs/?fbclid=IwAR2lXyj99fIOhY8MmQ5n4XRveG1wEqPl2mL_9w7A1-WVpLoZhqwUDc-2Crc
Milwaukee Repertory Theater is an Equal Opportunity Employer and values and encourages a diverse workforce. We invite you to review jobs that are currently available.
Full-time employee benefits include health, dental and voluntary vision and disability insurance; flexible spending accounts; retirement plan; parking programs and complimentary tickets.
Application Instructions
Send your letter, resume and salary history (PDF or Word attachments only) to the email address listed in the job listing.
Oregon Shakespeare Festival
o Seeking: Various Roles
o Location: Ashland, Oregon
o Website: https://www.osfashland.org
For more information: https://www.osfashland.org/work-with-us?fbclid=IwAR2cqx7fSs1YYwa2I86SMVxJjZ8ns4ba2RqsEr51mMKIVWdiIL7ByQ4Lv8U
Located in the beautiful Rogue Valley of southern Oregon, the Tony Award-Winning Oregon Shakespeare Festival presents a season of eleven plays in rotating repertory across three theaters between the months of February and October. Additionally, OSF offers extensive educational opportunities to students, teachers, and theatergoers of all ages during our performance season.
We offer employment and career opportunities in a wide range of positions (acting, other performing opportunities, scenery, costumes, lighting, marketing, finance, etc.). We encourage you to check our website regularly for openings.
Two River Theater
Two River Theater annually produces a theatrical season that includes American and world classics, new plays and musicals, programs for young people, and festivals of new work. Each year, we also offer 40+ events that reflect our diverse community of Red Bank, New Jersey. Two River celebrates and honors our core values of Artistic Excellence; Education and Community Engagement; Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion; and Operational Excellence. Anyone who joins our team quickly becomes part of putting all of our initiatives into action day in and day out. Two River Theater is led by Artistic Director John Dias and Managing Director Michael Hurst.Two River Theater is dedicated to the goal of building an equitable and culturally diverse work environment and strongly encourages applications from members of underrepresented groups.
o Seeking: Various Roles
o Location: Red Bank, NJ
o Website: https://tworivertheater.org/jobs/
The Kate Spade New York Foundation
o To honor Kate Spade’s legacy of empowering and inspiring women and girls, the National Council for Behavioral Health is excited to provide complimentary Mental Health First Aid training to communities throughout the five boroughs of New York City and New Jersey and in partnership with organizations that specifically support these populations.
What is Mental Health First Aid?
Just as CPR helps you assist an individual having a heart attack, Mental Health First Aid helps you assist someone experiencing a mental health or substance use-related crisis. In the Mental Health First Aid course, you learn risk factors and warning signs for mental health and addiction concerns, strategies for how to help someone in both crisis and non-crisis situations, and where to turn for help.
The National Council for Behavioral Health shares Kate Spade New York Foundation’s belief in “the power of women to transform their communities” through empowerment. In support of this mission, we are offering through a competitive application process, select Mental Health First Aid and Youth Mental Health First Aid training, fully funded!
o Location: New York, NY
o Website
Funding Opportunities
Legacy Playwright Grant
AGE is proud to announce the return of its originative initiative, the AGE Legacy Playwright Grants (ALP) in 2024! In our continuing commitment to the social justice arts movement, AGE Founder Jane Mantiri created the ALP Grant to continue the AGE legacy of investing in artists who have been underrepresented and underserved because of age, race, and gender. Plays produced and directed by these artists on Broadway and at major regional theatre companies are rare, and this lack of representation negatively impacts BIPOC artists of marginalized gender* even more. American Theatre has to do better. Our solution? Invest directly in those telling the stories. AGE seeks to change the equity landscape of the American Theatre canon by increasing the representation of BIPOC playwrights 40+ years of age of marginalized gender. Additionally, in our creation of this initiative, we aimed to amplify the integrity of the recipients. AGE is therefore intentional in making sure that three playwrights receive individual unrestricted grants of $10,000 each. When funders dictate how grant money is used and require complex systems of documentation, oversight, and conditions, it can disempower the recipient. We are mindful of the layered history of oppression, trauma, and disempowerment for BIPOC people of marginalized gender. At AGE, equity means creating environments where everyone can achieve their goals. Giving agency to the recipients is how we practice equity. The recipients will determine the course of their professional journey and we are honored to witness and invest in their success.
o Deadline: May 15
o Application Fee: None
o Eligibility: Identify as BIPOC
40+ years of age
Identify as a person of marginalized gender or gender-diverse. We use the terms “marginalized gender” or “gender-diverse” to refer to our community of members who experience marginalization due to their genders. This includes cisgender women, transgender women, transgender men, non-binary people, among many other marginalized gender identities. Please note- marginalized gender is not the same as a marginalized person, nor does it relate to sexuality.
Identify as an emerging artist. Emerging means that the playwright has had no more than one play fully produced in one or more professional theatre(s). Readings and workshop productions are exempt.
Have an original draft of a full length play completed at the time of application; while not necessary, it is highly encouraged that the script have at least one principal character who is a BIPOC person of marginalized gender, 40+ years of age. Special consideration will be given to plays that fulfill this suggestion.
Live and work in the United States or Puerto Rico and are able to submit a W9 if chosen as a Finalist or Recipient.
Audible Emerging Playwrights Fund
In 2017, Audible launched a theater initiative, intended to radically increase access to exceptional plays and performances. A core pillar of the initiative is the Emerging Playwrights Fund, a program that invests in and nurtures self-identifying emerging playwrights, some of our most inventive, delightful, and provocative storytellers. Through the Fund, Audible aims to connect extraordinary performers with remarkable original work, amplifying new voices and harnessing the power and potential of audio to reach millions of listeners. The Fund specifically supports the creation of original dramatic work, written with audio in mind, but theatrical in spirit. Audible is dedicated to commissioning, developing, and producing work that reflects the diversity of our members and our world. To accomplish this, Audible is committed to granting at least 50% of emerging playwright commissions to artists of color and women.
o Deadline: None
o Application Fee: Free
o Eligibility: please submit all of the following to AudibleTheater@audible.com:
One full-length script for an original or adapted play (in English language only) that represents your voice ("Script"). The Script can be in any genre and may include one-acts and solo pieces;
A short biography; and
A brief statement about why audio plays appeal to you.
If you have an idea for an original audio play, you are welcome to include a pitch or summary along with your statement (this is encouraged, but not required)
o Contact: AudibleTheater@audible.com
Steven Schwartzberg Grants for Mental Health & Wellness
Writers are the beating heart of theater, whom we rely upon to take us on journeys and inspire us to think. During these unprecedented times, DGF has created the Steven Schwartzberg Grants to provide financial support for mental health and wellness services for writers. To help connect writers to therapists, DGF has partnered with Advekit, an online therapist matching service, to expand access to mental health support that might be out of your reach.
Please complete the form to receive $1,000 toward therapy through Advekit, courtesy of DGF.
If you already have a therapist or are seeking mental wellness support other than Western talk therapy, DGF is working on ways to support you in your wellness.
NYC Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA)
The NYC DCLA is dedicated to supporting and strengthening New York City's vibrant cultural life. Among our primary missions is to ensure adequate public funding for non-profit cultural organizations, both large and small, throughout the five boroughs.
They have many grants tailored to the needs of artists living and working in the city throughout the year.
o Deadline: Ongoing
o Application Fee: Freeexceptional plays and performances. A core pillar of the initiative is the Emerging Playwrights Fund, a program that invests in and nurtures self-identifying emerging playwrights, some of our most inventive, delightful, and provocative storytellers. Through the Fund, Audible aims to connect extraordinary performers with remarkable original work, amplifying new voices and harnessing the power and potential of audio to reach millions of listeners. The Fund specifically supports the creation of original dramatic work, written with audio in mind, but theatrical in spirit. Audible is dedicated to commissioning, developing, and producing work that reflects the diversity of our members and our world. To accomplish this, Audible is committed to granting at least 50% of emerging playwright commissions to artists of color and women.
o Deadline: None
o Application Fee: Free
o Eligibility: please submit all of the following to AudibleTheater@audible.com:
One full-length script for an original or adapted play (in English language only) that represents your voice ("Script"). The Script can be in any genre and may include one-acts and solo pieces;
A short biography; and
A brief statement about why audio plays appeal to you.
If you have an idea for an original audio play, you are welcome to include a pitch or summary along with your statement (this is encouraged, but not required)
o Contact: Audible
o Eligibility: Independent Artists and Groups
o Address: New York City Department of Cultural Affairs 31 Chambers Street New York, New York 10007
o Contact: 212.513.9300
SubletSeries@HERE Program
This creative curated rental program has allowed many upstart companies and emerging artists to realize their full artistic vision on a small budget. The program provides subsidized performance and rehearsal space, technical assistance, and administrative support, including a fully staffed box office. SubletSeries@HERE artists can also access equipment that is not typically available in venues our size such as video projectors, wireless microphones, color scrollers—all for free or at subsidized rates. We accept applications from artists all over the world for the opportunity to show work.
o Deadline: Ongoing
o Application Fee: Free
o Eligibility: Independent Artists and Groups
o Address: HERE Program 145 Sixth Ave New York, NY 10013
o Contact: 212.647.0202
Annenberg Foundation
The Annenberg Foundation does most of their funding in the arts, culture, and humanities to organizations in the counties of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Ventura. The Annenberg Foundation's arts and humanities grants are available to agencies that serve the greater Los Angeles region, typically with budgets over $5 million.
o Deadline: Ongoing
o Application Fee: Free
o Eligibility: Arts, culture, and humanities in greater Los Angeles region
Residencies
2025 Lanesboro Residency
A place-based program for early career artists where art and the artistic process instigates positive change, addresses or creates an opportunity to move the community forward or is otherwise be central to problem-solving. Supported by the Jerome Foundation, the Lanesboro Early Career Artist Residency program is an opportunity for early career artists from Minnesota and the five boroughs of New York City to explore ways in which their work can be applied to the community and how Lanesboro’s rural community can inform their work. This place-based and community-engaged residency program was designed to align with and amplify Lanesboro Arts’ vision for communities–especially rural communities–to embrace artists as economic drivers, culture bearers, community builders, and problem solvers. Lanesboro Arts is especially seeking residency projects where community engagement is integral to the art making or projects where public interaction with the work is at the core of an artist’s practice. Before submitting an application, please take moment to review our program guidelines and eligibility criteria. The Round One application deadline for the 2025 Lanesboro Early Career Artist Residency Program is Friday, May 30, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. CST. The application opened on April 18th, 2024.
o Deadline: May 30
o Eligibility: Round One of the application process asks for basic information about the artist, their demographics, and a bit about the proposed project. Round One applications are open to all and are due May 30, 2025 at 11:59 pm. Applications are then reviewed by Lanesboro Arts staff for alignment and best fit with program mission and goals. Following review, applicants will be notified of their application status by June 11th. A smaller pool of selected applicants will then be invited to apply for Round Two, which includes more detail about the artist and their proposed community project. Round Two applications are due August 1st, 2025 at 11:59 pm and are reviewed by a diverse jury of artists from around the state of Minnesota.
Artcroft Center for Arts and Humanities
Residencies of an average of 2-8 weeks for visual artists, writers, actors, and performance artists. Residency provides housing, studio, and meals; artist responsible residency fee ($40/day), deposit (10% of residency fee), travel, materials, and local transportation.
o Deadline: Ongoing
o Application Fee: $25
o When: 2-8 weeks
o Eligibility: Residencies are available to established and emerging visual and literary artists 18 years of age and older without regard for race, gender, sexual orientation, or religion.
o Address: Artcroft Center for Arts and Humanities 2075 Johnson Rd. Carlisle, KY 40311
o Contact: artcroft@msn.com
Other Resources
NOTE: For more resources, visit our pages of Resources - Funding, Submissions, and more.
NYFA SOURCE - The New York Foundation for the Arts maintains the most comprehensive national directory of awards, services and publications for artists in the NYFA Source section of their website.
Updates to our resources and opportunities have been made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.
#Screenopps
#ScreenOpps
#ScreenOppsmay25
Submission Opportunities for Women in Film & Video
(previously known as Film/Video Funding Newsletter)
For full #ScreenOpps Listings please scroll
or click links below for specific listings
Film Festivals
Onscreen
Offscreen
Funding
Residencies
Other Resources
If you are a longtime recipient of #StageOpps and #ScreenOpps,
you know that they started as the Funding Newsletters,
brought to you by WomenArts, who still support the ongoing production of these opportunities as well as our Funding Resources pages.
WomenArts' founder and president, Martha Richards,
received the 2020 Elsa Rael VintAge Award
(for Advocacy for Women in the Arts & Media as They Age) from us
on Zoom Saturday, November 14, 2020.
Check out our VintAge page for more info.
Film Festivals
GRRL HAUS CINEMA
GRRL HAUS CINEMA is a 𝗻𝗼𝗻𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗶𝘁 𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗺 𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹, 𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 dedicated to showcasing the short film works by 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻, 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀, 𝗻𝗼𝗻-𝗯𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿𝘆, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗾𝘂𝗲𝗲𝗿 filmmakers in experimental, low-budget-, and underground cinema. By promoting creativity and diverse expression through film, we provide a platform for emerging filmmakers and those without easy access to funding, creating a space for underrepresented voices in cinema. GRRL HAUS is dedicated to inclusivity and celebrates 𝗗𝗜𝗬 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲, because we think it’s important to share works by diverse filmmakers across various audiences, from international museums to underground clubs.
o When/Where: February 18-20
o Deadline: May 31 (May), June 30 (June), July 31 (August), August 31 (August), September 30 (September), October 31 (October)
o Application Fee: $15-$50
o Categories: Short
B!tchFest Film Festival & Screenplay Contest
B!tchFest is more than just a festival — it’s a community! One that extends far beyond the event itself. We are invested in the success of your films and screenplays, offering a space for support, connection, and collaboration for all of our past and present submitters. In an industry where women hold just 26% of key film production roles and only 16% of major studio films feature LGBTQIA+ characters, we’re on a mission to build a supportive network to unite and empower minority creator. B!tchFest is an INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S & LGBTQIA+ FILM FESTIVAL & SCREENPLAY CONTEST with a groundbreaking in-person event for both filmmakers and screenwriters in the heart of Los Angeles. At B!tchFest we’re not just breaking glass ceilings; we’re shattering them into a million pieces by unleashing the POWER of FEMALE and LGBTQIA+ VOICES in film and television! By providing a platform for RECOGNITION, AWARDS, PROMOTION, and DEVELOPING NEW CONNECTIONS we aim to break barriers and pave the way for a more inclusive entertainment industry.
o When/Where: February 28
o Deadline: May 20 (Early Deadline), July 1 (Regular Deadline), August 12 (Late Deadline), September 23 (Last Minute Deadline), November 4 (Extended Deadline), December 16 (Final Deadline)
o Application Fee: $36-$70
o Eligibility: All writers and filmmakers must be at least 18 years old for their project to be eligible. All genres of films and screenplays are accepted.
There is no limit to the number of projects you may submit and multiple entries from the same submitter are accepted. You are allowed to submit the same project to multiple categories.
The entry fee applies to each category. Submitting to Best Feature Film, Best Short Film, Best Documentary Film, Best Female Directed Film, Best Student Film, Best LGBTQIA+ Film, Best TV Pilot, Best Web Series, Best Short Social Content Video, and Best Music Video qualifies your project for festival consideration. Additionally, it makes your Cast & Crew eligible for free consideration for Secondary Award Categories like Best Actress, Best Director, Best Cinematography, etc.
For consideration, film projects must feature at least one woman or a member of the LGBTQIA+ community in a key production role, such as Director, Writer, Producer, Cinematographer, Lead Actress/Actor, etc. Or the film should address women’s or LGBTQIA+ issues and themes to be eligible.
For screenplay submissions, we prefer scripts written by women and/or members of the LGBTQIA+ community. While screenplays written by men and non-LGBTQIA+ individuals are welcome, they must either focus on female or LGBTQIA+ characters or address women’s or LGBTQIA+ issues and themes to be eligible.
Writers and filmmakers who reside in countries other than the United States are welcome to enter the contest; however, all scripts must be submitted in English, and all foreign language films must contain English subtitles or be dubbed in English.
Judges, sponsors, administrators, employees and independent contractors who currently or have previously worked with or for the B!tchFest Film Festival and Screenplay Contest are not eligible to enter the festival, nor are their spouses or immediate family members.
Entry fees are as listed on the FilmFreeway site checkout form. All entry fees are non-refundable. No coupon or discount is applicable on a previously submitted entry. Entries must be received on or before the listed deadline dates by 11:59PM Pacific Time, and submission fee payment must be paid in full at time of the submission.
Our in-person festival will feature screenings for the winners of each applicable category, trophy award presentations, red carpet photos, live-recorded Q&A panels with film and screenwriting winners, and an industry meet-and-greet event.
B!tchFest Film Festival and Screenplay Contest reserves the right to make essential changes, postponements, reschedules, or cancellations to competition dates, deadlines, announcement dates, awards, categories, and/or the festival venue at our discretion without contestant consent. The organizers may modify or opt not to award any listed prizes. B!tchFest reserves the right to amend our rules, terms, release agreements, and conditions at any time.
The decisions of the judges are final and cannot be contested in any manner. There is no score on a scorecard that guarantees advancement to the festival as advancement will be based on the total competition scores as a whole.
By submitting to B!tchFest Film Festival and Screenplay Contest you agree to our terms and conditions and to receive marketing newsletters, film festival discounts, and updates relative to this contest and any affiliated sources in the Whoever submits a project shall hold harmless B!tchFest Film Festival and Screenplay Contest and its judges and associates from and against any and all claims, liabilities, damages, losses, and expenses (including but not limited to attorney's fees, and costs of the court) which may be incurred by reason of any claim involving copyright, credits, publicity, trademark, screening, and loss of or damage to any materials submitted to our festival.
Notification of Winners and Official Selections will be sent by email and posted on our website BitchFestLA.com. It is the entrant(s) responsibility to provide us with current contact information for notification purposes and to keep the submission service updated. B!tchFest Film Festival and Screenplay Contest has no responsibility for correspondence that is misdirected as a result of the entrant(s) failure to provide us with current and correct contact information or that is sent to spam or junk mail folders.
Should an entrant win an award at B!tchFest Film Festival and Screenplay Contest, they will receive the award in-person at the Festival Awards Ceremony in Los Angeles. If not present, it is up to the recipient to arrange for a representative to receive the award on the submitters behalf. If a representative of the project is not at the festival in-person, no award will be presented. The festival is not required to ship awards to recipients who do not have a representative of the project present at the festival. However, shipping can be arranged on a case by case basis at the festival’s discretion.
B!tchFest Film Festival and Screenplay Contest and the employees and judges thereof, claims no ownership nor option on your work. All ownership and rights to screenplays and film projects submitted to this festival remains with the original rights holders.
All entrants understand and agree that there are a diverse amount of story contexts and ideas, and in no way is B!tchFest Film Festival and Screenplay Contest responsible, not now or in the future, for borrowing or stealing from an idea, copy written concept, or storyline from any film or screenplay entry.
Entrants grant B!tchFest Film Festival and Screenplay Contest permission to use their name, likeness, contact information provided, submitted work's title, logline, trailer, poster, and Grand Jury Results for publicity and promotional purposes. Contest participation signifies entrants' consent for B!tchFest Film Festival and Screenplay Contest, its agents, and contest sponsors to use their information for promotional purposes in any media, globally, without payment or consideration. All use of entrants’ information is in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
B!tchFest Film Festival & Screenplay Contest employs a panel of esteemed judges, consisting of industry professionals, to evaluate the submissions. Please understand that due to industry demands and schedules, the composition of our judging panel may evolve throughout the contest and evaluation process. B!tchFest Film Festival and Screenplay Contest reserves the right to add, change, or remove any members of the judging panel at anytime, while still ensuring the contest’s high-quality evaluation standards are consistently upheld.
By entering this contest, you authorize us to use any trusted third-party, online and cloud-based services and databases for hosting, organizing, tracking, managing, reviewing, and/or transmitting your submission file(s). B!tchFest Film Festival and Screenplay Contest cannot be held liable or financially responsible for any breaches in security with third-party, online and cloud-based services and databases used for managing this festival and its submissions, including but in no means limited to BitchfestLA.com and FilmFreeway services. By submitting to our festival, you are authorizing us to handle your film and/or screenplay using secure third party softwares.
Official Selections and Winners are responsible for their own personal travel and accommodation expenses to attend the festival. Award Winners will receive two complimentary tickets to the festival. All other cast and crew members must purchase event tickets in order to attend.
If a film or screenplay category winner does not respond to their status notification with requested materials and/or confirmation of participation by the requested response date, B!tchFest reserves the right to award a category finalist or runner-up in the winners place. We will still screen projects from submitters who are not able to attend the festival in person, but screeners must be delivered by the requested date in order to participate.
o Categories: Feature, Short, Music Video, TV Pilot Screenplay
Planet Female Global StoryFest
Planet Female Media embraces the female weavers of story from page to performance, screenplay to cinematic vision. This second year of the Planet Female Global StoryFest, Planet Female Media invites you, our dear sisters, to join our movement in a celebration of our Yin creativity, the divine tales and truths within us, and of our kindreds, all of which we access through living life, time and experience. She has something to say. We hear her. We have created a space for visual storytelling crafted by Women for Women and by those who identify as such. We are ethically mining the inexhaustible vault of feminine fable and fact to be shared, inspired by, and learned from. We believe strongly in fostering a platform for creativity, free speech and unity. Year One was a kaleidoscopic refection of our vision and we will continue to carefully review submissions and award the best in several categories. Having partnered with Westport MOCA - Museum of Contemporary Art, and Housatonic Community College, PFG StoryFest has expanded to two days, Friday, November 21, 2025 and Saturday November 22, 2025. Story Blocks will be showcased in spaces at each location culminating with an awards ceremony at Westport MoCA Saturday evening. With this expansion we are able to add 3 new categories - Short Feature Films (16-40 Minutes), Live Spoken Word, and Live Narrative Storytelling (Moth-style)
o When/Where: November 21-22
o Deadline: May 30 (Early Bird Deadline), June 30 (Regular Deadline), August 30 (Just Under the Wire Deadline)
o Application Fee: $20-$60
o Eligibility: To be considered by PFGSF for any of the Best of Festival Awards, at least one female or female identifying individual must be involved in creative leadership as screenwriter or director. If a female or female identifying individual is not in a creative leadership role, (screenwriter or director) the film's plot, subject, or main theme must be female centered. To be considered in a specific category other than best film or performance awards, there must be a female or female-identifying individual in the role. For Best Director, a female or female-identifying individual must be the film's Director.
o Categories: Short, Documentary Short, Animated Short
Imagine This Women's International Film Festival (ITWIFF)
Imagine This Women's International Film Festival (ITWIFF) is dedicated to empowering and showcasing the remarkable talent of independent and emerging women and non-binary filmmakers worldwide. Our core mission is to create a dynamic platform that amplifies their voices and celebrates their creative expressions. Prepare to be captivated by the 10th Edition of the Imagine This Women's Film Festival, where you'll be treated to an extraordinary lineup of fierce, daring, and original films crafted by exceptionally talented women and non-binary filmmakers and storytellers. This event promises not only a feast for your cinematic senses but also engaging Q&A sessions, enlightening educational panels, and thrilling special events, making it an exuberant celebration of creativity and empowerment. The primary goal of the Imagine This Women's Film Festival is to champion women by sharing their work with the public, advocating for equal opportunities for BIPOC women and the LGBTQIA+ community, offering avenues for educational and professional development, and serving as an invaluable resource and information network. ITWIFF enthusiastically invites submissions from women and non-binary filmmakers and storytellers who hold pivotal leadership positions. To be eligible for consideration, at least one woman must occupy key roles such as director, producer, screenwriter, cinematographer, editor, or lead actor, among others. Furthermore, ITWIFF embraces and actively encourages submissions from BIPOC women, LGBTQIA+ individuals, student filmmakers, and storytellers from diverse backgrounds. Our festival is committed to celebrating a wide spectrum of voices and perspectives, with the aim of showcasing the richness of talent from all walks of life. Join us in this exciting cinematic journey of empowerment and diversity at ITWIFF.
o When/Where: September 25-28
o Deadline: May 26 (Late Deadline), June 16 (Extended Deadline), July 7 (Final Deadline)
o Application Fee: $45-$90
o Eligibility: PLEASE ONLY SUBMIT TO ONE CATEGORY, THERE IS NO NEED TO SUBMIT TO MORE THAN ONE**
Please read this agreement carefully before you submit your film. By submitting your film, you expressly acknowledge and agree that you shall be bound by the terms of this agreement.
Screening Fees: Imagine This Women’s Film Festival is a non-profit organization and DOES NOT PAY SCREENING FEES FOR UNSOLICITED FILMS.*
Submission Details: Filmmakers need to provide accurate information about their film, including a brief synopsis, credits, production stills, promotional items, and any additional required materials. Please review to ensure all the information submitted is correct.
Promotional Materials: If available, please provide stills from the film, press materials, headshots, and filmography of the director, as well as black & white and/or color video trailer links from Vimeo and YouTube, and social media handles to help promote your selection. Please submit them with your application.
Copyright and Rights Clearance: Films must be free from any legal disputes, and the filmmaker should have obtained all necessary rights for music and exhibition.
Films that are publicly available online (free to screen) may be considered for exhibition during the Festival. Online private screenings through a festival’s online program do not count as publicly available online.
o Categories: Feature, Documentary, Short, TV Pilot
Reel Pride LGBTQ+ Film Festival
From grassroots beginnings in a Fresno State classroom, Fresno Reel Pride has evolved into the sixth oldest, and one of the largest, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ+) film festivals in the United States. Fresno Reel Pride is a celebration of LGBTQ+ cinema and is a premier cultural event in Central California attracting thousands of attendees, filmmakers and stars to its multi- day festival of international feature films, documentaries, and shorts. Fresno Reel Pride is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizatio
o When/Where: September 19-25
o Deadline: June 29 (Regular Deadline), July 27 (Late Deadline)
o Application Fee: $7-$20
o Categories: Feature, Short Films
Los Angeles International Screenplay Awards Diversity Initiative
THE MOTION PICTURE INDUSTRY'S PREMIER SCREENPLAY COMPETITION
is hosting a Diversity Initiative to bring attention to those groups who are underrepresented in Hollywood.Our judging panel of Oscar and Emmy winning producers, writers, directors, and executives are looking to endorse the best diverse talent and bring them to literary representatives ASAP!
o When/Where: August 1
o Deadline: May 9 (Late Deadline), May 30 (Final Deadline)
o Application Fee: $39-$139
o Eligibility: Material is accepted via electronic submission only.
There is no limit to the number of projects you may submit.
Submitted scripts must be received by midnight of deadline dates and submission fee payment must accompany your material. All entry fees are non-refundable
All submitted material must be original, and all rights must be wholly owned by the writer(s).
Material must be submitted by the writer. Material written by writing teams must be submitted by one of the writers, with consent of the other(s). All writers must be credited on title page.
If a writing team is chosen as a winner, prizes will be given to the writer submitting the project. Each team is responsible for dividing or sharing the prize money, with no direction from L.A. International Screenplay Awards administrators, staff, or judges.
Revisions, rewrites, addenda, or substitutions of either corrected pages or new drafts of the entered material are accepted upon payment of a discounted administrative fee.
By using our service, you authorize us to use any trusted third-party online and cloud-based services and databases for hosting, managing and/or transmitting your submission file(s).
All copyright, ownership and derivative rights to the material submitted to L.A. International Screenplay Awards remains with the original rights holders and/or author.
Eligibility:All writers, without regard to age, gender, country of origin, native language, or sexual preference at least 18 years of age are eligible.
The material submitted must be in English.
All material submitted to other competitions or contests is eligible.
There are no limitations or restrictions as to date of authorship.
The material submitted must not be encumbered by any obligation to, or option held by, any third party prior to entering the competition.
Any submitted work that becomes optioned, published, produced or purchased between the time of submission and the end of the judging period will be ineligible.
Material should be submitted in standard screenplay format, font, spacing and margin.
No limitations regarding title page content. Title and name of writer and contact information on cover page is recommended.
Adaptations of source material or other literary work must be properly referenced and credited.
Feature scripts that exceed 130 pages will be disqualified.
All material must be submitted electronically as a PDF digital file.
o Categories: Feature, TV Pilot
Image Out Rochester LGBTQ Film Festival
ImageOut is a premier LGBTQ+ film festival in Rochester, NY. We present LGBTQ+ arts and cultural experiences showcasing films, other creative works and artists to promote awareness, foster dialogue and build community. ImageOut is recognized and respected as a major arts and cultural organization in New York State, celebrating and bringing visibility to LGBTQ+ artists and themed work. This year, we are hosting our 33rd annual Fall Film Festival on October 9-19, 2025. We are also hosting our 5th annual First Cut Film Festival on April 24-29, 2025. ImageOut is an Iris Prize partner and is one of the few select LGBTQ+ film festivals from around the world who can outrightly nominate a film for the Iris Prize Shorts Film Competition in Cardiff, Wales. It is one of the richest shorts film competition in the world.
o When/Where: October 9-19
o Deadline: July 25 (Regular Deadline), August 15 (Extended Deadline) September 5 (Late Deadline)
o Application Fee: $7.50-$30
o Eligibility: All films submitted with LGBTQ+ content will be considered for the film lineup selection. Submission fees are non-refundable. Rochester is home to a large hard-of-hearing and deaf community. We encourage filmmakers to provide closed captioning for their films. If your film includes captions (as opposed to subtitles), please contact us for a fee waiver code. Films selected for the lineup are all eligible for the Jury and Audience awards. Submissions should ideally be film works from the last couple of years. Please contact us if your title is older than two years.
o Categories: Feature, Short
The Women’s Film Festival
The Women's Film Festival is an annual festival that is normally during Women's History Month in March that showcases work made by and/or about women and self-identifying women. This year, it will be held in September 2025. The Women's Film Festival is the only event of its kind in Philadelphia that celebrates and elevates women in film and television. Since October 2014, The Women's Film Festival has presented hundreds of culturally relevant films and exciting programming to broad and diverse audiences in the Greater Philadelphia region. Past main venues included the Perelman Theater at the Kimmel Center of Performing Arts, Caplan Theater at the University of the Arts, Drexel URBN Annex Screening Room, National Liberty Museum, Philadelphia Museum of Art Ruth and Raymond G Perelman Building, The Lightbox Center, The Suzanne Roberts Theater, Masonic Temple, Neighborhood House at Christ Church, Moore College of Art & Design, and Fleisher Art Memorial.
o When/Where: September 18-28
o Deadline: April 11 (Regular Deadline), May 16 (Late Deadline)
o Application Fee: $18-$34
o Eligibility: Please submit your work (documentary, short, feature, animation, or music video) featuring a strong female role in the category of director, writer, producer, editor, director of photography, or lead actress. Work cannot be screened in Philadelphia area prior to this film festival and must not be open to the public to view. No submission waivers.
o Categories: Feature, Short, Documentary, Documentary Short
San Diego Asian Film Festival
Since 2000, the San Diego Asian Film Festival has been one of the premier platforms for Asian American cinema and has grown into the largest showcase of Asian and Pacific Islander cinema in the western United States. The festival is borne out of the love for independent film and the desire to showcase the diverse Pan Asian experience through film and other arts. SDAFF supports both Asian and non-Asian artists by giving them a venue to showcase their work, and it gives the community access to quality films that otherwise would never show in San Diego.
o When/Where: November 6-15
o Deadline: April 21 (Regular Deadline), June 2 (Late Deadline), June 23 (Extended Deadline: Shorts), July 14 (Extended Deadline: Features)
o Application Fee: $40-$60
o Eligibility: Films/videos entered into competition must be directed or principally acted by an artist of Asian or Pacific Islander descent, or contain subject matter relating to Asian or Pacific Islander cultures or communities. Clarify questions of eligibility prior to submission of entry.
Entries must have been completed after August 1, 2022. For feature-length films, the date of first public premiere (if any) must be after October 1, 2022.
Feature length entries cannot have been previously exhibited in San Diego at another film festival or commercial venue, or be available for broadcast, home video, or online for American audiences, before Nov. 20, 2023.
Each project entered into competition must pay an entry fee. There is no limit to the number of qualifying entries by any entrant so long as an entry form and fee accompanies each entry.
Non-English dialogue must be subtitled in English.
Films/videos cannot be re-entered into competition if previously rejected by the San Diego Asian Film Festival.
Entrants shall obtain all licenses, royalties, and permits necessary to present their work. Entry will assume all costs arising from the use of patented, trademarked, franchised, or copyrighted music, materials, devices, processes, or dramatic rights used in production of work.
Short films previously exhibited on the Internet are eligible for entry.
o Categories: Feature, Short, Documentary, Documentary Short
Women’s Comedy Film Festival in Atlanta
The Women's Comedy Film Festival in Atlanta is a theatrical screening event in Atlanta for independent films featuring female filmmakers, actors, directors, writers and producers from all over the world. This is an amazing opportunity to showcase the talent of female directors, writers, actors, and everything in between right here in one of the world's fastest growing film communities. The Women's Comedy Film Festival also recognizes exceptional filmmaking and screenwriting with awards and nominations by our judging panel. Submit your film if you meet AT LEAST ONE of the following requirements:
o When/Where: March 15, 2025
o Deadline: April 30 (April Early Deadline), May 31 (Spring Early Deadline), July 31 (Summer Early Deadline), August 31 (Labor Day Deadline), September 30 (Fall Early Deadline), November 30 (Regular Deadline), December 31 (Late Deadline), January 31 (Final Deadline)
o Application Fee: $22.50-$50
o Eligibility: Script writers, in addition to submitting your script to the festival we also provide optional script coverage. Script coverage with our festival includes the price of your submission fee. Your work will be analyzed by a Cinema Life filmmaker who's produced award-winning films, has extensive writing experience, and also understands the indie way of filmmaking.
o Categories: Feature, Animated, Documentary, Comedy Short
SF Queer Film Festival
Our festival is looking for ground-breaking indie films by under-represented Queer storytellers. Unlike the older LGBTQIA+ film festivals, we do not adhere to the status quo and offer an alternate platform for out-of-the-box thinkers and content creators. We do not disqualify films based on premiere status or date of completion. We select films on merit and not based on the names attached to the project. This festival is created by filmmakers for filmmakers.
o When/Where: August 22-24
o Deadline: May 30 (Regular Deadline), June 21 (Late Deadline)
o Application Fee: $20-$55
o Eligibility: Film must be directed by LGBTQI+ individual(s).
Subject matter should be related to the LGBTQI+ community.
Films streaming on VOD platforms and Youtube/Vimeo are NOT eligible.
o Categories: Feature, Short, Documentary, Music Video
Peach Theatre and Film Festival
The PEACH Theatre and Film Intl. Festival is a unique and rare experience that merge two beautiful genres of arts and entertainment. Both theatre and film, showcasing a series of short films and selected plays, in one of the world's most famous cities, internationally known for being the home of entertainment. Los Angeles, California. Our mission is to select films and plays based on content, quality, and merit. It is also our volition to honor the creatives selected, with integrity and respect for their hard work, discipline and sacrifice to get their productions completed and ready for display. As playwrights, filmmakers and entertainment professionals ourselves, we understand what it takes, and for that reason, we salute you! Continue history with us!
o When/Where: November 12
o Deadline: April 5 (Early Bird Deadline), June 10 (Regular Deadline), September 25 (Late Deadline)
o Application Fee: $35-$55
o Eligibility: Trailers must be included in your FilmFreeway submission, to be considered for official selection.
We do not accept student films or "Works in progress."
Films must have been released, no earlier than January '2020
Those who submit films, must own the rights to the film, own the rights or have proper clearance for the original or selected music featured in the film, and footage.
All Non English films submitted, must include English captions.
This festival reserves the right to make amendments/revisions to the event itinerary, or postpone due to possible/forthcoming COVID-19 restrictions.
By submitting: You consent for our festival to use still shots and/or footage from your play or film, for promotional purposes.
We do not pay screening fees to films selected to screen in our festival.
o Categories: Short Film
Reel Sisters of the diaspora Film Festival & Lecture Series
The Reel Sisters of the Diaspora Film Festival & Lecture Series is a two-day annual film festival founded by African Voices magazine. Established in 1997, Reel Sisters (www.reelsisters.org) is dedicated to providing opportunities for women of color to advance their careers in the film industry. Reel Sisters accepts films written, directed, or produced by women/non-binary filmmakers of color. Reel Sisters is the first Academy Qualifying Film Festival for short narratives devoted to women of color across the globe. Reel Sisters is an IMDb qualifying film festival. Reel Sisters celebrates our 25th Anniversary in 2022! APPLICATION INFO: YOU MUST SUBMIT PRODUCTION STILLS/PHOTOS and a TRAILER for your submission to be ELIGIBLE AND COMPLETE. You can screenshot photos from your film if you were unable to hire a photographer. Reel Sisters is a competitive festival and films are selected by an independent jury. Please submit films early as deadlines away staff if you have any issues uploading your film and making it downloadable for our production staff if you receive an acceptance letter.
o When/Where: October 25-26
o Deadline: April 30 (Regular Deadline), May 27 (Final Film Deadline)
o Application Fee: $35-55
We will need downloadable trailer links from FilmFreeway or Vimeo to help promote your film in our festival. You must submit the trailers and photos with your application. If your materials are not submitted with your application, your film will be disqualified.
Complete the details required, providing brief synopsis of the film, credits, production stills and trailers. We accept photographs in all formats including JPEGs, TIFFs and EPS (electronic photos must be 300 dpi resolution for promotional purposes).
All accepted films will be notified via email. Please make sure ALL of your Contact Information is up-to-date. If your email changed between the time you submitted your film and our Notification Date, please update it ASAP so we can correspond with you.
o Categories: Feature, Short, Documentary, Documentary Short, Animation
She/Her Fest
She/Her Fest was created to empower, recognize, and promote art created by women identifying filmmakers. She/Her Fest is an inclusive, safe, art community. It is important to know that the festival itself is for EVERYONE regardless of gender! Hosted in the picturesque Pacific Northwest, She/Her Fest is an annual community gathering that you won't want to miss!
o When/Where: July 26-27
o Deadline: March 7 (Very First Week Discount), March 31 (Early Bird Deadline), April 30 (Regular Deadline), May 20 (Late Deadline)
o Application Fee: $10-25
o Eligibility:
All entries must include at least two individuals—either a Director, Writer, Cinematographer, or Producer—who use she/her or she/they pronouns. Entrants must be 18+.
Entries must be 100% Completed, including, color, picture, and sound.
FILM LENGTH: Short films must not exceed 30 minutes in length. Feature length films must not exceed 120 minutes in length.
BUDGET CAP: Film budget is not to exceed $25,000.
PREMIERE STATUS: No Premiere Status requirements.
FILM AGE: Films have no age requirement.
AGREEMENT OF USE: By submitting to She/Her Fest, filmmakers agree to have their work publicly screened on the listed event date.Filmmakers and guests agree to allow the festival to use their likeness in promotional materials relating to the festival.
COPYRIGHT: All rights to the film must be owned by the filmmakers, INCLUDING music and archive footage.
o Categories: Short, Documentary
Los Angeles International Awards Screenplay Diversity
THE MOTION PICTURE INDUSTRY'S PREMIER SCREENPLAY COMPETITION is hosting a Diversity Initiative to bring attention to those groups who are underrepresented in Hollywood. Our judging panel of Oscar and Emmy winning producers, writers, directors, and executives are looking to endorse the best diverse talent and bring them to literary representatives ASAP!
o When/Where: August 1
o Deadline: March 7 (Super Early Deadline), March 28 (Early Deadline), April 18 (Regular Deadline), May 9 (Late Deadline), May 30 (Final Deadline)
o Application Fee: $39-139
o Eligibility: Material is accepted via electronic submission only.
There is no limit to the number of projects you may submit.
Submitted scripts must be received by midnight of deadline dates and submission fee payment must accompany your material. All entry fees are non-refundable
All submitted material must be original, and all rights must be wholly owned by the writer(s).
Material must be submitted by the writer. Material written by writing teams must be submitted by one of the writers, with consent of the other(s). All writers must be credited on title page.
If a writing team is chosen as a winner, prizes will be given to the writer submitting the project. Each team is responsible for dividing or sharing the prize money, with no direction from L.A. International Screenplay Awards administrators, staff, or judges.
Revisions, rewrites, addenda, or substitutions of either corrected pages or new drafts of the entered material are accepted upon payment of a discounted administrative fee.
By using our service, you authorize us to use any trusted third-party online and cloud-based services and databases for hosting, managing and/or transmitting your submission file(s).
All copyright, ownership and derivative rights to the material submitted to L.A. International Screenplay Awards remains with the original rights holders and/or author.
Eligibility:All writers, without regard to age, gender, country of origin, native language, or sexual preference at least 18 years of age are eligible.
The material submitted must be in English.
All material submitted to other competitions or contests is eligible.
There are no limitations or restrictions as to date of authorship.
The material submitted must not be encumbered by any obligation to, or option held by, any third party prior to entering the competition.
Any submitted work that becomes optioned, published, produced or purchased between the time of submission and the end of the judging period will be ineligible.
Material should be submitted in standard screenplay format, font, spacing and margin.
No limitations regarding title page content. Title and name of writer and contact information on cover page is recommended.
Adaptations of source material or other literary work must be properly referenced and credited.
Feature scripts that exceed 130 pages will be disqualified.
All material must be submitted electronically as a PDF digital file.
o Categories: Feature Script, Short Script
Hollywood International Diversity Film Festival
The values of Southern California reflect the diversity of gender, gender identity, and the many different cultures that reside within our region. And independent film has been the driver of change in the Hollywood mainstream, at times influencing and re-shaping the norms of studio and network content. With screenings in Hollywood, our event celebrates independent films that embrace diversity of gender and cultural perspectives, and accepts our differences to promote understanding and empathy.
o When/Where: August 10
o Deadline: March 7 (Very First Week Discount), March 31 (Early Bird Deadline), April 30 (Regular Deadline), May 20 (Late Deadline)
o Application Fee: $40-90
o Eligibility:
The Festival does not claim any copyright or other rights related to the material submitted. However, by submitting your film or video material to the Festival, you are agreeing to allow the Festival to use partial clips and/or screenshots of your work in the Festival's promotional material.
If a submitted film (or other video-based material) is chosen by the Festival to be screened at an event, the submitter must be ready to provide the film in a high quality digital format (at least 1080p or higher) or other formats which may be requested by the Festival. Any alternative formats must be agreed upon by the Festival's directors and the submitter and the Festival reserves the right to withdraw the offer to screen the film if an appropriate format cannot be provided in time for the Festival's event date. Additionally, by submitting material to the Festival, you hereby consent to the Festival to share your name and contact information with any producers, distributors, agents, managers, and other industry professionals who may be interested in your submitted material. However, the Festival shall be under no obligation to disclose any personal or contact information related to the judges or jury members. Judging feedback information may be shared at the discretion of the Festival but should not be considered any part of standard procedure and should not be expected under normal circumstances due to time and resource limitations. If a film is selected for screening, the submitter may contact the Festival to opt out of the screening at any time prior to the date of the scheduled screening.
All status notifications and communications regarding the event will be sent by the Festival to the submitter by email. It is the submitter's responsibility to check SPAM or JUNK folders in case an important email has been misidentified as unsolicited advertising.
The Festival does not have any premiere requirements as of the current season. If your film has premiered at another film festival or was exhibited privately or online, it remains eligible. Films with distribution are also eligible but please notify us of this in your submission. (If your film is accepted to screen at our festival and our screening will be the world premiere, American premiere, California state premiere, or Los Angeles premiere of your film, feel free to let us know so your premiere status can be mentioned on our promotional material.)
All submissions of films, short films, web series, documentaries, music videos, or other video-based material must include an online screener. The Festival does not accept physical submissions of film, DVD, Blu-Ray or other physical media for the judging stages. If the online screener is hosted on a service that requires a shared password, it is the submitter's responsibility to ensure that the shared password provided is accurate and up to date.
Your film must be understandable to a primarily English-speaking audience. If the main dialogue in the film is not in English, please include English subtitles in all submission copies as well as the screening copy (if your film is selected.)
All submissions must be accompanied by the applicable submission fee. Submission fees are paid for the time and work performed by judges and jury. The Festival shall not be obliged to provide any refunds after a work has been submitted. If a dispute arises for any reason, the submitter will be responsible for any transaction fees or costs incurred by the Festival in connection with the dispute. The submitter is solely responsible for any applicable local, state, and/or federal taxes in connection with submissions.
All submitted films must be an original work. If the film is based on an existing property or other underlying work, the submitter must have secured the rights to the material. The Festival shall not be expected to verify or investigate the rights secured by the submitter. By submitting your work, you hereby represent that all necessary rights related to the work (including but not limited to story, content, music, logos, performer likenesses and images) have been secured and you accept all responsibility and liability for any copyright violations related to your submission. The Festival reserves the right to disqualify any submission on the basis of legal reasons including but not limited to copyright violations or any content that violates the laws of California.
Works in progress are accepted. However, please clearly indicate on your submission forms if your film is a work in progress. It is the submitter's responsibility to ensure that a suitable cut of the film will be ready and available by the date of the event if the film is selected for screening by the Festival. The Festival may accept revisions of submitted material on a case by case basis but is under no obligation to do so.
The Festival shall not be held liable nor responsible for any statements or opinions expressed by any individual administrator, jury member, board member, director, judge, staff member, affiliate, partner, or volunteer. Any statements or opinions expressed by such individuals do not necessarily reflect those of the Festival as an organization. If a dispute arises in connection with your submission to the Festival, you agree to contact the Festival and allow the administrators of the Festival at least one week to resolve the problem prior to involving any third party.
o Categories: Feature, Short, Documentary, TV
Astoria Film Festival
filmmakers as possible, to our community via events and social media, and to industry professionals that judge the works and attend the festival. Astoria Film Festival Inc in Astoria NY, is a 501c3 non-profit organization and an official NYC DOE VENDOR. Founded by an Astoria-born First-Gen Woman with a background in TV and Digital Media production, with a majority female board, this festival aims to increase representation in media through the festival itself and also through its education and workforce development programs. Each year, we produce a Main Festival and a Youth Festival , focused on short live action and animated films, and highlight our Student Programming, where we teach filmmaking workshops to ages 8-adult in schools, after schools, and community centers. In addition, we train high-school and college age youth in our Media Production Lab where we provide instruction in media production skills, real-world production experience, and connections to industry professionals. Please follow us on Instagram, YouTube, or Facebook for more info.
You can also visit astoriafilmfestival.org
o When/Where: May 29-June 1
o Deadline: March 1 (Regular Deadline), April 1 (Late), May 1 (Last Minute)
o Application Fee: $0-$80
o Eligibility: Submissions must be made in an mp4 format via FilmFreeway ONLY and should contain subtitles as some of our judges are deaf and will not be able to judge otherwise.
Please do not email or DM us films. They will not be part of the judged films.
Projects should not be more than 2 years old at time of submission.
Projects need to have the rights to use included music or use royalty-free music.
Projects cannot be screened in any other Queens-based festival in May/June 2025.
Short films and short animated films: 20 mins or less.
Exception: Documentary Shorts can be up to 40 mins.
o Categories: Short, Documentary
California Women’s Film Festival (Summer)
The California Women’s Film Festival is deeply honored to celebrate women filmmakers, artists and writers by providing a showcase and networking forum in the heart of Hollywood. The CWFF understands how important it is to hear and see the educated, entertaining and diverse stories of women from around the globe. We provide a platform so these voices can be heard and shared with audiences that want to be inspired. The California Women’s Film Festival accepts all projects that have at least one woman in one of the key production positions: (Producer, Director, Writer, Cinematographer, Editor, Lead Actress, Etc......). Projects that are produced and/or directed by men are accepted as long as there is a lead female protagonist and/or the story is based around women. The California Women's Film Festival operates as a biannual event. Our Winter season will be held in January and our Summer season will be held in July.
o When/Where: June 27-29
o Deadline: March 4 (Regular Deadline), March 25 (Late Deadline), April 15 (Extended Deadline), May 6 (Freeway Deadline), May 27 (Final Deadline)
o Application Fee: $22.50-$90
o Eligibility: Projects must have at least one woman in one of the key production positions: (Producer, Director, Writer, Cinematographer, Lead Actress, Etc......).
Projects that are produced and/or directed by men are accepted as long as there is a lead female protagonist and/or the story is based around women.
All genres are accepted.
Works in progress should be clearly marked on the screening copy.
Submissions in languages other than English must be subtitled or dubbed.
The entry fee is per category. Entry fee is non-refundable. Fee waivers are not available.
DVDs must clearly be labeled with FilmFreeway tracking ID and contact info.
Our Festival will consist of Award presentations, red carpet photos, screenings and Q&A sessions.
For more information please contact us at info@calwomensfest.com
Please do not send paper press kits with your screener unless requested.
DVDs will not be returned.
o Categories: Feature, Short, Documentary
o Contact: info@calwomensfest.com
The Women’s Independent Film Festival
The Women's Independent Film Festival is a chance to share and celebrate greatness in the world of female filmmaking. Our incredible community ranges from directors, to producers, to screenwriters, to actors, to content creators! Whatever the medium: We build this festival to shed light, deliver opportunity and celebrate the achievements of women in the world of filmmaking, storytelling and beyond! We're going into our 3rd year celebrating the Women's Independent Film Festival and we're so excited for this year's work, partnerships, competitions and more. Whether a finalist or not, all officially selected filmmakers will be invited to join us at the Women's Independent Film Festival for screenings, networking, resources, collaboration, learning, partnerships and for our official premieres and awards ceremony blocks. The Women's Independent Film Festival was created to encourage female content creators with unique backgrounds to share their stories/ The festival will promote the work of women filmmakers and recognize them globally for their achievements in film. Women have to be involved in the creation of ALL submitted films! That can be either as directors, producers, writers, performers, etc. Just as long as they were involved in the creation of the submitted work.
o When/Where: October 9-12
o Deadline: March 31 (March Deadline), April 30 (April Deadline), May 31 (May Deadline), June 30 (June Deadline), July 31 (Regular Deadline), September 1 (Final Deadline)
o Application Fee: $10-$60
o Eligibility: All entries should be sent via FilmFreeway with a secure online screener. Each accepted film must be submitted in the .mp4 or .mov format, preferably. By submitting to the festival you confirm that you own the rights of the film, including the rights to the music in the film. By submitting to the festival you give consent to the festival programming staff to screen your work in front of the private audience of the Women's Independent Film Festival community. There is no minimum running time. Films must have been completed on or after Jan 1st, 2019. All genres are welcome Filmmakers may submit multiple entries as long as each film is submitted with its own Entry Form, online screener and paid Entry Fee.
o Categories: Shorts, Feature Film, Documentary, Animated
Chelsea Film Festival
The Chelsea Film Festival (CFF) has been selected in the "TOP 10 BEST FILM FESTIVAL IN NORTH AMERICA" (#6) by USA Today in 2019 among 19 other film festivals in the USA.CFF is an organization dedicated to supporting films and the artists who create them by providing a creative forum for exchange and discovery with the public. The Festival attracts filmmakers, artists and audience members from across North America and around the globe. It premieres independent feature-length, documentaries and short films with a Global Focus. Chelsea Film Festival aims to raise an awareness about foreign independent films and discover upcoming talents. The Chelsea Film Festival is an international film platform for world lovers.
o When/Where: October 15-29
o Deadline: March 31 (Official Deadline), May 31 (Late Deadline), July 6 (Extended Deadline)
o Application Fee: $9-$100
o Eligibility: Entries must be New York City premieres and have been completed in 2021 or 2022. Films shown in other festivals or public screenings in New York are not eligible for consideration. Contact us directly at info@chelseafilm.org if your film is a WORLD PREMIERE.
o Categories: Feature, Short, Documentary, Documentary Short, Animation
Los Angeles Asian Film Festival
Los Angeles Asian Film Awards, originally called Las Vegas Asian Film Awards (LVAFA), was an independent festival that resides beneath the umbrella of AOF MegaFest, which is in its 19th year, is the largest film event of its kind in the world. Held in Las Vegas at the Premiere Theaters and Locations, the show regularly exceeds 20,000 guests and attendees. After a first successful annual event in Las Vegas with the legendary AOF MegaFest in summer 2021, it moved to Los Angeles, the center of the world film industry. Opportunities at Los Angeles Asian Film Awards are literally like no other in the world; Los Angeles Asian Film Awards can put more resources together and offer a wide variety of industry guests, seminar speakers, and panelists. We invite you to join festival director, Award-Winning Filmmaker and Writer Lureen Wu and honorable judge, director Roger Christiansen ("Friends," "Hannah Montana," "Tango Down") as they bring you a selection of pure Asian Cinema for Screenings and Awards. The situation surrounding COVID-19 has caused much pain in the film and entertainment industries, and no group has been affected more than Asian Filmmakers, Writers, and Creators. The Los Angeles Asian Film Awards is a hub and platform for Asian filmmakers to have their works seen and voices heard. Festival Director Lureen Wu was born and raised in Shanghai, China. She worked as a TV director in Shanghai for years, including TV documentaries, TV commercials, celebrity talk shows, and music videos. Early in her career in Shanghai, Lureen worked with the Emmy Award-winning television interviewer, Nancy Merrill, in the English talk show "Nancy Merrill: Minds of Millionaires" on the international channel of Shanghai TV Station(SMG) and CCTV NEWS. After moving to the United States, Lureen continued pursuing her career in film. She worked with filmmakers who are part of some best-known movies and TV shows such as Friends, Les Misérables（2012), The Big Bang Theory, Saw, Sex and The City, Iron Man 2, Grey's Anatomy, The Princess Diaries, Stranger Things, Game of Thrones......Our Festival is open to ALL Asian filmmakers, talents, and writers of all genres and lengths.
o When/Where: December 13
o Deadline: March 31 (Early Bird Deadline), May 31 (Regular Early Deadline), June 30 (Regular Deadline), July 31 (Regular Late Deadline), August 31 (Late Deadline), September 30 (Extended Deadline) November 15 (Final Deadline)
o Application Fee: $40-$55
o Eligibility: We are Accepting submissions for feature Narrative and Documentary, short Narrative and Documentary, Music Videos, TV Commercials, short/feature scripts. All genres are welcome. The festival programming staff will place your film in the appropriate category. To Enter for Competition your film or Project must have a writer, producer, talent or director of Asian descent in order to be eligible for awards.
o Categories: Feature, Short, Documentary, Documentary Short, Animation
New York Lift-Off Film Festival
For over ten years Lift-Off has been screening in the city of New York. It stands tall as the central hub of creative ambition. Bursting from its emergence out of the 20th Century as one of the worlds most recognizable and iconic cities. It is an undeniable powerhouse of independent art - a city of massive cultural, and business relevance to the entire film industry. Lift-Off invites filmmakers to this exceptional showcase location, that aims to deliver more opportunities for ambitious creatives to build their professional lives. From talent agencies, sales agents, distributors, and the press - New York Lift-Off is the destination for filmmakers looking to build their career, and have the right eyes on their work. The audience feedback in NYC will give filmmakers a unique, quantifiable and intelligent breakdown as to how their work communicates.
o When/Where: July 1-31
o Deadline: March 4 (March), April 2 (Regular), May 5 (Late), June 3 (Final)
o Application Fee: $18-$100
o Eligibility: If you pay a submission fee, we will screen your work. Our programme's are separated into categories based on your content's level of storytelling, production value, message and acting. During the festival we have two voting committees - our professional jury and the general public. IMPORTANT NOTE: Our online festivals are NOT a pay for vote platform. If you invite your friends and family to watch either the physical or online screenings it is encouraged that they engage with as much of the content as possible and vote accordingly. This is why two votes are always counted from each audience member with both votes resulting in 1 point for each film. We are doing our best to invite new and exciting audiences to genuine indie film content - if you can encourage your audiences to do the same we will build a wonderful network of opportunity for all, no matter where you are starting out. Proudly, we have no other restrictions for your work. This includes your work's premier status, it's age and/or whether your work has been made available online
o Categories: Feature, Short, Animated, Documentary
Manhattan Short Film Festival
During one week of the year over 100,000 film-lovers gather in over 500 Cinemas across 6 Continents to view and vote on the Finalists Films' in the 25th Annual MANHATTAN SHORT Film Festival - MANHATTAN SHORT is more than just one of the largest short film festivals in the world....it's the World's First Global Film Festival. If making short films is about getting your work out there, nothing compares to MANHATTAN SHORT.
o When/Where: September 25 - October 5
o Deadline: July 31 (Regular Deadline)
o Application Fee: $30-$50
o Eligibility: Films Must Be 20 Minutes and Under in Length.
o Categories: Short Film, Screenplay, Music Video
aGLIFF/Prism Film Festival
There is no more important place for your LGBTQIA+ film to screen in the Southwest. aGLIFF is the longest-running queer film festival in the US Southwest and the Fourth oldest in America. We are also the oldest film festival in Austin (older than AFF and SXSW). PRISM, our 35th annual marquee LGBTQIA+ film festival will be held in-person August 24 - 29, 2022. All films submitted through FilmFreeway and selected will be eligible for cash prizes, $500 for shorts and $1000 for features, as awarded by the jury. aGLIFF is a nominating partner for the Iris Prize, the annual £30,000 prize allowing the winner to make their next film, the largest prize for an LGBTQIA+ film in the world
o When/Where: August 20-24
o Deadline: March 1 (Early Bird Deadline), April 1 (Regular Deadline), May 1 (Late Deadline), May 31 (Extended Deadline)
o Application Fee: $10-$45
o Eligibility: aGLIFF accepts films of any length and genre that are about or of interest to the LGBTQIA+ community. We strongly support authenticity in filmmaking and believe LGBTQIA+ stories should be told by LGBTQIA+ filmmakers - writers, directors, producers - use your Director's Statement or your Cover Letter to introduce yourself and your team. And yes, trans characters should be played by trans actors.
o Categories: Feature, Animated, Documentary, Comedy Short
Fade to Black Arts Festival
Experience the dynamic evolution of cinema at the Fade To Black Arts Festival, where we celebrate the Past, Present, and Future of Film.This festival will bring together emerging talents and seasoned filmmakers, showcasing the rich narratives, artistic innovation, and technical mastery that shape the film industry. From intimate short films to compelling full-length features, the Film division is a platform for African-American creatives to highlight their unique voices and perspectives through the lens of film. Join us for an exciting film festival and awards ceremony that honors excellence in storytelling and technical craftsmanship. The event culminates in an awards ceremony inspired by the grandeur of festivals like the Academy Awards, recognizing outstanding achievements in various categories judged by esteemed professionals in the film industry.
o When/Where: June 8-14
o Deadline: February 16 (Regular Deadline), May 1 (Late Deadline)
o Application Fee: $50-$75
o Eligibility: The primary filmmaker (director, writer, or producer) must be of African-American descent.
Films must adhere to the stated qualifications for runtime and format in their respective categories.
Submissions must be the original work of the applicant. Plagiarism or copyright infringement will result in disqualification.
Films must be submitted via the official submission platform, along with all required documentation.
o Categories: Feature, Short
East Village Queer Film Festival
East Village Queer Film Festival (EVQ) celebrates queer film in all it's glorious diversity. We welcome filmmakers who entertain, explore and promote queer-themed issues and as well as the downtown avant garde. EVQ's further goal is community building through queer cinema. EVQ promotes the work of queer film and fosters a highly inclusive environment for all artists. You don't have to be LGBTQ+ to submit your film but you do have to be Queer!
o When/Where: August 20-24
o Deadline: February 14 (Early Bird Deadline), April 1 (Regular Deadline), May 5 (Late Deadline), June 9 (Extended Deadline)
o Application Fee: $30-50
o Eligibility:You don't have to be LGBTQ+ to submit your film but you do have to be Queer!
o Categories: Feature, Short, Music Video
Reel Queer Film Festival
The Reel Queer Film Festival is a celebration of LGBTQ+ films, filmmakers, and stories from around the world. With a mission to provide innovative, unique, and diverse programming we hope to engage the hearts and minds of audiences in Arkansas and the surrounding region. Reel Queer observes the diversity of the LGBTQ+ community by presenting stories that reflect, document, and celebrate LGBTQ+ lives truthfully and with respect. The festival demonstrates the power of storytelling and filmmaking to transform lives of those inside and outside the LGBTQ+ community. Some of our guests in previous years included Armistead Maupin (The Untold Tales of Armistead Maupin), Cheryl Dunye (The Watermelon Woman), Luka Kain (Saturday Church), Assaad Yacoub (Cherry Pop), Graham Kolbeins (Queer Japan), Elegance Bratton (Pier Kids) and Stephen Cone (Princess Cyd), Del Shores (Sordid Lives), Vera Drew (The People's Joker).
o When/Where: August 7-10
o Deadline: April 30 (Regular Deadline), May 31 (Late Deadline)
o Application Fee: $10-$65
o Eligibility: Reel Queer Film Festival (Kaleidoscope Arts and Culture) is not responsible for any lost, damaged, or stolen items, including films in any medium, while en-route or in our possession, on or off of festival grounds.
Runtimes: Short Films are any films under 40 minutes in length. Feature films will be considered those that are over 40 minutes.
Only digital online screener submissions are accepted using FilmFreeway’s digital submission process (Vimeo/YouTube links).
All films submitted must be in English dialogue or contain onscreen English subtitles. The festival reserves the right to disqualify any film that does not meet this requirement.
More than one entry may be submitted. Each must be submitted with its own entry form and fee.
It is the sole responsibility of the Applicant to obtain all necessary copyrights. By submitting the film you maintain you have obtained all necessary rights for exhibition.
COMPLETION DATE: The film must have been completed on or after January 1, 2017.
PREMIERE STATUS: No premiere requirement
Works in progress may be submitted but it must be stated on the application. If selected it is the responsibility of the Applicant to ensure the completed version arrives to the festival before the festival begins.
Films may have distribution.
All submissions are final. No refunds are provided
o Categories: Feature, Short
WRPN Women's International Film Festival
Welcome to the WRPN Women's International Film Festival, where distribution and feedback opportunities abound for films made by women or films that carry subjects relating to concerns about women's issues. WWIFF is a sister festival to the Depth of Field International Film Festival, a FilmFreeway “Top 100 Reviewed” festival alumni. Distribution: over the years, our sister festivals have sent hundreds of films and screenplays to 3 established Distribution companies who have already signed contracts with dozens of our filmmakers. WWIFF now operates with that same advantage! These distributors do not take unsolicited submissions; your top award-winning with WWIFF gets you into our private distributor review group. This is a Free Service provided exclusively to our top winners. Don’t forget Feedback: The one element most festivals ignore.
o When/Where: May 9, 2026
o Deadline: January 31 (Regular Deadline), March 31 (Late Deadline), May 31 (Extended Deadline), August 31 (Last Chance Deadline)
o Application Fee: $36-$80
o Eligibility: While WWIFF is a female-focused film festival, we will also accept films produced and/or directed by men if one or more self-identifying top production members are female (including but not limited to cinematographers, producers, writers, editors, or films featuring a strong female presence on screen). We will not exclude films directed by men if the topic is significant to women and women's issues. WWIFF is granted the right to use an excerpt from any film submitted and accepted for competition at the festival for promotional purposes. A clip of winning entries may also be streamed on the WWIFF.COM website and WRPN.TV.
o Categories: Feature, Short, Documentary, Screenplay
The Her Vision International Film Festival
We welcome filmmakers and screenwriters from around the world! We accept feature films and shorts as well as feature-length and short scripts. Our main goal is equality and empowerment in the cinematic arts. The Her Vision International Film Festival is here to highlight the achievements of women and female-identifying directors, writers, editors and producers. In addition to our mission of equality, we also underscore the importance of unity. For example, our first year's Feature Film Winner was a female producer/writer with a male director. We also welcome and encourage LGBTQ creatives. You may submit a screenplay or a film if you are a male or male-identifying director or writer if your story shows a female with some agency or shows the plight of being a female or a member of the LGBTQ community. We are here to encourage and empower creatives regardless of gender. If you have questions as to whether you or your project qualifies, feel free to reach out; Caterinacampagna26@gmail.com. What also makes our festival stand out is that we have a Rewrite and Re-edit section. Screenwriters know that writing is rewriting and filmmakers know that shooting the ending that you really want is sometimes only possible after a deadline. To that end, we offer you a chance to resubmit your work with a half-off your original submission fee discount. Thank you for bringing your passion to the table!
o When/Where: June 20
o Deadline: January 22 (Regular Deadline), February 28 (Spring Into Gear), March 20 (Halfway Home), April 20 (Lights), May 15 (Camera), June 8 (Action)
o Application Fee: $8-55
o Eligibility: your screenplay is written in Italian or Spanish they will be accepted.
All screenplays must be submitted as a pdf.
The writer of the project or an authorized party is the only person who can submit a project.
For the Her Vision International Film Festival, 50 pages and above is considered a feature-length screenplay. Of course, under 50 pages is a short screenplay.
Stage plays will be accepted at this festival.
SHORT and FEATURE LENGTH scripts get COVERAGE WITH 1 Page of NOTES
The runtime for a short film is 49 minutes or less.
Music Videos will be considered short films.
Commercials will also be considered short films.
If you have a half-hour TV pilot, that will fit into the shorts category. Half-hour Web Series are also eligible for short film consideration.
If your project is in a language other than English, Italian or Spanish, please make sure that it is subtitled in English.
If your project is chosen to be screened it must be sent in as a DVD.Projects over 50 minutes are considered feature-length films. Fiction and documentaries are welcome. *43-48 minute TV pilots will be eligible for this category.* If your project is in a language other than English, Italian or Spanish, please make sure that it is subtitled in English. If your project is chosen to be screened at the live event it must be sent in as a DVD.
o Categories: Short Film, Feature Film
The Women’s Independent Film & Television Festival
The Women's Independent Film & Television Festival is a chance to share and celebrate greatness in the world of female filmmaking. Our incredible community ranges from directors, to producers, to screenwriters, to actors, to content creators! Whatever the medium: We build this festival to shed light, deliver opportunity and celebrate the achievements of women in the world of filmmaking, storytelling and beyond! We're going into our 3rd year celebrating The Women's Independent Film & Television Festival and we're so excited for this year's work, partnerships, competitions and more. Whether a finalist or not, all officially selected filmmakers will be invited to join us at the Women's Independent Film Awards for screenings, networking, resources, collaboration, learning, partnerships and for our official premieres and awards ceremony blocks. The Women's Independent Film & Television Festival was created to encourage female content creators with unique backgrounds to share their stories/ The festival will promote the work of women filmmakers and recognize them globally for their achievements in film. Women have to be involved in the creation of ALL submitted films! That can be either as directors, producers, writers, performers, etc. Just as long as they were involved in the creation of the submitted work.
o When/Where: October 9-12
o Deadline: November 30 (November Deadline), January 31 (January Deadline), March 1 (February Deadline), March 31 (March Deadline), April 30 (April Deadline), May 31 (May Deadline), June 30 (Regular Deadline), July 31 (Regular Deadline), September 1 (Final Deadline)
o Application Fee: $10-52
o Eligibility: All entries should be sent via FilmFreeway with a secure online screener.
Each accepted film must be submitted in the .mp4 or .mov format, preferably.
By submitting to the festival you confirm that you own the rights of the film, including the rights to the music in the film.
By submitting to the festival you give consent to the festival programming staff to screen your work in front of the private audience of the Women's Independent Film Festival community.
There is no minimum running time.
Submission fees are non-refundable
Films must have been completed on or after Jan 1st, 2019.
All genres are welcome
Filmmakers may submit multiple entries as long as each film is submitted with its own Entry Form, online screener and paid Entry Fee.
o Categories: Short Film, Feature Film, Documentary, Experimental
Atlanta Women’s Film Festival
The Atlanta Women's Film Festival is a live screening of short films and table read events that takes place in Atlanta, GA. This event is an amazing opportunity to promote female filmmakers, directors, writers, producers, actors, and female-centered storylines to our incredibly supportive film community. There will be live screening blocks of films with Q&As with the filmmakers, table reads for the screenplays in our competition, live panels with influential women in the film industry, and networking events for anyone that would like to attend. Script writers, in addition to submitting your script to the festival we also provide optional script coverage. Script coverage with our festival includes the price of your submission fee. Your work will be analyzed by a Cinema Life filmmaker who’s produced award-winning films, has extensive writing experience, and also understands the indie way of filmmaking.
o When/Where: October 12
o Deadline: November 30 (Early Bird Deadline), December 31 (Holiday Deadline), January 31 (New Year Deadline), February 28 (Regular Deadline), March 31 (Spring Deadline), April 30 (Late Deadline), May 31 (Extended Late Deadline), July 31 (Final Deadline)
o Application Fee: $15-60
o Eligibility: Please fully fill out your submission profile to avoid hold-ups in the judging process. Points may be taken off of overall scores for incomplete profiles.
o Categories: Short Film, Feature Film, Documentary, Animated, Music Video, Podcast
The Women’s Independent Film Festival
The Women's Independent Film Festival is a chance to share and celebrate greatness in the world of female filmmaking. Our incredible community ranges from directors, to producers, to screenwriters, to actors, to content creators! Whatever the medium: We build this festival to shed light, deliver opportunity and celebrate the achievements of women in the world of filmmaking, storytelling and beyond! We're going into our 3rd year celebrating the Women's Independent Film Festival and we're so excited for this year's work, partnerships, competitions and more. Whether a finalist or not, all officially selected filmmakers will be invited to join us at the Women's Independent Film Festival for screenings, networking, resources, collaboration, learning, partnerships and for our official premieres and awards ceremony blocks. The Women's Independent Film Festival was created to encourage female content creators with unique backgrounds to share their stories/ The festival will promote the work of women filmmakers and recognize them globally for their achievements in film. Women have to be involved in the creation of ALL submitted films! That can be either as directors, producers, writers, performers, etc. Just as long as they were involved in the creation of the submitted work.
o When/Where: October 9-12 2025
o Deadline: October 30 (October Deadline), November 30 (November Deadline), January 31 (January Deadline), March 1 (February Deadline), March 31 (March Deadline), April 30 (April Deadline), May 31 (May Deadline), June 30 (June Deadline), July 31 (Regular Deadline), September 1 (Final Deadline)
o Application Fee: $10-$60
o Eligibility: All entries should be sent via FilmFreeway with a secure online screener. Each accepted film must be submitted in the .mp4 or .mov format, preferably. By submitting to the festival you confirm that you own the rights of the film, including the rights to the music in the film. By submitting to the festival you give consent to the festival programming staff to screen your work in front of the private audience of the Women's Independent Film Festival community. There is no minimum running time. Films must have been completed on or after Jan 1st, 2019. All genres are welcome Filmmakers may submit multiple entries as long as each film is submitted with its own Entry Form, online screener and paid Entry Fee.
o Categories: Shorts, Feature Film, Documentary, Animated
Onscreen
Untitled Feature Film Casting
Casting and seeking crew for upcoming feature crime-thriller project.
o Roles: Various
o Rate: $1750-10,500 (est. 30 Days of Work)
Offscreen
The Women’s List
Directors and actors who could never before find exactly the kinds of scripts they want? For some time, a group of writers, directors, producers, and actors has been working on a way to bypass industry gatekeepers and give women writers the attention they deserve. We’re proud to say we’re finally ready to launch The Women’s List. Once each year, The Women’s List will solicit scripts from women writers (blind submissions) for both feature scripts and original television pilots. The critical thing is that this is not just another contest; it’s a treasure hunt. We won’t limit ourselves to one “winner” or even half a dozen; we’re looking for as many outstanding scripts written by women as we can find. The final count could be 3 or 300. Each script will be read by entertainment industry veterans, including writers, producers, directors, and actors.The scripts don’t have to portray all women in a positive light or pass the Bechdel test; they just have to be great stories well told by women writers. Our goal is to become the go-to resource for overlooked writers and their stories and for the producers, actors, and directors looking to discover them. Most important, we want to change the narrative that women writers are less accomplished than their male counterparts and their stories less significant. Through those stories, we hope we’ll also create new role models for girls and women across the globe.
o Deadline: May 8 (Regular), May 31 (Late)
o Application Fee: $55-$70
o Eligibility: All genres of screenplays or television pilots are welcome but they must be written in English by a female-identifying writer or team or be translated to English. The scripts must be blind (no identifying material except the title on the cover page- not your name or your representative) and in standard screenplay or TV format. Screenplays must be 120 pages or less. Television pilots must be 65 pages or less for a one-hour pilots, 45 pages or less for 1/2 hour pilots.
o Contact: TheWomensList@gmail.com
The Ryan Hudak LGBTQ+ Dramatic Writing Award
The Ryan Hudak LGBTQ+ Dramatic Writing Award is open to New York State playwrights and screenwriters, including those who live within the five boroughs of New York City.
o Deadline: June 17
o Application Fee: None
o Eligibility: Applicants must meet the following criteria:
Must be a working playwright or screenwriter. Acceptable forms of playwriting or screenwriting include stageplays, screenplays, teleplays, libretti, radio plays, and audio dramas. No audio is accepted.
Must self-identify as LGBTQ+.
Must be a current full-time resident of New York State for a minimum of 12 months at the time applications close.
Must be at least 25 years of age at the time the application closes.
Cannot be enrolled in a degree-seeking program of any kind.
Can be past recipients of any NYFA grant or fellowship programs, except past recipients of the The Ryan Hudak LGBTQ+ Dramatic Writing Award.
Cannot be a NYFA employee, members of the NYFA Board of Trustees or Artists’ Advisory Committee, and/or an immediate family member of any of the above.
o Contact: apply@nyfa.org
LA Independent Women in Film Awards
LA Independent Women Film Awards focuses on international and U.S. film and script projects of all genres. Every season, the IMDb qualifying fest recognizes projects with a female producer, director, lead actress, writer, cinematographer, editor, composer, etc. All topics related to women's thoughts, women's fate, life conditions, women's views and so on are welcome to participate. All the winners will be promoted through various online magazines in California and can request to receive certificates and laurels. All the winners can request for screening through our festival. Our mission is designed to help create a platform for our filmmakers to be seen, but more importantly, get them the industry exposure to help sustain their craft for many years to come.The members of our jury will be award winning artists working in media from all over the world. All the award winners can request to be a jury member of a new edition of the festival in order to vote for one of the categories. LA Independent Women Film Awards is an outstanding event for promoting female artists working in media from all over the world.
o When/Where: July 20
o Deadline: March 30 (Regular Deadline), June 30 (Final Deadline)
o Application Fee: $30-$60
Swordfish Productions Pictures
Swordfish Productions Pictures is interviewing for the following Crew positions for an $80,000 Live-Action Short in New York.
o Roles: DP/Lighting, Picture Editor/Color, Sound Recorder/Mixer/Editor, Script Sup/Production Designer, 1stAD, Wardrobe/Hair/Makeup, Crafty, 2 PAs.
o Submission Guidelines: Please email 1-2 page Current Resume with 2 Biz Refs all contact info to SPECIALFILM@gmail.com.
New York Screenwriting Awards
New York Screenwriting Awards, is an international screenplay competition based in New York. Screenwriters who would need recognition to be able to contact agents and producers can submit their screenplays. New York Screenwriting Awards has four editions per year. Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter editions. Winners will be announced on the NewY work Screenwriting Awards website, via emails, and FilmFreeway. Winners of each category will receive a prestigious digital certificate and the official laurel. New York Screenwriting Awards has been run by MAE Media House, one of the most prestigious creative writing consultancies in New York, since 2015.
o When/Where: June 20
o Application Fee: $28-80
o Deadline: April 5 (Early Bird Deadline), May 5 (Regular Deadline), June 15 (Extended Deadline)
o Eligibility: All entries must be uploaded in PDF format. (www.freepdfconvert.com)
All entries must be submitted in English, formatted in 12-point courier font.
You may submit your entry via FilmFreeway. No preference will be given to either method of submission.
Entries must be received by the applicable Entry Deadline.
NEW YORK SCREENWRITING AWARDS will not share your screenplay with anyone except the official judges of the competition.
By entering the NEW YORK SCREENWRITING AWARDS you represent that your entry is your original work, and does not infringe on the copyright or other rights of other people.
Entry fees are non-refundable.
We do not accept hardcopy submissions by mail.
The decisions of the judges are final.
NEW YORK SCREENWRITING AWARDS reserves the right to make any necessary changes, postponements, or cancellations to event scheduling at our discretion.
To enter the NEW YORK SCREENWRITING AWARDS, you must agree to its Terms and Conditions.
o Categories: Feature Script, Short Script
Hollywood Storytellers Script Competition
The Hollywood Storytellers Script Competition (formerly The LA International Script Competition) is an annual event where outstanding Feature, Short, and TV Pilot Scripts are evaluated and placed in our all-inclusive genre contest. One writer from each genre and medium will be awarded the genre winner of their respective category. One feature screenplay writer, one short screenplay writer, and one TV pilot script writer will advance and receive the overall "grand prize winner" title. Call for entries open in January and close in November with announcements and subsequent information to follow. If you have a produced script, we'd be delighted to invite you to submit to our sister competition: The Hollywood Storytellers Film Festival
o When/Where: March 21-22
o Application Fee: $28-80
o Deadline: May 31 (Regular Deadline), July 31 (Extended Deadline), September 30 (Last Call Deadline), November 2 (Final Deadline)
o Categories: Feature Script, Short Script
Hollywood Cineverse Screenplay Competition
What’s your story? THE HOLLYWOOD CINEVERSE SCREENPLAY COMPETITION would like to know! Our competition welcomes emerging writers, celebrates diversity, and upholds the collective experience of enjoying cinema. We're a small-scale, indie screenplay competition that meets for annual gatherings in the heart of Hollywood, Los Angeles. Part of an alliance of indie festivals around the world, this is a great opportunity to get your work seen both in the U.S. and globally. Official selections of our festival are screened each year at trendy venues in Los Angeles. Writers are encouraged to join us at these events for Q&As, an awards presentation, and an opportunity to mingle with an enthusiastic audience. Selected works have the opportunity to win a variety of awards, accolades, distribution opportunities, and prizes (see below). Our awards are IMDb certified! We welcome scripts from all over the world, and of all genres. We accept short, feature, and pilot scripts up to 120 pages long. Come, grab a drink with friends, and check out the latest scripts from L.A. and across the globe. We pride ourselves on a diverse and open community who loves indie cinema of all kinds. When you submit to our festival you enter into a local filmmaking and film loving community. Join CINEVERSE, submit your script, and get your work seen! It all starts here
o When/Where: September 19
o Deadline: January 31 (New Season Deadline), February 28 (Early Bird Deadline), March 31 (End of Winter Deadline), April 30 (Late Submission Deadline), May 31 (Extended Deadline), June 30 (Final Call, Final Decisions)
o Application Fee: $30-50
o Categories: Feature Script, Short Script
Torch Literary Arts
Torch Literary Arts welcomes submissions of original creative work by Black women writers. We are interested in work that challenges and disrupts preconceived notions of what contemporary writing by Black women should be. Your stories and poems are valuable and necessary. Write freely and submit what you are excited to share with the world. Submissions are accepted for Friday Features only. We accept submissions on a rolling basis. Simultaneous submissions to other journals are welcome as long as they are identified as such and we are notified immediately upon acceptance elsewhere.
o Deadline: Rolling Basis
o Application Fee: No Fee
o Eligibility: Include a one (1) page cover letter noting the title(s) of the work(s) submitted.
Upload your text submission as a Word (DOC, DOCX) or portable document format/PDF (PDF).
Typed, double-spaced (poetry may be single-spaced) pages.
Numbered pages.
Margins should be set at no less than 1” and no greater than 1.5”.
Poetry: submit up to five (5) poems totaling no more than eight (8) pages.
Fiction, Hybrid genre: 12-point font. No more than ten (10) pages or 2500 words (whichever is achieved first). Excerpts of longer works are welcome if self-contained.
Drama/Screenwriting: submit one act or a collection of short scenes no longer than ten (10) pages. Excerpts of longer works are welcome if self-contained. Indicate if a performance video or dramatic audio reading will be available with the text submission if selected.
Restrictions: We do not reprint previously published work for TORCH Friday Features.
o Categories: Scripts
A24
Based in NY and LA, A24 is the Academy Award-winning film and TV studio behind feature films such as Minari, Midsommar, Moonlight, Ex Machina, Uncut Gems, and this summer’s Zola and The Green Knight. A24 TV productions include the Emmy-winning series Euphoria for HBO starring Zendaya, Hulu series Ramy from Golden Globe-winner Ramy Youssef, the eponymous variety series from viral comedy sensation Ziwe for Showtime, the forthcoming Joseph Gordon-Levitt Apple series Mr. Corman, and the Netflix anthology series Beef starring Oscar nominee Steven Yeun and Ali Wong.
o Seeking: Various Roles
o Location: Los Angeles, CA & New York, NY
o Website: https://a24films.com/jobs
The Kate Spade New York Foundation
o To honor Kate Spade’s legacy of empowering and inspiring women and girls, the National Council for Behavioral Health is excited to provide complimentary Mental Health First Aid training to communities throughout the five boroughs of New York City and New Jersey and in partnership with organizations that specifically support these populations.
What is Mental Health First Aid?
Just as CPR helps you assist an individual having a heart attack, Mental Health First Aid helps you assist someone experiencing a mental health or substance use-related crisis. In the Mental Health First Aid course, you learn risk factors and warning signs for mental health and addiction concerns, strategies for how to help someone in both crisis and non-crisis situations, and where to turn for help.
The National Council for Behavioral Health shares Kate Spade New York Foundation’s belief in “the power of women to transform their communities” through empowerment. In support of this mission, we are offering through a competitive application process, select Mental Health First Aid and Youth Mental Health First Aid training, fully funded!
o Location: New York, NY
o Website
Funding
Roy W. Dean Grants
Now entering its fourth decade, the Roy W. Dean Film Grants fund independent feature films, documentaries, web series, and short films with budgets of $500,000 or less that are unique and make a contribution to society that, without its help, might otherwise never get made.
o Deadline: April 29 (Short Film Grant), June 30th (Roy W Grant - Summer), October 31 (Roy W Grant - Fall), November 30 (Carole Dorothy Joyce Grant)
o Application Fee: None
o Eligibility: We want a one page synopsis (or outline) of the film and the first 10 pages of your script. Please be sure also include the following:
Style, format and approach to the material, including any distinct visual or technical elements.
What are your plans for distribution?
Are you the producer, director, what?
How is this project unique and how does this project benefit society?
What is your relationship to the material?
List name and position of proposed key production personnel (producer, director, cinematographer, editor, etc.) List their relevant experience or credits.
o Contact: artistdevelopment@filmindependent.org
Artslink International Fellowship
The ArtsLink International Fellowship program prioritizes applicants whose social practices seek to actively engage communities on issues related to the current climate emergency and human rights. We will actively encourage artists and arts leaders whose work is making a vital contribution to furthering people’s awareness, understanding, and active participation in environmental and/or social justice issues. Additionally, we will prioritize artists recently displaced from or still working in Afghanistan and Ukraine.
o Deadline: Letter of Inquiry deadline will be announced in January 2025 Fellowships take place in 2026: online research in May and in person residencies in the US in October-November
o Application Fee: None
o Eligibility: CEC ArtsLink welcomes applications from contemporary artists, curators, and arts leaders whose work is shaped by community engagement and social practice strategies, and informed by our most urgent local and global issues. We welcome applications from artists of any generation and invite those with both traditional and non-traditional artistic backgrounds. Applicants must be citizens of one of our network countries. If you are living outside the region, please indicate where you are currently based. Please note that an ability to communicate both verbally and in written English will be essential to success in the program. Undergraduate students and research scholars are not eligible. Arts leaders/curators must be affiliated with an arts organization in the non-commercial sector or work as individual independent arts professionals. Artists seeking placement in commercial firms are ineligible. ArtsLink International Fellows from prior years are not eligible to reapply.
Sloan Distribution Grant
The Sloan Distribution Grant is a $50,000 grant awarded by Film Independent to a film that is entering its distribution phase. Eligible films must depict themes, stories and characters grounded in real science, technology or economics.
o Deadline: Rolling
o Application Fee: $65
o Eligibility: Applicants must be the producer of a narrative fiction feature film.The film should prominently feature science, mathematics and/or technology in the story and/or have a leading character that is a scientist, engineer or mathematician. Films with innovative marketing and distribution plans are encouraged to apply. All submitted films must be at least 70 minutes in length. Applicants must be legal residents of the United States. Film must be entering its distribution phase.
o Contact: artistdevelopment@filmindependent.org
Panavision New Filmmaker Program
Panavision believes in helping students and beginning filmmakers achieve their dreams. More than 25 years ago, Panavision launched the New Filmmaker Program, an ongoing grant program that loans camera packages to film schools, training programs, and independent filmmakers – at little or no charge. Panavision’s commitment to the industry's future provides student and beginning filmmakers the opportunity to work with professional grade equipment early in their careers.
o Deadline: Rolling
o Application Fee: Free
o Eligibility: Submit your proposals at least two months before you plan to shoot. Due to the high demand for Panavision cameras and equipment, it is essential that you plan ahead and contact us early.
Proposal materials will not be returned.
The New Filmmaker Program does not discriminate as to the nature of the project that can receive equipment grants. Any form, from experimental to documentary to musical to traditional narrative, is welcome.
Camera grants are available only for productions in the United States. Customs laws make transportation of cameras out of the US prohibitive. No exceptions.
The New Filmmaker Program will not allow cameras to be used on projects that perpetuate racial or sexual stereotypes and prejudices. Pornography is absolutely unacceptable.
Grant recipients must obtain insurance from an outside insurance agent. Students can generally have the school issue the necessary policies. Plan ahead! This can take several weeks to implement. The process varies from school to school, so check with your film department. Productions that are not attached to a school must obtain the necessary insurance from an independent broker. Panavision must receive proof of insurance two weeks prior to prep dates. EQUIPMENT WILL NOT LEAVE THE BUILDING WITHOUT PROPER INSURANCE. NO EXCEPTIONS!
Approved proposals are subject to a service fee for equipment.
Anamorphic lenses are not available via the New Filmmaker Program
All gear is requests are subject to availability
o Contact: nfp@panavision.com
Catapult Film Fund
Catapult Film Fund provides development funding to documentary filmmakers who have a compelling story to tell, have secured access to their story, and are ready to shoot and edit a piece for production fundraising purposes. Our mission is to enable filmmakers to develop their films to the next level at a moment where funding is hard to find.
o Deadline: Rolling
o Application Fee: Free
o Eligibility: Applicants must be 18 years of age or older. Catapult does not fund student films.
Documentaries must be 28 minutes or longer in length. We do not fund series.
Animation is okay. Documentary/narrative hybrids will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Development funds must specifically be used for the process of completing a fundraising piece, which may include writing, shooting and editing once story and characters are in place.
Applicants must own the copyright of their production, and have artistic, budgetary and editorial control over their project.
Applicants should preferably have previous film or television production experience in a principal role (director, co-director, producer, co-producer) as demonstrated by submitting a previously completed work sample.
Applicants who have not yet produced or directed their own feature length documentary should demonstrate that they will be working with an experienced filmmaker in a principal role.
Catapult only makes grants to 501(c)(3) organizations. In most cases, this will mean getting a 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor for the project. A film production company or individual, including applicants from outside the US, may submit an application without a fiscal sponsor in place. Please see the FAQ section for more details.
o Contact: info@catapultfilmfund.org
Residencies
18th Street Arts Center
18th Street Arts Center values art making as an essential component of a vibrant, just, and healthy society. Its mission is “to provoke public dialogue through contemporary art making.” Founded in 1988, 18th Street Arts Center has fostered and supported the work of many of Los Angeles’ most engaging artists, and has built bridges to artist communities around the globe.
o Deadline: Ongoing
o Application Fee: Yes
o When: Ongoing
o Eligibility: The Visiting Artist Residency Program accepts applications from working, professional artists who demonstrate a deep commitment to their practices. The program is open to artists of all generations, nationalities, and disciplines. Applicants are required to cover studio rental costs themselves. Although we primarily support visual artists, 18th Street Arts Center will consider applications from performing artists, writers, and filmmakers as well.
o Address: 1639 18th Street, Santa Monica, CA 90404
o Contact: 310-453-3711
Other Resources
NOTE: For more resources, visit our pages of Resources - Funding, Submissions, and more.
NYFA SOURCE - The New York Foundation for the Arts maintains the most comprehensive national directory of awards, services and publications for artists in the NYFA Source section of their website.
FILM FREEWAY - Film/Video artists can check Film Freeway at: