Red Ladder has always supported artists to realise their projects and launch their careers. Although we are made up of a very small team, we want to use our resources to support as many artists as we can and in the best possible way, as we know just how tough it is being a freelance artist just now.  We try to be as fair and transparent as possible with the time and resources we can offer.

Aside from exceptional circumstances, we only ever produce one show a year.  We can’t support every writer or project that we would like to, but we’ll do our very best; and we particularly encourage artists from the North of England to get in touch with us.  Find out how below…

Red Ladder is a New Writing company, and proud of it! We commit to reading at least the first ten pages of every script that is sent to us. As a team, we meet roughly each month to discuss all that we’ve read, and decide whether we’d like to hear more. If we would, we’ll let the writer know, and negotiate a next step. At each subsequent step, the team will decide how or whether to continue – and the writer will have that same choice. This is how we found our 2026 show, Close Enough to Touch by Henry Roberts.

As we gear up for our 60th Anniversary, we’re particularly interested in work that reflects our radical roots and speaks to the political issues we’re facing now. The world is on fire, just like it was in ’68.  So what are we going to do?  Find the stories that help us imagine a better future. Your stories.

We want to hear voices that aren’t always heard in theatre, and to reflect what they want to say.

If you are looking for some help – for example advice about a project, or in-kind support to add into a funding bid, or simply some advice about the industry – we will also review your enquiry at our monthly meeting. We set aside a number of ‘Coffee Hours’ a month in which we meet with artists to discuss projects and offer advice.

There are many ways in which we might be able to lend a hand. Some examples are:

• Reading a draft script, and giving dramaturgical feedback
• Advising you about Arts Council funding
• Making some introductions to other artists/organisations
• Assisting you to write a funding bid
• Producing advice (casting, project management, fundraising)
• Answering budgeting questions
• A general chat about your work
• Advice about the Northern theatre landscape, and building a career here
• Producing your show (in a very small number of cases!)

If you’re looking for inspiration, head to our online shop where you can order Red Ladder scripts and DVD’s of some of our past shows.

For information on past shows, including dates, credits, images and video content please visit Past Shows.

You can also request to access the Red Ladder Theatre Company Archive Collection at Leeds University by following the instructions here.