Seeing as we are based in Leeds, and dedicated to supporting local talent, priority is being given to those of you lucky enough to be oop North. However, if you’re not in God’s Own Country, or nearby, please do keep reading as we have reserved spaces for you.

First up, in February, is Writing for Emerging Northern Playwrights. If you’re interested in writing for theatre, this is the course for you.  We’ll look at creating believable, multi-layered characters, giving those characters a voice in monologues and duologues, and a look at how to build a longer story.  We’ll even have a go at how to tackle audio drama. No experience necessary! Your writing will be explored later in the year by a director and actors, for a public sharing.

The new addition for 2026 is Writing for Northern Intermediate Playwrights. If you’ve already had some experience writing for theatre and want to develop some new ideas with a chance to work on rewrites and have your work explored later in the year by a director and actors, this is the one for you. And as a special extra, we’ll have a look at creating work from verbatim/participants’ lived experience. The sign up for this workshop is slightly different, you don’t book on via the ticket link but send a sample of work, so please check the website for the deadline. 

Both of these courses are online. 15/20 places on each will be prioritised for Northern writers. However, if you aren’t lucky enough to be a northerner, don’t use the booking link, please drop us an email and we’ll put you on the waiting list for the other available places. Please stipulate whether you wish to attend the Emerging or Intermediate course.

In March it’s the turn of you Northern Theatre Directors. If you want to have a look at different aspects of directing, including devising and working from life stories, and especially working with scripts and actors, this is the course for you. You’ll work with actors from our latest Acting course cohort to create a public sharing of the writers’ works.

This is closely followed by sessions for you budding Northern Theatre Actors. This year we’ll take some time with actors to explore working with scripts and how to create your own take on characters. Plus a little devising. Then we’ll team up with the cohorts from our Directing and Writing courses, and together you’ll bring the writers’ pieces to life in a public sharing. If you’d like to explore different approaches to scripts, this is the course for you. No experience necessary!

Both of these courses, as well as the group days and final sharing, will be on the Leeds Conservatoire campus. Final room details will be sent nearer the time.

*the courses are free but to try and ensure attendance, we ask for a £10 deposit, which is returned after the first online session or during the first in-person workshop. If this or travel expenses are a barrier to you attending or signing up straight away, please give us a shout.

Check out our website (link below) for more details on each course and booking links.

📸 Josh Hart (Dan) in Red Ladder’s ‘Glory’. Credit Andrew Billington