Call for Submissions:
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​21st Annual Women's Work Festival in 2027

Submissions are now open for both the Annual Dramaturgical Workshops and Playwriting Lab.
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The deadline for submissions is July 19th, 2026, at 11:59pm Newfoundland time via the form linked below.
Before submitting please review both programs to evaluate which is more appropriate for your work at this time.
Need some guidance? Let us know! Email us at [email protected].

ANNUAL DRAMATURGICAL WORKSHOPS

Our flagship festival is designed for playwrights with plays that are in the final/advanced stages of development and/or are almost ready for production. The focus is on refining existing drafts through intensive dramaturgical support and audience feedback.

Eligibility Criteria:
  • Gender Identity: Open to women and other marginalized genders.
  • Residency: Open to playwrights residing in Canada. International submissions are NOT ACCEPTED. 
  • Play Status: Submissions must be unproduced works. Plays that have had workshop productions as part of the scriptwriting process are generally accepted. Still, if the playwright is unsure whether a prior presentation counts as "produced," they should contact us at the time of submission.
  • Play Development Stage: Plays should be in a developed stage, nearing completion, and ready for a final table reading with actors and audience feedback. 
  • Length: Full or partial drafts are accepted, with a preference for works 100 pages or under.

Playwrights receive:
  • A six-hour workshop with a dramaturge and actors.Although the Festival considers playwrights' suggestions for dramaturges and actors, final casting and dramaturgical assignments remain at the discretion of the Festival and are subject to budget availability.
  • Focused audience feedback.
  • Public Reading of either an excerpt or a full-length reading of your workshopped play.
  • An honorarium of $500.
  • While travel is not covered, we explore options for accommodations and travel stipend closer to the festival.

Selection Policy:
  • Three (3) plays will be selected.
  • At least one (1) selected play must be from a playwright residing in Newfoundland and Labrador.
  • At least one (1) selected play must be from an IBPOC (Indigenous, Black, and People of Colour) or equity-owed artist.
  • If the selection pool does not allow us to fully meet these criteria, we reserve the right to select additional playwrights from outside Newfoundland and Labrador or those who do not identify as IBPOC or equity-owed artists.​

​Playwriting Lab

This program is specifically for playwrights with plays in their early stages of development, including those with a complete first draft that still requires significant development. It offers a structured environment for a cohort of playwrights to develop their drafts with the support of a facilitator.

Eligibility Criteria:
  • Gender Identity: Open to women and other marginalized genders.
  • Residency: Open to playwrights residing in Newfoundland and Labrador.
  • Play Development Stage: Plays should be in the early stages of development, or in their very first draft.
  • Participants: This program is for a cohort of 4 emerging or experienced playwrights.
  • Commitment: Selected playwrights must be available to meet weekly with the Playwriting Lab Facilitator during February 2027. Online participation is an option for playwrights outside St. John's and the surrounding area.
  • Submission Requirement: A complete first draft, or at least 10 pages, of the play.

If selected, playwrights will receive:
  • Weekly development meetings with a facilitator dramaturge from 10:30 am - 1:30 pm on the following dates: January 16, 23, 30 and February 06, 2027 (Online participation is an option for playwrights residing outside St. John's and the surrounding area.)
  • Opportunity to have a public reading of an excerpt at the end of the Lab during the 21st Annual Women's Work Festival (March 1st - 7th, 2027).
  • A one-year PARC membership to support play development after the Festival. 

Selection Policy:
  • A cohort of four (4) playwrights will be selected.
  • We aim to have at least one (1) playwright from Newfoundland and Labrador (outside St. John's and the surrounding area).
  • At least one (1) selected play must be from an IBPOC (Indigenous, Black, and People of Colour) or equity-owed artist.
  • We are aiming to have 50% of experienced and 50% of emerging playwrights.
  • If the selection pool does not allow us to fully meet these criteria, other playwrights will be selected.​
"It's so important to have events like this that focus on theatre and writing from marginalized communities -- that this festival has not only got such a long history but has also expanded its remit to include other gender-oppressed folx is a beacon of how best to adapt and be inclusive! We can't be what we don't see, and the practical help of this festival is so important!"
- Maia Mathieu