2026 Submissions

Fresh Ink is always revamping our submission process and season opportunities with the aim at being action oriented in our equity and diversity goals. We seek to better reflect the playwright and artist community we are looking to serve and cultivate! We are also inviting ourselves, as an all volunteer organization, to slow down to give ourselves the space to grow financially and strategically.

You can learn more about our development and selection process at our FAQ page and reach out to submissions@freshinktheatre.org with any questions.

Important Update:

Fresh Ink is not currently accepting open submissions for a Production Residency. We look forward to providing future opportunities for writers to submit for a full production!

Click HERE to see all the opportunity breakdowns (also listed below) and application questions ahead of time.

Please note our application will open on February 1st, 2026, at which time you can fill out and submit the form. The application form is a Google document that contains a replica of the questions on the document linked above. The purpose of this document is for you to be able to prepare your answers with ample time!

Wondering who will read your play? Stay tuned to meet the lovely humans on our Reading Comittee!

2026 Submission Opportunities

New Play Development Residency

Fresh Ink seeks ONE New Play Development Residency playwright. This residency is awarded to any playwright who is located in the MA/Greater Boston area or has local housing looking to develop their play with Fresh Ink for 6 months. We are specifically seeking submissions from playwrights who hold historically marginalized identities (playwrights of color, LGBTQ+ playwrights, Disabled/Neurodiverse) for this opportunity. This residency is best suited for a playwright who is ready to tackle working on multiple revisions and drafts of their script with the help of a director, dramaturg, and actors before receiving feedback from audience members.

This residency includes:

• $600 playwright award

• One-on-one meetings with a dramaturg and collaboration with a director

• Two internal workshops

• One public staged reading directly following the second internal workshop

Ink Spot Residency 

Fresh Ink seeks ONE Ink Spot Residency playwright. This residency is awarded to any playwright who is located in the MA/Greater Boston area or has local housing looking to develop their play with Fresh Ink for 1-2 months. This residency is best suited for a playwright who is ready to hear their script read by actors, workshop their piece in a development room, and receive feedback from audience members. 

This residency includes: 

• $300 playwright award 

• One-on-one meetings with a dramaturg 

• A one-week workshop and public staged reading
  
  SPECIAL NOTE: We aim for all submissions read by Fresh Ink to be self-evaluated by the playwright to be ready for workshop. Priority will be given to playwrights who are emerging writers.

2026 Application & Deadlines

Playwrights interested in one or more of the 2026/2027 opportunities must submit an application along with their play to be considered.

Application Guidelines: Please read these carefully

• You must be at least 18 years of age. 

• Please view our mission statement before submitting your application.

• Applicants must be a current, full-time resident of MA/The Greater Boston Area OR have local housing and if selected, should remain so for the duration of the Fresh Ink season for which you are submitting. Fresh Ink does not provide housing or travel stipends outside of the residency award. All workshops and readings will take place in Boston. 

• Your play must be full length or at least 50 pages to be considered. 

• Your play must be able to be workshopped and performed with 4 actors or fewer. You may double characters, but please do not exceed 4 actors.

• We are not accepting musicals or short plays at this time.

• Please do not submit a script that has previously been submitted to Fresh Ink unless significant changes have been made since the last submission (please explain those changes in your application)

• Your play must not have had a professional production. Previous readings, workshops, and academic productions are allowed.

• You may submit an original or adapted work, provided the rights to any material not in the public domain have been granted in writing and a copy of the release is emailed along with the script.

• A writer may submit only one play each year.

• No incomplete submissions will be accepted.

• Formating 

• Please make sure your script has page numbers.

• Please title your script PDF (“Save As”) in the following format: TITLE OF PLAY – Last Name, First Name

• Submissions will open on February 1st, 2026 and close when we have received 65 scripts or on February 15th, whichever comes sooner.

  
  ***All scripts must follow the guidelines above to be accepted and considered for a development process.***
  
  If you have any questions, please feel free to email Jolie Frazer at jfrazer@freshinktheatre.org and/or Erin Davis at edavis@freshinktheatre.org
  

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