2026 Lee Playwriting Prize for New Canadian Plays | Call for Applications
The Lee Playwriting Prize for New Canadian Plays is open to playwrights with Canadian citizenship or Canadian permanent residency. This year and this year only, the National Arts Centre - English Theatre will top up the prize by another $10,000 for a total prize of $20,000.
Applications for this year will be open from May 18-24, 2026.
Please read the following eligibility criteria carefully if you are interested in applying:
- The play must be an original work.
- The play must not have received a professional or independent production (including Fringe Festivals).
- Plays that have been workshopped are eligible.
- The play must be written in English, or formally translated to English. The cast size is flexible, but a diversity of characters is encouraged.
- Plays must be considered full-length (at least 75 minutes).
- Not open to current employees or students of the University of Alberta. Students must have completed their studies on or before June 2025 in order to be eligible.
- Plays that have been previously submitted for the Lee Playwriting Prize are not eligible.
- Former Lee Playwright in Residence participants are eligible to apply.
- Applications can be submitted via this Google Form from May 18 until May 24, 2026. Applications will close May 24, 2026 at 23h59 Mountain Time.
The winning play will be determined by an anonymous review process. Please ensure that there are no identifying features in your application (including in the file title, headers and footers, etc.) that would compromise your anonymity to the jury.
There is a $20 (CAD) non-refundable application fee.
For further inquiries please contact Kenneth T. Williams at ktwillia@ualberta.ca.
Thank you for your interest in the Lee Playwriting Prize!
An official announcement will be made in August at the U of A Drama Alumni event at the Edmonton Fringe Festival.
We thank all applicants for entering your work. Unfortunately, we are only able to provide feedback on successful applications.
Good luck!
Protection of Privacy and use of information statement:
Personal information provided is collected in accordance with Section 4(c) of the Alberta Protection of Privacy Act (POPA) and will be protected in accordance with section 10 of the Act, and used and disclosed in accordance with sections 12 and 13 of the Act. It will be used and disclosed for the purpose of adjudicating the Lee Playwriting Prize for New Canadian Plays.
Should you require further information about collection, use and disclosure of personal information, please contact Kenneth T. Williams at ktwillia@ualberta.ca.
Rights & Responsibilities of the contributor:
By submitting a digital file, contributors consent that they have read, understood, and accepted the preceding Description and Eligibility Criteria for the Lee Playwriting Prize for New Canadian Plays at the time of submission.
The contributor is warranting that (a) the content of the submission is their original work, and its content is not plagiarized, and does not infringe copyright or any other intellectual property protections, nor contravene the Alberta Protection of Privacy Act (POPA); or, where the submission is not entirely the contributor's original work, the contributor has obtained all necessary permissions in writing to grant the rights outlined herein; and (b) where the contributor shares co-ownership of copyright in the submission, they have obtained the co-owners written consent.
For further information please contact the UAlberta Copyright Office at copyright@ualberta.ca.
