The Cooper Prize 2026 – Playwriting Prize

The Cooper Prize, presented by the 16th Street Foundation and Company 16, is an international playwriting award supporting bold, original theatre writing. The prize is designed to give playwrights creative freedom to explore complex, challenging, or controversial ideas through dramatic work. Submissions are assessed by an industry panel led by established theatre professionals. Finalists receive a staged public reading with professional actors, and the winning work receives a $20,000 AUD award along with consideration for full production commissioning. The prize emphasises artistic integrity and the exploration of philosophical and human themes inspired by works such as Man’s Search for Meaning and The Brothers Karamazov

1\. One-Page Document Containing: Motivation for writing. Philosophic perspective or worldview. Issues explored in the play. Synopsis or treatment of the work. 2\. Script Submission Up to 10 pages of the play. 3\. Original Work Must be an original theatrical work. 4\. Theme Works should engage with themes inspired by: Victor Frankl's Man's Search for Meaning Fyodor Dostoevsky's The Brothers Karamazov Themes include: Faith and doubt. The meaning of suffering. Truth and morality. Human purpose and freedom.