For Playwrights, a Chance to Win $3000

Yinka Olatunbosun

With the recent announcement of the commencement of its 6th Playwright Competition, Beeta Universal Arts Foundation, a prominent social impact organisation focused on the promotion of the arts in Nigeria and Africa, is now accepting submissions for this year’s competition. The organisation, managed by Bikiya Graham-Douglas, has been strategically positioning Nigeria on the map of the world’s creative nations by remaining focused on the development of talents and the complete performing arts ecosystem in Nigeria since its foundation.

This year’s competition invites young playwrights between the ages of 18 and 40 to submit their extraordinary stories for a chance to win the big prize of $3,000 USD.

The Beeta Playwright Competition’s 2023 season, with the theme “No Limits,” urges participants to submit plays that delve deeply into their imagination. The competition’s entry deadline is September 30. The top ten finalists will all have the chance to participate in a capacity building workshop and potential tour of specially chosen plays with Utopia Theatre in the United Kingdom, directed by Mojisola Elufowoju, in addition to the publishing deal with one of Beeta Universal Arts Foundation’s publishing partners, Paperworth Books, led by Ibiso Graham-Douglas. The winning play will be presented live on stage. Ayo Jaiyesimi, Ahmed Yerima, Ego Boyo, Shaibu Husseini, Ibiso Graham-Douglas, and Kenneth Uphopho are among the judges for the 2023 Beeta Playwright Competition. The playwrights who made the short list will receive consolation prizes as a sign of appreciation for the effort, ingenuity, and dedication put forth during the writing process.

At last year’s award ceremony for the Beeta Playwright Competition, the founder, Bikiya Graham-Douglas, highlighted her reason for creating such a platform that encourages and rewards young playwrights. “We are grateful for the talent being discovered in Nigeria,” she said. “We started this competition because we saw a vacuum in documenting playwrights in my generation. I found myself as an actress and producer constantly looking for new materials to no avail, hence, our decision to create this platform. It’s been very rewarding to see all these young people writing and telling their own version of our history. They deserve our applause.”

The competition’s past winners include ‘Our Son the Minister’ by Paul Ugbede, ‘Jagagba’ by Abdul Qudus-Ibrahim, ‘Daughters of the East’ by Achalugo Chioma Ezekobe, ‘Black Dust’ by Temilolu Fosudo, and ‘The Mask We Wear’ by Femi Akande at the 5th edition.

This edition is sponsored by Chairborne Global Services Limited, MTN Foundation, Utopia Theatre UK, Olajide Oyewole LLP, and Paperworth Books. All entries should be submitted on the foundation’s website: http://www.beetauniversal.org