Over the course of the next year, the work of the Literary department will take the form of two strands. The first featuring a new programme EXPERIMENT alongside the existing EXPLORE and EXPAND initiatives will diversify and deepen the network of writers the Sherman directly works with. The second strand will share skills and expertise as well as providing open access to resources for the benefit of Wales’ wider theatre sector. Initiatives in this strand will include Send Us Your Script- a script submission and feedback programme, and Pit Stop which gives writers and theatre makers the opportunity to connect with the Literary team.
EXPERIMENT/ARBROFI will represent a new chapter in artist development at Sherman Theatre. This programme will exist to offer resourced R&D time for bold new projects by Welsh / Wales-based writers and theatre makers with some experience of making work. Participating projects will be aligned to the Sherman’s artistic vision and programme. EXPERIMENT will enable the Sherman Literary team to respond to the needs of each individual project and offer a bespoke package of R&D support. Applications for this new programme are now open.
The returning EXPLORE programme for those starting their script writing journeys and the EXPAND initiative for those who have written at least one full length play, will open in September.
Announcing the new EXPERIMENT strand, Sherman Theatre’s Literary Manager Davina Moss said: “We’ve had so many useful conversations with writers and those chats have really helped us to better understand what writers need from us. One of the things we have learned is that across the sector mid-career artists aren’t often given room to play and grow their ideas nor the space and time to make their best work. We are proud that EXPERIMENT will begin to address this gap, matching experienced artists with unique, bespoke opportunities to push ahead with their work. We can’t wait to hear what artists want to make next.”
The Literary Department at Sherman Theatre has already made a substantial impact on the Welsh theatre sector. Throughout 2023 the team interacted or worked with more than 200 Welsh and Wales-based writers and ran over 50 sessions for writers which equates to more than 100 hours of free training. The team read and fed back more than 100 scripts by writers new to the Sherman in 2023. 140 separate writers met with the Literary team in one-to-one settings, to talk about their plays and support their career development. The team also offered more than 400 hours of free writing space to our artists, using the Writers’ Room in the building as a shared resource.