The Cooper Prize 2026
The 16th Street Foundation and Company 16
📌About the Event
The Cooper Prize 2026 is an international playwriting award presented by The 16th Street Foundation and Company 16. The competition invites playwrights to submit bold, original theatre works that explore deep philosophical and human themes such as faith, doubt, truth, suffering, morality, and meaning. It is open to both published and unpublished playwrights from around the world.
ℹ️ Event Details
- Category: International Playwriting Competition
- Mode of Conduct: Online submission through the official application form
- Theme/Prompt: Participants must respond to themes inspired by Victor Frankl’s Man’s Search for Meaning and Dostoevsky’s The Brothers Karamazov.
- Key Themes:
- The battle of doubt and faith
- Whether suffering is redemptive or meaningless
- The power of truth
- Submission Requirement: Applicants must submit a one-page script treatment and a scene from the play of up to 10 pages.
- Target Participants: Playwrights, theatre writers, dramatists, creative writers, and students interested in theatre and scriptwriting
📅 Important Dates
- Applications Open: Open now
- Submission Deadline: June 19, 2026
🎯 Eligibility & Rules
- Eligibility:
- Open internationally to playwrights from all countries
- Published and unpublished playwrights can apply
- No nationality restriction is mentioned on the official page
- Submission Rules:
- Applicants must submit a one-page document explaining their motivation, philosophical perspective, worldview, and synopsis/treatment of the work.
- Applicants must submit 10 pages of the play.
- Submissions longer than the maximum requirement may not be reviewed.
🏆 Benefits for the Participants
- Winner’s Prize: AUD 20,000 cash prize
- Production Opportunity: The winning work will be considered for a full commission for production.
- Finalist Benefit: All finalists will receive a professionally directed public reading of their submitted scene with professional actors.
- Career Value: Strong opportunity for playwrights to gain international visibility, professional feedback, and theatre industry exposure