The Pearson Playwrights’ Scheme awards five bursaries a year to writers of outstanding promise. Each award allows the playwright a twelve-month attachment to a theatre and commissions the writers for a new play. The Pearson Playwrights’ Scheme is one of the most prestigious awards for new writing in British theatre.

Judges of the Pearson Award include Sir John Mortimer CBE QC, Dame Beryl Bainbridge, Catherine Johnson (previous bursary winner and writer of Mamma Mia), Sue Summers, Thelma Holt CBE, Michael Billington, John Tydeman OBE and Jack Andrews MBE.