Applications for the 48th Bay Area Playwrights Festival must be sent through our online portal, which will be available and linked on this page for two weeks, from November 30 to December 13, 2026,  OR until we reach our cap of 600 applications. We encourage all playwrights to prepare their materials in advance and apply early. For further details, please scroll down to our FAQ section.  For further details, please see our BAPF48 Application Guidelines for important information and Frequently Asked Questions.

Minimum $1,200 stipend. Travel and housing are guaranteed for all playwrights for the artistic retreat and for non-local playwrights for the in-person festival.

We welcome applications from writers of all ages, backgrounds, and identities, including both national writers and local Bay Area writers. Special attention is given to Bay Area writers, early career writers of any age, BIPOC and other historically marginalized writers.

Applicant Criteria:

• Must reside in the U.S. and have valid work authorization (Social Security Card, Green Card, or Employment Authorization Document).
• Must be either an early or mid-career playwright (of any age). 
• Must be available to attend the BAPF48 Retreat in May 2028 and the Festival in September or early October 2028 (exact dates TBD).
• Cannot be a member of the 2026 BAPF cohort. Selected playwrights must observe a one-year hiatus before reapplying. Semifinalists, Finalists, and Honorable Mentions from past BAPF cycles are eligible and encouraged to reapply.
• Must not be a full-time student (undergraduate or graduate) during the program. If you are currently a full-time student, you must graduate by December 2027. Please indicate this in your application and resume/bio.
• Cannot be a current Resident Playwright Program participant.
• Only one application per playwright per cycle.

Play Criteria:

• Full-length, unproduced, original plays in PDF format.
• Playwrights may reapply with a new draft of a previously submitted play for one additional cycle. (Max 2 applications per play.)
• We do accept adaptations, but not translations.
• Plays are primarily in English (multilingual plays are accepted).
• Cast size must be between 1-7 actors (plays requiring 8+ actors are not accepted).
• We do not accept musicals or plays with music at this time.

We have an open application process for the Bay Area Playwrights Festival, where ultimately, four to five playwrights’ new work will be chosen for development.

We strive to create a process that is equitable and fair to all who apply. Every script will be read fully twice by readers on our National Committee of theater professionals and new work advocates. Before we make any decisions regarding our Semi-Finalists round, multiple staff members will evaluate each writer’s script, individual development goals, and resume. In our Semi-Finalist and Finalist rounds, a community of 20 Bay Area theater artists of multiple disciplines will gather to discuss plays that have advanced. Applicants will be notified of their status (either advanced or did not advance) at the end of each stage. 

Estimated Review Timeline (subject to change): 

• Mid-December 2026: Initial Script Review 
• March 2027: Semi-Finalist Review will begin 
• May 2027: Finalist Review 
• August 2027: Selected playwrights will be notified

For more on our process, read Heather Helinsky’s articles from 2020 and 2021, and Kaela Mei-Shing Garvin’s (BAPF44 Alum & BAPF45 Play Selection Advisor) article from 2022. We review our application and evaluation process every year and are in contact with the Dramatists Guild and LMDA regarding best practices for our organization to help guide updates.

Where can I read more information about the selection and application process? 

The BAPF Application Guidelines document has the most comprehensive information on our application, evaluation, and selection process. Please review it thoroughly.