22 July 2020

The 2021 Imison Award is now open for entries, celebrating new talent and outstanding achievement in UK audio drama.

Awarding £3,000 to the best original script by a writer new to audio drama, the Imison Award is calling for entries that are 'fresh, combative, provocative, diverse' – with entries judged by the Society of Authors’ Scriptwriters Group (SWG) committee.

This year's Imison Award was won by Vicky Foster for Bathwater, awarded at the BBC Audio Drama Awards in February 2020.

Scriptwriters Group chair David Morley said:

“Drama has never needed new voices more than today. The Imison Award celebrates writers new to audio productions and we want to read your scripts. The BBC is no longer the only platform in town, and if you have had an original dramatic work published via podcast this year, then enter the competition. Surprise us. We don’t want to read yet another dull Radio 4 Afternoon play, or anything that sounds like The Archers. We want to read fresh, combative, provocative, diverse drama.”

Imison Award – Best original script by writer new to audio drama

To be eligible, scripts should have been broadcast or made available online in the UK between 1 October 2019 - 31 October 2020. Entries can be made by producers, agents or writers.

The 2020 judges are committee members of the Scriptwriters Group: Barney Norris, Niel Bushnell, Stefan Buczacki, Jamila Gavin, Ben Carpenter, Hannah Silva, Sean Grundy, Ian Billings and David Morley. Shortlisted for the 2020 award alongside Vicky Foster were Testament with The Beatboxer (produced by Gary Brown, BBC Radio 4) and Colette Victor with God’s Mercy (produced by the David Hunter, BBC World Service).

The Imison Award is generously sponsored by the Peggy Ramsay Foundation.

How to apply

To apply, submit your application and supporting materials by 4 October 2020 here – where you can also read the full terms and conditions.