Roger Scholes Prize for Writing for Stage or Screen 2027

The Roger Scholes Prize for Writing for Stage or Screen is for the best original work produced for stage or screen (including narrative video games) by a Tasmanian writer. 

The judges will award the prize to the work deemed to have the most literary merit.

This award is named in honour of distinguished Tasmanian filmmaker Roger Scholes (1950–2022).

The winner will receive $25,000.

Entries open on 6 July 2026 and close 17 August 2026.

The Tasmanian Literary Awards are administered by Creative Tasmania on behalf of the Tasmanian Government.

The following eligibility criteria apply:

The writer(s)

• The entered work must have no more than two writers. This means that Creative Tasmania will pay the writers an equal share of the prize award for this category (unless Creative Tasmania is informed in writing that both writers have agreed to a different share).

• The writer, or one of the two writers, must be resident in Tasmania. This means that the writer must have lived in Tasmania for six of the past 12 months as at the date of entry into the awards.

• The writer, or one of the two writers, must be living as at the date of entry into the awards.

The literary work

• The entry must be a complete work in the form of any of the following:
  
  • a playscript
  • a screenplay (comprising one individual script, which may be a feature, an episode of a series, or a short-form series of episodes less than 15 minutes totalling no more than one hour
  • a video game script or narrative design document

• The entered work:
  • must have been first produced on stage or publicly released for screens between 2 August 2024 and 2 August 2026.
  • if it incorporates or uses any Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP), must have complied with clause 14.3 in the terms and conditions in its creation; and
  • must be the writer or writers’ own original work. This means that (amongst other things):
    • the work has not been ghost written by another writer; and
    • the work must not be generated by artificial intelligence (AI).  To assist judges with their determination of originality and eligibility, entrants must acknowledge where AI has been used in the production of the work (for example formatting or editing assistance).

• A writer may only enter one work into the Roger Scholes Prize for Writing for Stage or Screen. An entrant to the Roger Scholes Prize for Writing for Stage or Screen may enter works in other prize categories.

• Entries must be submitted through this digital entry form on or before 17 August 2026. Late entries will not be accepted.

• The entry must be submitted by completing the information required by the digital entry form and submitting a copy of the entered work. The entered work must:
  • be edited, proofread, typed and double-spaced; and
  • be in PDF or Microsoft Word format.

• Creative Tasmania will send the entrant confirmation of entry.

• An entry for the Roger Scholes Prize for Writing for Stage or Screen may be submitted by an agent, producer or production company on behalf of writer or writers. The agent, producer or production company does so as agent for the writer, and in submitting the entry, warrants that they hold all the rights necessary to enter the awards and agree to these terms on behalf of the writer, including to give the permissions and warranties on the writer’s behalf.

• Where the work has more than one writer:
  • Creative Tasmania will pay the writers in equal shares, unless the writers inform Creative Tasmania in writing that they have agreed to a different share; and
  • the writer who is submitting the entry must have the permission of the other writer (or their estate) to enter the work in these awards. The entering writer is responsible for ensuring that Creative Tasmania can be provided the Additional Materials and that the entering writer can give the licence and warranties in relation to the use of those materials under clause 11 in the terms and conditions.