New Views

Two actors, a man and a woman, dressed in white shirts and maroon ties, are seated and performing on stage. The man appears alarmed, raising his hands in defense, while the woman looks at him sternly while holding a script. A desk with papers and plants is in the background.

Two young men are on an old metal-framed bed; one, in a striped jacket, sits behind the other and covers his mouth with his hand. The man in front, in an orange shirt, looks surprised. In the background, people are seated facing away. The scene is set against a plain wall.

New Views is a year-long in-school playwriting programme for students aged 14-19. Each school is paired with a professional playwright who supports students to write their own original 30-minute plays.

The programme includes teacher CPD, tickets to one of our productions and entry into a competition where selected plays are performed at the National Theatre.

The New Views Festival 2024 took place on 4 and 5 July, at the National Theatre.

The New Views programme is taking a pause for this academic year, returning September 2025. Do sign up to our schools newsletter here to be updated when applications open.

From September 2024 we will be completing a deep-dive evaluation of the programme. All participating schools will be invited to take part in this process. Look out for more details in September.

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What is New Views?

Two individuals are engaged in a conversation. The person on the left, wearing a white shirt and lavalier microphone, smiles while the person on the right, dressed in a black shirt and wearing a watch, listens attentively, touching his chin. Another person is partially visible in the background. — A rehearsed reading of The Kids are Smoking at the National Theatre New Views Festival 2024. Photo by E Hare

The New Views programme empowers students to:

Tell stories that matter to them
Develop playwriting techniques such as independent working, communication, and research through feedback
Understand the power of theatre to create a shared experience of storytelling
Explore and communicate ideas on the changing world
Present different perspectives

Teachers will:

Gain skills as practical facilitators
Learn how to explore a range of relevant topics through creative writing

How New Views works

Any school or college can apply to take part in New Views. The programme is for school years 10–13, although slightly younger students may take part.

The cost for participation in New Views is:
State schools: £300
Independent schools: £600

Bursaries are available for state schools if the cost is a barrier to participation. The independent school cost includes a state school’s place on the programme.

Find out more with our New Views digital handbook

Content warning: the materials used in this programme sometimes contain strong language and controversial subject matter which some might find offensive.

A person with long brown braided hair, dressed in a pink hoodie, stands holding a few sheets of paper. The background is plain, mostly grey, with some partially visible elements. The person appears to be reading or presenting something. — A rehearsed reading of Here to Help at the National Theatre New Views Festival 2024. Photo by E Hare

Timeline

A person wearing a leopard-print top smiles while holding papers, as if mid-performance or speech. In the background, three other individuals, partially visible, are also holding papers and appear engaged in the same activity. The setting looks like a rehearsal or reading. — A rehearsed reading of Broken Frames at the National Theatre New Views Festival 2024. Photo by E Hare

Training

September: Teacher CPD

We invite teachers to a discovery day at the National Theatre, parts of which are live-streamed for those who can’t make it in person.

Participants are introduced to the programme, take part in workshops with professional playwrights and get to see one of our productions. This can be at the South Bank, on tour, or in local cinemas via NT Live.

October to March: Workshops and theatre trips

Supported by their teachers, students follow the course at their own pace.

They take part in workshops with professional playwrights and see a National Theatre production. This can be in London, on tour, or in local cinemas via NT Live.

Writing

December to March: Drafting

Students write 30 minute plays about issues that matter to them. They submit a first draft in February, and have a feedback session with their playwright (in-person or online). In March, students submit their final drafts.

May: Shortlisting

Mentor playwrights and a team of readers from the National Theatre read all the submitted plays. A shortlist goes to a panel of National Theatre creatives.

Two people seated with scripts in hand, smiling and waving. They are positioned in front of a white background with a — A rehearsed reading of Tonight's Interview with Claire Harvey at the National Theatre New Views Festival 2024. Photo by E Hare

A group of ten people, consisting of six women and four men, are seated and standing on a stage. Two women in the front are holding a clapperboard with — A rehearsed reading of Sweetness at the National Theatre New Views Festival 2024. Photo by E Hare

Performing

June – July: New Views Festival

The New Views festival takes place every summer. All shortlisted plays get a rehearsed reading with professional actors.

The young writers can be part of the rehearsal process with a professional director.

Past Festivals

2024 Festival

New Views Festival, 2024

I have been writing for a couple of years now and had a great experience participating in the New Views project last year so I jumped at the opportunity to do it again.

– Luke Fields, Aquinas Fields Grammar School, New Views winner 2024

Taking part in the New Views programme has been both challenging and relaxing for me: I have been immersed in playwriting which I have not experienced before and I have
been able to escape to a different world through my writing.

– Emyr Strudwick, The College, Merthyr Tydfil, New Views winner 2024

2023 Festival

New Views Festival, 2023

Play Video

Counting down to 3.2.1 – New Views 2023

This play explores online bullying, and sharing intimate photos via social media. For more support about these topics, including the legal implications, visit https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/online-safety/sexting-sending-nudes/

Play Video:

Counting down to 3.2.1 – New Views 2023

Associate playwrights

Brian Mullin is a playwright, theatre-maker and dramaturg, born in the USA and working in London since 2012.

Deborah Gearing is a playwright, translator and facilitator/collaborator, making theatre in unexpected spaces, unravelling histories and exploring human connection to the environment.

Jennifer Farmer is writer for performance, participatory theatre-maker and facilitator who centres systematically excluded narratives and collaborates extensively with communities made vulnerable.

Andrew Muir is a critically-acclaimed writer for the stage and screen.

Our funders

New Views is supported by The Mohn Westlake Foundation, Buffini Chao Foundation, Old Possum’s Practical Trust, Kusuma Trust UK, Unwin Charitable Trust, Noël Coward Foundation, Chapman Charitable Trust and The Golsoncott Foundation

Audible is the Official Audio Partner of New Views.

Nationwide learning is supported by Buffini Chao Foundation, Clore Duffield Foundation, Crevan O’Grady & Jane McClenahan, MFPA Trust Fund for the Training of Disabled Children in the Arts, The Kartik Foundation, Behrens Foundation, Marlow Trust, Cleopatra Trust, and The Andor Charitable Trust.

Find out more about supporting our work