COULD you write a 20-30 minute play, requiring no more than four actors and simple staging?

An exciting new playwriting competition, launched last October by the Walter Swan Trust, opens for submissions on February 1.

The competition is run in association with Ilkley Literature Festival and Ilkley Playhouse with the support of West Yorkshire Playhouse. It is open to young people and adults throughout the UK and will culminate in the winning plays being performed at both the West Yorkshire Playhouse in Leeds and Ilkley Playhouse in late 2015.

There are two categories – for those aged 18 and under as at September 1, 2015, and for those aged 19 and over as at September 1, 2015.

Cash prizes of £250 will also be awarded to the winners and a small number of high quality entries will receive a letter of commendation for their efforts.

Further details are available at walterswantrust.org.uk/playwriting-award.php. The competition is open for entries from February 1, 2015 with a closing date of April 30, 2015.

Walter Swan was a talented poet, playwright, published author, teacher and freelance journalist who died suddenly and unexpectedly in April 2014 at the age of 59.