A new residency, as part of Capital Theatres’ Open to Ideas programme. Specifically for early-career theatremakers, the offer includes five days space, two days tech, up to £2000 and 1:1 mentorship.
Open to Ideas is back for Autumn 2025 and this year, Capital Theatres are launching First Steps, a fully supported R&D residency created especially for early career theatre-makers in Scotland.
For this opportunity, they’re looking for artists in the first two years of their professional practice. This might mean that:
• You’re a student or recent graduate
• You’ve made or are exploring your first Fringe show
• You’ve assisted on a production
• You have a spark of an idea and the drive to pursue it
It might mean something different, and that’s absolutely fine. As long as you identify as being on the start of a professional theatre-making journey, they want to hear from you.
Whether you’re working solo or starting to form a creative team, whether you have a finished script or your idea’s at seedling stage, they’re here to help you take the first steps in a safe, supported environment.
They don’t expect you to hold a sharing at the end of the week (though you can if you want to), and aren’t promising to programme the work in the future. Instead, it’s a genuine offer for you to experiment and explore, and get an idea up on its feet.
What they’re offering
• five days of rehearsal space in the Studio Theatre
• two days of technical support, if needed
• Up to £2,000 in seed funding, agreed with you based on your idea
Dedicated wraparound support, including:
– A professional mentor for 1:1 guidance
– Help with budgeting, planning and building a team (if needed)
– Pre-residency meetings to shape your goals
– Wellbeing support during the residency week
– Optional dramaturgical input
– Support planning a sharing if you want one (no pressure)
The First Steps Residency is open to:
• Anyone aged 18+
• Scotland-based artists
• Those with 0–2 years of professional theatre-making experience
• People who are not in receipt of RFO funding from Creative Scotland
• Artists applying with a new, unproduced idea
If you’re unsure whether you’re eligible, or just want to chat it through, don’t hesitate to drop them a line at engage@capitaltheatres.com
How to apply
Deadline: Midnight, Fri 12 September 2025
Decisions: Mon 22 September via email.
Link to form: https://forms.office.com/e/L9ks8AqGim
Other ways to apply: If you would prefer to submit a video application, would like a dyslexia friendly version of the form or to apply in another way, please email engage@capitaltheatres.com.
For further information, please contact engage@capitaltheatres.com or visit https://www.capitaltheatres.com/activities/open-to-ideas-first-steps-residency/.
