Call for Submissions: 1000 Monkeys 10-Minute Playwriting Competition

DATE :

Arts opportunity Literary artsTheatre Calgary Call for Submissions

DEADLINE: July 15, 2026 - 5:00 pm

1000 MONKEYS PROJECT 

ALBERTA PLAYWRIGHTS’ NETWORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH YYC FRINGE

The 2026 1000 Monkeys Project is an open competition for Calgary and area playwrights to submit a new 10-minute play. 

Submissions will be accepted between July 1 to 15, 2026. The submissions will be read by a jury of professionals, with 5 plays selected for a public staged reading at the Calgary Fringe on August 3rd.

Selected writers will be paid $150 for their work. 

Submission Guidelines:

  • all plays must be 10 minutes in length (approximately 8 to 10 pages). We are looking for complete 10-minute plays and not scenes from other plays.
  • all submitted plays must be unproduced.
  • the plays must be able to be read by a MAXIMUM of four actors (if you have more than four characters, you must provide instructions as per the double casting of roles).
  • NEW FOR 2026: playwrights can enter a MAXIMUM of one play for the competition.
  • plays must be received by 11:59pm MT on July 15th, 2026.
  • plays must be submitted in PDF format
  • plays must be written in 12pt font
  • please include a cover letter with contact information and a brief biography.
  • DO NOT include your name or any other personal information on the script itself. The selection committee judges the plays blind with no knowledge of who the writer is.

Script submissions can be made via email to 1000monkeys@albertaplaywrights.com

Deadline to Submit: July 15th, 2026