Teatru Malta, Teatru Manoel and Spazju Kreattiv in collaboration with Arts Council Malta have united once again to unveil yet another edition of the Studio Francis Ebejer initiative, extending an invitation to scriptwriters for the submission and development of theatre and radio plays, primarily in the Maltese language.
Studio Francis Ebejer is a golden opportunity for both emerging and seasoned scriptwriters, setting the stage for their creations to come to life. This project, riding on the history of the Premju Francis Ebejer and the Atelier Francis Ebejer, is designed to equip writers with the essential resources for thorough research and development. Our goal is to cultivate three high-caliber scripts that will resonate on stage and radio, each culminating in their production by our trio of national cultural institutions.
This year’s edition builds upon last year’s successful collaboration between Teatru Malta (under the care of the National Agency for the Performing Arts), Teatru Manoel and Spazju Kreattiv with the backing of Arts Council Malta to ensure a bright future for new work in Maltese.
WHAT WE’RE AFTER
Open to works primarily in the Maltese language, we are on the lookout for:
- 1 Radio Play
- 3 Theatre Scripts
CATEGORY A: RADIO SCRIPTS
Submissions may comprise a single 20-minute play or a series split into episodes of approximately 20 minutes each. Writers are invited to submit:
- a logline of maximum 2 sentences;
- a story synopsis of 150 words;
- a detailed treatment of 1,500-2,000 words;
- at least one scene of the proposed script, with a maximum length of 10 to 15 A4 pages;
- the playwright’s curriculum vitae (CV).
DISCLAIMER: Those with a completed script may submit it in its entirety. However, the selection board cannot guarantee that the evaluators will be available to read it in full, as the evaluation will be based on the above compulsory requirements.
The selected radio script will be podcasted on Spotify (and/or similar platforms) within an exclusive album dedicated to radio plays, hosted by the co-producers. Besides this, the play may be aired on a radio station. Selected playwrights will engage collaboratively with Teatru Malta, in collaboration with Arts Council Malta, aligning with the other partners on R&D and production schedules that honor the creative process. All R&D and production expenses will be covered by the co-producers.
A creative team, assembled by the Artistic Directors of the producing organisations, will be dedicated to the production of the radio play. The writer’s role will remain strictly that of the playwright, while the selection of the director and the creative team will rest with the co-producers.
The appointed Scriptwriter will receive a fee of €1,500 (excluding VAT) for:
- A completed script—either standalone or episodic.
- Up to 3 drafts preceding the final rehearsal draft. (The need, timeframe and process of drafting will be agreed upon with the co-producers)
- Ongoing consultative availability during production.
The scriptwriter will retain the creative rights of the script, with exclusive production licensing rights being given to the producers, and the writer royalties based on streaming/broadcast platform outcomes. The co-producers retain the right for the first publication of the script.
Welcome to next-gen radio plays.
CATEGORY B: THEATRE SCRIPTS
Writers are invited to submit a detailed treatment and at least one scene. Those with a completed script are encouraged to present it in its entirety. Three scripts will be selected for production — one by each collaborating entity. The distribution of the selected scripts among these institutions will be a collaborative decision between the artistic directors. Writers are free to express their preference for the type of venue where they envision their work being produced. Writers are invited to submit:
- a logline of maximum 2 sentences;
- a story synopsis of 150 words;
- a detailed treatment of 1,500-2,000 words;
- at least one scene of the proposed script, with a maximum length of 10 to 15 A4 pages;
- the playwright’s curriculum vitae (CV).
DISCLAIMER: Those with a completed script may submit it in its entirety. However, the selection board cannot guarantee that the evaluators will be available to read it in full, as the evaluation will be based on the above compulsory requirements.
The timeline for development of the script and the R&D of the production will be crafted in collaboration with the Artistic Director of the producing partner. All R&D expenses will be covered by the co-producers.
A creative team, assembled by the Artistic Director of the producing organization, will be dedicated to the production. In the case of Teatru Malta, the venue will be selected by the artistic director and the creative team. The writer’s role will remain strictly that of the playwright, while the selection of the director and the creative team will rest with the producer.
Selected playwrights will be remunerated with €3,500 (excluding VAT) for:
- Up to 3 drafts preceding the final rehearsal draft. (The need, timeframe, and process of drafting will be agreed upon with the producer)
- A final, polished script
- Ongoing consultative availability during production
The scriptwriter will retain the creative rights of the script, with exclusive production licensing rights being given to the producers which will last up to one year post-premiere. The co-producers retain the right for the first publication of the script.
The stage be with you.
HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR WORK
Do you have a script to submit?
Click here to download the guidelines
Submit your proposal via email to development@teatrumalta.mt no later than 30th June 2025 at noon.
