Playwrights’ Workshop Montréal is now accepting applications for Dramaturgical Collaboration in our 2026-2027 season.
Application deadline: Sunday, September 14, 2025, 11:59PM EST.
All applicants will receive a response by the end of January 2026 informing them of the outcome of their application. Please note that some applications may require additional time following this period if external resources are required, but applicants will be informed of this in advance.
If you have any questions regarding accessibility, require assistance with your application, or would like to discuss alternative methods of applying and deadline flexibility, please contact Heather at accessibility@playwrights.ca. For accessibility information and video tours of our location, please click ici.
The ASL video format of this section is viewable ici.
About the Dramaturgical Collaboration program
Through Dramaturgical Collaboration, PWM offers playwrights and theatre creators across Canada an individually considered, dramaturgically-led process for playwrights and theatre makers to explore, question, and shape their work. Engage in deep explorations of form and process, regardless of your experience or background, or the current status of your project – whether you have an idea, a draft or a production on the horizon.
To remove financial barriers, the opportunities and resources offered through Dramaturgical Collaboration are free of charge to the artists.
As each artist and project is unique, Dramaturgical Collaboration begins with a PWM dramaturg meeting with the artist to consider how best to approach development, and to learn about the artist’s process, intentions, and creative vision.
Developmental opportunities will include dramaturgical conversations and potentially, mentorships, workshops, technical or digital explorations, and residencies. Read more about the most common developmental opportunities we offer below, or visit our glossary of terms.
If you have any questions regarding Dramaturgical Collaboration, please contact dramaturg@playwrights.ca.
Considerations for Dramaturgical Collaboration at PWM
The ASL video format of this section is viewable ici.
PWM is committed to creating an environment where all individuals are treated with dignity and respect. We are continuously working to make all of our programs accessible and inclusive. While recognizing that the identity of each person is fundamentally plural, and multidimensional, we strongly encourage applications from artists who are: Indigenous (First Nations, Métis, and Inuit), Black, POC, racialized (including recent immigrants), 2SLGBTQQIPAA+, d/Deaf, neurodivergent, disabled, living with chronic illness and/or chronic pain. PWM is strongly committed to supporting a wide range of cultural identities and lived experiences, therefore we encourage applicants to self-identify in their application if they are comfortable doing so.
Stage of Development: We accept applications for projects at various stages of development, depending on the nature of the work. This could include, but is not limited to, an initial idea, a first draft (in any form), a new iteration of a previously presented project, or a draft that is in an advanced stage of development.
Discipline: In addition to traditional scripts, we accept unique and interdisciplinary projects. This project could be a play, a non-text based performance, a digital work (for example: AR/VR, interactive game-based presentation, etc.), or something hybrid in terms of language, discipline, or technology.
Lieu : We welcome local and national applications. We work in-person, virtually (for example: by video chat or by use of online collaborative tools), or a combination of both.
Program Capacity: Developing new plays, performances and translations takes time, and PWM has numerous ongoing projects and programs. Therefore, we can only welcome a limited number of new collaborations per season despite receiving many inspiring applications.
How to Apply for Dramaturgical Collaboration at PWM
The ASL video format of this section is viewable ici.
Individual playwright/creator(s) can apply for Dramaturgical Collaboration via our Google form. Theatre companies are asked to please contact dramaturg@playwrights.ca to discuss Dramaturgical Collaboration before submitting an application online.
Audio and video answers to some of the questions in the form are also welcomed. Click here to preview the form as a PDF.
The application will ask you to provide:
- Name, pronouns (optional), age (optional), and contact information
- Information about your project
- How you would like to work with PWM
- Your CV and bio and that of any collaborators
- A sample of the proposed project (if available) or past work
Your proposal will not be sent until you click the SUBMIT button at the end of the application via the Google form. You will be able to edit your responses by reusing the same email address and login until you click the SUBMIT button.
If you have any questions regarding Dramaturgical Collaboration please contact dramaturg@playwrights.ca.
If you have any questions regarding accessibility, require assistance with your application, or would like to discuss alternative methods of applying and deadline flexibility, please contact Heather at accessibility@playwrights.ca.
Dramaturgical Collaboration Development Opportunities
Dramaturgical Collaboration begins with Dramaturgical Conversations and may continue to include one or a combination of the following opportunities, to be mutually determined by PWM and the playwright/creator(s) based on the needs of the project:
Workshops: An opportunity to explore a work-in-progress with actors/collaborators in order to develop the project. Each workshop is led by a PWM dramaturg in collaboration with the playwright/creator(s). For text-based projects the script is read by a company of actors and the playwright and dramaturg will then have the opportunity to ask and explore questions with the company. For non-text based projects, the workshop is shaped around the elements that create and drive the narrative or event. Sometimes a private reading for invited guests is included, as an opportunity to introduce the work to an audience for the first time. The length of a workshop is determined by the needs of the project.
Résidences: As part of the Dramaturgical Collaboration, PWM may offer dedicated Studio time for exploration (not rehearsal) to a playwright/creator(s) developing a project with PWM. These residencies take place in our studio in Montreal, and are separate from our national residencies, the Résidence d’écriture théâtrale de Gros Morne and the Résidence de Traduction Glassco à Tadoussac.
Mentorships: Mentorships are designed to address specific needs during the early stages of the creation process. In collaboration with a PWM Dramaturg, the playwright/creator determines the person best suited to support them through this essential phase of development. The mentor may be an expert in a particular discipline, a creator from a similar or different scope of experience or a dramaturg with a particular field of experience.
A glossary of these and other terms can be found ici.
Learn more about Dramaturgical Collaboration.
The Dramaturgical Collaboration program is made possible and accessible through the support of our funders:
