INK began with a writer’s desperate cry that there were almost no platforms for new scripts to see the light of day. So we made one. In 2015 we staged 15 short plays at our first festival in Halesworth, Suffolk. Fast forward ten years. We are now producing at least 70 original short plays from over 1,000 annual script submissions.

INK Festival is a unique celebration of new and diverse writing, held annually. Every year, it begins with a free script submission opportunity which is open to everyone – whether professional or non-professional. From over 1,000 short play and radio play submissions, 70 exceptional scripts are selected to be brought to life by professional theatre directors, actors and technicians at the festival in April.

Spanning five days, the festival showcases these works across multiple venues, attracting thousands of theatre enthusiasts, while the radio plays reach tens of thousands more.

A standout feature of the festival is our Youth Festival Day an entirely free experience for secondary schools and colleges in the region. Hundreds of students have the opportunity to watch live performances, engage with the creatives behind the plays and explore the magic of theatre behind the scenes.

INK is a registered charity. We need to raise at least £200,000 per year to continue our work both during the festival and throughout the year. Please consider using easyfundraising to donate every time you shop online. It costs you nothing and every penny counts. CLICK below for more details.