Open Space Arts seeks innovative plays and exciting screenplays about today's hot topics. Gender issues, or Don't Say Gay! Climate, religion, politics, freedom? Racial justice, CRT, abortion. sex, politics, families, climate, war, and peace - the future! If you wrote about it, we want it.

There are so many things for writers to say dealing with today’s issues. If people are talking about it, we need plays, and screenplays that bring it to life. Sex, politics, religion, families, climate, war, and peace - you name it, we want it.

Think big and bold. Learn the rules and skills of the craft, and then break them.

Submission Guidelines and Acceptable Formats

All manuscripts must be submitted through FilmFreeway in PDF form and should not exceed 120 pages. Shorter written works (25 to 80 minutes) are favored.

Email us at openspacearts2022@gmail.com for Dramatist Guild and NPX waivers.

Awards & Prizes

As films and written materials come in, we may move to a rolling acceptance plan so that things can be performed or viewed quickly.

We guarantee that three exceptional written scripts will be performed in readings and or performances.

And we guarantee that several short films will be selected for screening in a one-week festival. If feature-length films are deemed exceptional, those too will be screened.

Rules & Terms

Email us at openspacearts2022@gmail.com for Dramatists Guild and NPX waiters.

Plays which have been fully produced by Equity theaters, or screenplays that have been filmed, are not eligible. Films that have been screened in Chicago may not be eligible.

Writers may also submit a logline or synopsis with their submission.

There is no limit to the number of projects you may submit for consideration.

All entry fees are non-refundable. All submitted material must be original, and all rights must be wholly owned by the writer(s). The material must be submitted by the writer. Material written by writing teams must be submitted by one of the writers, with the consent of the other(s). All writers must be credited on the title page.

It is recommended that original material be registered with the US Copyright Office before submitting to any competition, however, we do not require registrations.
Contact info may be included on the cover page of the play, however, it is not required.
All ownership and rights to the material submitted to this contest remain with the original rights holders until and unless other agreements are made.

Eligibility

All writers must be at least 16 years by August 1, 2022. All persons from anywhere in the world are eligible; however, the material submitted must be in English. All material submitted to other competitions or contests is eligible for this contest.
There are no requirements as to when the material was written.

Play and intellectual property must be wholly owned and submitted by the writer(s).
The material should be submitted in generally accepted play format, font, spacing, and margin.

We have no preferences regarding title page content. The title and name of the writer would suffice. Adaptations are ineligible unless the underlying rights are owned by the writer or the work is in the public domain.

Results will be announced on www.openspacearts.com.