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RWCMD receives significant new funding for its ground-breaking annual NEW writing festival
The Royal Welsh College’s acclaimed annual NEW writing festival has received major philanthropic funding that secures its future for the next three years, enabling it to continue its role as a producer of provocative new work, amplifying diverse voices and training its students as the next generation of creators.
Contributing to the arts and creative industries
NEW ‘26: 5 - 12 June, RWCMD and Sherman Theatre, Cardiff
17 - 26 June, New Diorama Theatre, London
For over a decade the RWCMD’s flagship NEW festival has embodied the College’s strategic ambition as the national conservatoire of Wales, delivering world-class training and opportunities for its students, while contributing to the arts and creative industries in Wales and beyond.
This hugely ambitious project, now supported by a transformational pledge of nearly £500,000 from a philanthropic couple who have asked not to be named, brings some of the UK’s best directors and writers together with its Richard Burton Company, made up of all 36 graduating actors, its designers and stage managers. Premiering in Cardiff and London’s New Diorama Theatre in June, these new works reach national audiences and industry professionals, giving the students real-world experience, and bringing ambitious new theatre to the stage.
‘It’s my first year of NEW so I’m excited to see what it can do. No other drama school commissions work on this scale with acclaimed writers and directors of such prominence. This generous new funding allows us to continue to support this emerging talent, pairing the actors with established artists who can act as mentors.
New writing has always been central to the College’s drama training, and this includes our NEW Voices initiative which enables actors with strong individual voices to be as confident in creating their own work as they are in working with classical repertoire.
We are particularly proud to be showcasing the theatre makers of the future, this year with four New Voices, guided and supported by the College.’Ali de SouzaRWCMD Head of Drama
Leading the way in commissioning new work for drama schools, the College’s fully paid model gives writers and directors the rare opportunity to properly develop new work, with full rehearsal time, design budget, technical support and in-house expertise.
‘We were really keen to support NEW writing at RWCMD because of its commitment to original work and giving students from all disciplines the opportunity to collaborate with leading playwrights and learn from the best.
We can see how the outstanding RWCMD students benefit enormously from working in this way, and it just felt right to support this wonderful and unique initiative.’NEW festival donors
Fresh perspectives, capturing the cultural moment
As ever, this year’s plays respond directly to the cultural moment, exploring themes of the fragility of life, fear, responsibility and redemption, bringing together an exceptional line-up of creative talent:
- ‘Van Man’ by E.V. Crowe, directed by Stewart Laing
- ‘Feral Threads’ by Rebecca Jade Hammond, directed by Patricia Logue
- ‘XL Bully’ by Stef Smith, directed by Rob Watt
- ‘That Last Summer’ by Azuka Oforka, directed by Lee Lyford, in collaboration with Sherman Theatre
Over its thirteen years, NEW has premiered over 50 new, challenging plays and supported artists who are now making a significant impact across the UK theatre industry, helping to shape the future of theatre.
Many of the plays have gone on to have a life of its own, including 'Pomona’ by Alasdair McDowell, ‘Growth’ by Luke Norris, 'Blister’ by Laura Lomas, 'Albatross’ by Isley Lynn, 'Falling Falling Falling’ and ‘White Sky’ by Simon Longman, and numerous others.
‘2026 marks Sherman Theatre's eleventh year working in partnership with RWCMD on the NEW festival, and we're as proud of that partnership as ever.
Each year we commission a Welsh or Wales-based playwright to write a new play for the festival; this year we chose the sublimely talented Azuka Oforka, and we look forward immensely to seeing her latest work, ‘That Last Summer’ as well as Stef Smith's ‘XL Bully’, on our stages this June.’Julia BarryChief Executive of Sherman Theatre
Training actors as creatives
Focusing on training actors as creatives and encouraging the playwrights of the future, as part of NEW Voices, four final year students bring their own work to the festival with rehearsed readings by the cast, reflective of the concerns of their generation.
NEW also gives them the opportunity to network and establish relationships with some of the UK’s leading writers and directors.
Among the many graduates who have gone on to work with NEW professionals, Isabel Thom was cast in their first professional role as Joan, for Charlie Josephine’s controversial ‘I, Joan’ at the Globe, and in NEW’s first year, ‘Pomona’ actor Annes Elwy went on to work with its director Ned Bennett in ‘Yerma’.
Balance: 4-9 June, RWCMD, 17 - Fri 19 June, Hoxton Docks, London
Following NEW ‘26 the College's Design for Performance exhibition, 'Balance' opens in the Linbury Gallery 4-9 June, before transferring to London’s Hoxton Docks from 17-19 June.
Showcasing the work of graduating designers and stage management students, this annual exhibition brings together the work of both the individual creative design practitioner and the collaborative artist.
