entry CRITERIA AND PROCESS
Who can apply to participate in the National Drama Festival?
One-act and full-act plays that have performed exceptionally well in theatre festivals held within the British Isles throughout the festival season are invited apply to participate in the National Drama Festival.
To be eligible to apply, a production needs to have gained over 80 marks in a GoDA-adjudicated festival in the current festival season. Productions achieving 90 marks or more are guaranteed a place at the National Drama Festival if they apply.
The GoDA-adjudicated festival must be a FULL MEMBER of the NDFA (otherwise known as an ‘NDFA-affiliated festival’).
Is there a fee to enter?
No, there’s no fee. Entries coming through an NDFA-affiliated festival have their entry fee paid for by the NDFA-affiliated festival from which it came through, as it’s part of the festival’s NDFA membership fee.
How does the NDFA select the plays that get through?
Once all the applications have been received, the Adjudicators’ results are looked at by the NDFA, and discussions with the festivals and adjudicators take place, to narrow the shortlist down to around 14 plays. These plays are then accepted into the National Drama Festival and allocated a slot.
What does an NDFA-affiliated Festival need to do following their festival?
Not much actually. We’ve refined the process so that we do most of the work!
Here’s how it works …
STEP 1:
RECEIVING THE FESTIVAL MARKS
Before your festival, we’ll be in touch to wish you luck! We’ll also attached the Results Form to ask you to complete and submit to use once your festival has finished.
STEP 2:
LOOKING AT THOSE HIGH SCORERS
Any production scoring over 90 will be eligible to take a place at the National Drama Festival. Any over 80 will be eligible to apply.
STEP 3:
INVITING THEM TO APPLY
We’ll be in contact with those high scorers a few weeks after your festival ends.
STEP 4:
SELECTING THE SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATES
Once we’ve sifted through all of the entries, compared their marks and spoken to the GoDA Adjudicators, we’ll make our decision on which productions we’d like to include. We’ll then let them know, and compile the Running Order.