Tolu Okanlawon: our new playwright-in-residence

The award, supported by The Peggy Ramsay Foundation, with additional support from The Maria Björnson Memorial Fund, places four playwrights with four theatres around the UK for 18 months, funding them to write a new play – and this year, Arcola is one of those theatres.

“We are incredibly proud to have been selected for the Playwrights ’73 Award and to be partnering with Tolu Okanlawon, whom we consider one of the most exciting voices emerging in theatre today,” says our Artistic Director Mehmet Ergen. “This award is a vital source of support for our industry, giving us the opportunity to not only collaborate with a brilliant new writer, but helping to lay the foundations for what we hope will be a long and enduring creative relationship.”

Tolu made waves with his debut play Shooters – winner of the Bruntwood Prize 2025 – which will premiere at the Royal Exchange Theatre 2027.

“Opportunities that provide writers with time, trust and practical support are increasingly rare, so this award means a great deal,” says Tolu. “It’s made even more special by the fact that I’ll have the full support of The Arcola, my local theatre. I really look forward to working closely with the team and spending the next eighteen months focused on writing a shiny new play.”

We’re so excited so see what Tolu creates over the course of his residency – stay tuned!