This prize recognises excellent research from an early-career researcher and is made for a single short-form piece of research in the public domain.

NOMINATIONS ARE NOW OPEN FOR 2024–2025

Criteria

Originality – What is new/innovative about the work?

Quality – What is the quality and rigour of the investigation?

Contribution – What new insights does the work offer to theatre and performance?

TaPRA core values  – How does the work align with values outlined in the TaPRA manifesto?

Nomination

Only current TaPRA members can submit nominations for this prize. The nominee does not need to be a member of TaPRA or be working in the UK.

You may self-nominate or nominate someone else from a different institution.

Nominations must be seconded by a current TaPRA member, who is from a different institution than the nominator. You may not nominate or second more than one person for this prize in any given year.

Submission

One of the following:

• An article (PDF of published version)
• A chapter (PDF of published version)
• An editorial project (PDF of published version)
• Online record of performance as research (please supply a URL and password if appropriate)

A 300-word statement making the case for how the work submitted meets the purpose and criteria of the prize and explains the research imperative of the work. The statement will not be used as part of the judging process, but it may be used for promotional purposes.

Prize

Invitation to present as part of a collective sharing at the TaPRA conference following the award and costs associated with attendance covered up to £200.

Membership of TaPRA a year, normally for the year following the award.

Regulations

Following UKRI guidelines, ECR is defined as someone within eight years of confirmation of their PhD award by the nomination deadline OR as someone without a PhD who is within the first six years of their appointment as an academic member of staff (full-time or part-time).

The work submitted must be published recently, within three years leading up to the nomination deadline. Co-authored works may be submitted for this award and will be considered as a joint submission. 

The same piece of work cannot be submitted for this prize more than once.

Winners of this prize may not enter a second time.