Being creative is hard. Especially if you face additional factors preventing your absorption in it. That’s why one of the most fundamental things we want to achieve is to compile an truly amazing resource library for anyone looking to get started and/or someone who is on the path but resources on a specific issue and to see where they can direct their latest effort. For now we have Theatre, Fiction and Poetry, but we’re always looking to expand.

There are a lot of good resource listings out there. Just remember to always look properly at whatever submission or application it is to make sure it’s relevant to you. There’s a lot of good advice on offer, but you should always retain that little spark of what makes you wonderful as a creative.

If you have any suggestions on additions to any of the below categories, the please do let us know. We’ll be sure to credit you in the listings. Any opportunity to make this list more inclusive and generally more useful for creatives is one we’ll always take.

Theatre

Fiction

Poetry

Finance

Advocacy

General Support, advice and resources are most easily found at some of these general places:

• UK Theatre
  
• Arts Council England
  
• Arts Council Wales
  
• Creative Scotland
  
• An Chomhairle Ealaíon: The Arts Council Ireland
  
• TransActing Project
  
• The Stage

However, we have some more of our favorites for writers, directors and producers below – especially for those outside of London (ourselves included).

Currently we don’t have a lot for those looking to act or achieve industry specific roles like in technical departments or sound design, but this is something we’re currently working on. See more:

• Sheffield Theatres Artist Resources
  
• New Artist Development – The Bank – Sheffield Theatres
  
• New Writing at Liverpool Royal Court
  
• Royal Court Theatre Unsolicited Script Submissions
  
• Leeds Playhouse Artist Development – The Furnace
  
• National Theatre – New Work Submissions
  
• Stage One: Bridge The Gap (for new producers)
  
• British Theatre Academy Auditions (performers)
  
• Finborough Theatre Script Submissions
  
• London Playwrights Blog – Opportunities for emerging playwrights
  
• Theatre 503 Programming – (Looking to program a show you’re producing? Take a look at the criteria here to say if you could submit your show to this London-based, hallmark organisation of new UK theatre.)
  
• JMK Emerging Directors Award
  
• Young Vic – Jerwod Assistant Director Programme

Writing Support

Fiction can be a lonely thing to submit, as it often only relies on a writer. So we’ve mentioned below not only some of the places we’ve found useful for submission periods as creatives ourselves, but also ones that are committed to working with writers in a supportive and considerate way.

• Creative Futures: Resources for Writers
  
• National Center for Writing Resources
  
• Queer Literary Magazines
  
• Penguin Publishers Writer’s Resources
  
• Royal Society of Literature
  
• Writing East Midlands
  
• Amita Parikh: International List for underrepresented Writers
  
• New Writers Site Resources
  
• Supporting Black Bookshops – (Reading resource)
  
• Cha: an Asian Literary Journal
  
• Short Fiction Journal Submissions
  
• Queer Zine Library
  
• The Black Curriculum Support List
  
• Longleaf Review
  
• The Fiction Desk Submissions
  
• Strange Horizons Literary Submission
  
• The Asian American Literary Review
  
• Lamplight Submissions
  
• Smokelong Quarterly Magazine
  
• SAND Journal

More of our personal faves…

As general resources and broad starting points, these are great places to help shape your submissions and thought processes.

• The Poetry Archive
  
• Southbank National Poetry Library
  
• Writing East Midlands
  
• Obsidian Foundation for Black Poets
  
• Free Resources from The Poetry Society
  
• African Poetry Digital Portal
  
• Academy of American Poets
  
• University of Exeter South Asian Heritage Collection
  
• Black and Queer: Manchester Poets Collection

Digital and Print Publications

We also have a list of print and digital publications that we particularly like, however we’d always recommend you reading them first to make sure they match your work as well. This list is nowhere near exhaustive.

• Poetry London
  
• Mslexia – (exclusively accepting women identifying writers)
  
• The Poetry Review
  
• Queery Poetry Resources courtesy of Trans / Space
  
• Tentacles: Nottingham Disabled Poets Collective
  
• Young Poets Network
  
• Disabled Poets Prize
  
• Gay’s The Word Bookshop
  
• Magma Poetry
  
• The Rialto Magazine
  
• Nine Arches Press
  
• Paid Faber & Faber Mnuscript assessments
  
• Ink Sweat and Tears
  
• Fly on The Wall Press
  
• Acumen Magazine (poetry and prose accepted)
  
• Dust Poetry Magazine
  
• Trans Muted Poetry Press
  
• Green Ink Poetry
  
• Gutter Mag

Going freelance as a creative for the first time?

Try some of these fantastic resources from the Regional Theatre Young Director Scheme: to help you get set up in the right way:

• Financial Resources: https://www.rtyds.co.uk/financial-resources/
  
• Freelance websites: https://www.rtyds.co.uk/general/covid-19-useful-resources-for-freelancers/

Support/ Advocacy

The below are groups we’ve worked with and had support from ourselves. While these recommendations are undoubtedly personal, we would encourage anyone looking for support to reach out to whatever they feel is appropriate.

Remember that if you feel alone, there are people out there to just talk to. You don’t need to do anything more than that right now – just take the steps and start the conversation when you feel ready.

• Black Artists Grant – Financial support for UK based Black creatives
  
• Disability Arts Online – For UK based creatives identifying as disabled
  
• Queer Af – a resource for emerging queer artists looking to kick-start their career through collaboration.
  
• Sampad – a non-profit organisation set up in 1990 promoting South-Asian Arts and Heritage cultures
  
• George Padmore Institute – a forum for writers, artists and critics from Carribean nations residing in the UK.
  
• ESEA – Promoting East Asian and South Asian arts across the UK, through artist and participation support
  
• Unlimited Company – A fantastic UK based company championing disabled artists. Offering support and direction for those who are unsure where to go next.
  
• Exist Loudly – a grassroots CIC established to support black LGBTQIA+ artists
  
• Disability Grants – Financial grants offered to empower disabled artists, as well as excellent resources available
  
• Curious Arts – North-East UK support for queery and LGBTQIA+ artists and creatives looking to connect an for advice
  
• Homotopia – Liverpool based Arts and Social Justice organisation since 2003
  
• Shape Arts – Championing Disabled creatives
  
• Art South Asia Project – Organisation supporting education and research in South Asian Arts across the UK