Photograph by Craig Maclean

Information for press and media enquiries

About the Scottish Society of Playwrights

The Scottish Society of Playwrights is the national membership organisation for professional playwrights in Scotland and an affiliate trade union of the STUC. It supports, represents, and advocates for playwrights at every stage of their careers, championing the value of new writing for theatre and the central role of writers in Scotland’s cultural life. SSP works to protect writers’ rights, improve professional conditions, strengthen opportunities for development and production, and ensure that playwrights’ voices are heard across the theatre sector and beyond.

At a glance

The Scottish Society of Playwrights is Scotland’s membership organisation representing the interests of professional playwrights. Founded in 1973, SSP has been the collective voice of Scotland’s playwrights for over 50 years, working to ensure that playwrights are supported, represented, and recognised as essential contributors to the nation’s cultural life.

Our mission

We are the collective voice of Scotland’s professional playwrights, ensuring their voices are heard, their rights protected, and their stories shared as a vital part of the nation’s cultural life.

What SSP does

SSP supports, represents, and advocates for playwrights working across Scotland. Its work includes championing playwrights’ rights, promoting fairer contracts and professional conditions, supporting opportunities for development and production, and ensuring playwrights’ voices are heard in conversations shaping the future of Scottish theatre.

As a membership organisation and affiliate trade union, SSP also plays an important role in building solidarity among playwrights, strengthening professional networks, and representing the interests of writers within the wider cultural sector.

Our values

Advocacy and Fairness
We stand up for the collective and creative rights of playwrights, working to ensure fair contracts, pay, and professional recognition.

Community and Collaboration
We build a strong, supportive network for playwrights, forging connections between artists, audiences, and creative counterparts.

Fostering Co-operation
We actively foster community and solidarity between playwrights in Scotland, and their counterparts across the UK and internationally.

Cultural Stewardship
We honour Scotland’s storytelling heritage, championing new stories and perspectives that reflect the evolving identity of our nation.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
We advocate for policies and practices promoting a diverse, accessible, inclusive, and sustainable ecology for dramatic writing in Scotland.

Why playwrights matter

Playwrights are central to the creation of theatre. They originate stories, shape dramatic form, and bring new perspectives, voices, and experiences to the stage. SSP exists to ensure that playwrights are recognised not only as creative contributors, but as workers whose intellectual, creative, and professional rights must be respected.

Current priorities

SSP’s work is focused on a number of key areas, including:

• protecting playwrights’ rights and creative ownership
• improving professional conditions and fairer contractual practice
• advocating for fair pay and stronger recognition of playwrights’ labour
• supporting access, inclusion, and sustainability within the theatre sector
• promoting new writing and strengthening opportunities for development and production
• ensuring playwrights have a strong collective voice in sector and policy discussions

Foundation

The collective voice of Scotland’s playwrights since 1973.

The Scottish Society of Playwrights was founded following a meeting at the Netherbow Theatre, Edinburgh, in September 1973, called by Hector MacMillan, Ena Lamont Stewart and John Hall. At that initial meeting, the thirty or so playwrights present took the decision to establish the Society.

Ian Brown was elected as the first Chair and was asked, with the help of Hector MacMillan and Ada F. Kay, to draft a constitution. That constitution was adopted at a subsequent meeting at the Third Eye Centre, Glasgow, in November 1973, formally founding SSP.

The Society was established in response to the need for a co-ordinated voice for playwrights within Scottish theatre, and to act as a playwriting development and promotional agency.

More than fifty years later, SSP continues to serve as the collective voice of Scotland’s playwrights.

Office bearers

• Kris Haddow – Chair
• Linda Duncan McLaughlin – Secretary
• Alan McKendrick – Treasurer

Board members

• Ben Ramsay – Membership Secretary
• Zoë Bullock – Social Media Officer
• Isla Cowan – Events Coordinator
• Katherine Mendelsohn
• jd stewart
• Grace Edwards
• Jack MacGregor

Press enquiries

Kris Haddow
Chair, Scottish Society of Playwrights
scottishsocietyofplaywrights@gmail.com

Notes for editors

• Full name: Scottish Society of Playwrights
• Acronym: SSP
• Founded: 1973
• Status: National membership organisation for professional playwrights in Scotland; affiliate trade union of the STUC
• Role: Supports, represents, and advocates for playwrights in Scotland
• Website: www.scottishsocietyofplaywrights.co.uk

The Hector MacMillan Award

About the ‘Hector’ Award

The Hector MacMillan Award was created in 2019 in memory of one of the Scottish Society of Playwrights’ founding members, past Chair and latterly Honorary Life President, Hector MacMillan. As well as being a distinguished playwright himself, Hector was a passionate champion of new writing. 

Referred to as the ‘Hector’, it is awarded annually for the Best New Scottish Play, as voted for by members of the SSP.

Eligibility

To be eligible, plays must be written by a playwright who is Scottish or Scotland-based, a new professionally-produced play premiered between 1st January and 31st December of the previous year, and of at least 45 minutes’ duration.

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