18 Jun 2026
It starts here: our artistic team
- Our People
The Bush Theatre has appointed a new literary team to work alongside Artistic Director Taio Lawson, to lead the Bush’s programming, dramaturgy and artist development work.
The Bush Theatre is dedicated to nurturing new work at all levels, from early-career artists to established artists seeking to try something new. The team is committed to facilitating the sustainable careers of theatre-makers and creating a space where they’ve exploded what new work can be.
Olivia Poglio-Nwabali joins as Literary Manager and Lead Dramaturge. Olivia is a dramaturg, researcher and arts producer based in London. Before joining the Bush, she worked extensively with the Young Vic – acting as the theatre’s Associate Dramaturg between 2022 and 2024 – as well as with the Southbank Centre, the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Barbican Centre and the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize. Olivia researched and co-edited the book Decolonising the Theatre Space: A Conversation, published by the Bloomsbury imprint Methuen Drama in 2024, and also develops work for the screen.
Frey Kwa Hawking has been appointed as Associate Dramaturge. Frey is a critic, dramaturg, and arts worker. He is a Board Member of the Dramaturgs’ Network and has read for and worked with a number of theatres, companies and competitions from the Royal Shakespeare Company to the Young Vic. He makes theatre with company why this sky.
The team lead on our talent development programmes including the Bush Writers’ Group, Bloom Bursary and Open Submissions.
Open submissions are back
Over the years, we’ve received thousands of scripts through an annual unsolicited submissions window, where we invite artists from across the nation to send us their work. It enables us to engage with the work of writers we otherwise might not have been able to.
The Bush Theatre’s artistic team is dedicated to opening itself up to the imaginations of writers across the nation – artists writing fearlessly about our world and asking big, urgent questions.
And so this year, Open Submissions will return.
When we relaunch Open Submissions, it will look a bit different. We’re aiming to deliver maximum impact for artists, as well as sustainability for the organisation, so that we can protect our ability to deliver this vital scheme. As in previous years, at least one space in the Bush Writers’ Group will be allocated to a writer found through the 2026 call for submissions.
The submissions window will open this summer, with more details to follow.
Support our talent development
It is only with continued financial support that key pipelines for writers, like Open Submissions and the Bush Writers’ Group, exist.
Support us today to protect this work.
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