Deptford Scratch: In Conversation - Pay What You Decide

A brand new, accessible networking event for local creatives and anyone looking to join our growing community.

Taking place twice a year — in January and June — each edition will feature a keynote speaker sharing their personal journey through the industry, alongside practical insight and advice for emerging creatives. There will also be a dedicated Q&A session, where the speaker will answer pre-selected questions, so once we drop the name, be sure to book your place and send your questions.

Afterwards, the space opens up for relaxed networking with like-minded creatives. We know networking can feel daunting, but it is essential, so our aim is to create a relaxed, welcoming, informal, and genuinely useful environmental — a space where conversation flows naturally and real connections are made.

Come for the insight, stay for the people.

Deptford Scratch: A Seat at the Table - Free by Application

We’re making space at the table.

For upcoming editions of Deptford Scratch, we’ll be inviting members of our creative community to take part in the selection process for the scratch night. Until now, script selections have been made internally — but for an event built to support artists, it feels right that the community has a voice in shaping it too.

We’ll be selecting two creatives to join the panel alongside us and together, we’ll choose six new works to be showcased at the next Deptford Scratch. A small group of actors will assist by bringing the scripts to life during a closed table read.

If you’d like to help select the next wave of bold new writing, please keep an eye out for applications opening soon.

Deptford Scratch: Link Up - Free

Our Link Up evening is where creatives come together to connect, collaborate, and get ahead of the show.

Actors and directors are invited to book a free ticket and discover which short plays have been selected, meet the writers behind them, and explore the opportunities available.

The evening begins with each selected writer pitching their short play and taking part in a short Q&A, followed by a quick icebreaker designed to get the conversations flowing. Then, it’s time to mingle.

Each writer will host a table featuring excerpts and materials from their project, giving actors and directors the chance to dive into the work and register interest in the productions that excite them most. Creatives can leave their details directly with writers for casting calls, auditions, and future collaborations.

Now this is how we do things differently: writers can only cast creatives who attend Deptford Scratch: Link Up.

We’re also opening up backstage opportunities for emerging stage managers, photographers and videographers, looking to gain hands-on experience, build creative connections, and be part of bringing new work to life from behind the scenes. So, there is every opportunity for you too, to join Link Up.

Deptford Scratch is built on the idea of real creative connection. At a time when casting is becoming increasingly digital, we believe there’s still real power in being in the room — not only for auditions, but for networking, collaboration, and building long-term creative relationships.

Creatives are always saying they want opportunities to be in the room. This is one of them.

Come through, make connections, and be part of Deptford Scratch.

Deptford Scratch - Pay What You Decide

Deptford Scratch is the main event — a night of raw, unfiltered new writing spotlighting emerging talent and giving artists the chance to share bold new work with a live audience in a low-pressure, creatively charged space.

We host two editions each year: Deptford Scratch in April, open to all artists, and Deptford Scratch: #GlobalMajoritySpotlight in October, dedicated to Global Majority creatives.

Each scratch is supported by its own programme of community led events including A Seat at the Table, Link Up and Reflect — creating space not just for performance, but for collaboration, conversation and development. We’re also opening up backstage opportunities for emerging stage managers to gain hands-on experience, build creative connections, and be part of bringing new work to life from behind the scenes, alongside opportunities for photographers and videographers to capture and shape the energy of the event.

We have also built a valuable partnership with Greenwich Theatre, where the pieces transfer to the Studio space one month after showing at Deptford Lounge. The second performance gives artists time to respond to feedback, refine their work, and share it with an entirely new audience in a new space, which we are looking to continue.

Deptford Scratch isn’t just about showcasing new work — it’s about helping it grow.

Watch this space for audience members to book your Pay-What-You-Decide ticket.

Deptford Scratch: Reflect - Free

A new addition to the Deptford Scratch journey, this informal session creates space for artists to regroup between the Deptford Lounge performance and the transfer to Greenwich.

Using feedback gathered from the first show, artists can reflect, exchange ideas, and reconnect with one another ahead of the next performance. While the session is primarily for participating creatives, audience members who express interest are also welcome to join the conversation and share feedback in the room.

Part feedback session, part creative catch-up — Reflect is about keeping the dialogue going and helping the work evolve.