The Playwrights' Studio Scotland is a national initiative designed to directly engage the people of Scotland with new playwriting and raise the standard of plays for presentation to the public. It seeks to celebrate, promote and develop Scotland's rich and growing culture of writing for live performance, improving and sustaining artistic quality, raising awareness, and increasing access to new playwriting. The Studio supports writers living in Scotland and Scottish writers residing in the UK (or internationally on occasions).

Impetus for the project originated from the aspirations of the Scottish theatre sector, towards greater encouragement for the country's already thriving community of excellent playwrights. Playwright Tom McGrath developed the concept and promoted it to the Scottish Arts Council, who in 2001 appointed Faith Liddell (now director of Dundee Contemporary Arts (DCA)) to research the need for such an organisation. In response to her findings, funding was awarded to establish the Playwrights' Studio Scotland in 2003.

Its chief aims are to make best use of existing skills, experience and contacts; to develop new plays; to identify new talent; to develop playwrights' skills and experience; to increse the numbers of plays produced in Scotland; to develop strategic links with related organisations, such as the new National Theatre of Scotland; to improve access to theatre, and to raise the profile of Scottish playwrights.

Towards these ends, the Studio plans to offer a broad spectrum of activities and services, among them: Information Resource, Mentoring, Creating Space, Writing Sessions, Writers Forum, Conferences and currently a national playwriting competition to discover and develop the work of aspiring.

While primarily concerned with the development and sustainability of Scottish talent, the Playwrights' Studio will also seek to facilitate links between Scottish and international writers, whether through adaptations, translations or visits. It will serve as an international resource for organisations and artists interested in Scottish playwrights and their work, as well as encouraging the exchange of ideas concerning international theatre models and practice, and building relationships with similar organisations elsewhere in the world.

The Playwrights' Studio, Scotland offers a range of activities/services: (i) Information Resource: Playwrighting Groups/Schemes within Scotland, Script Reading Schemes, workshops etc; (ii) Creating Space: The Playwirghts' Studio offers development help to be established writers to progress a play; (iii) Mentor Programme: Less experienced or established playwrights are identified and matched with an experienced playwright mentor; (iv) Writing Sessions: The Playwrights' Studio will hold a series of writing introductory sessions around Scotland for new and emerging writers; (v) EVOLVE: Aspiring writers will be given the opportunity to participate in EVOLVE, a play development programme culminating in rehearsed readings of the developed plays to a select audience; (vi) Conferences/Events: Each year the Playwrights' Studio hold a national event focusing on a particular theme: the first symposium will be Dramaturgy. The results of the symposium will be published in a Guide to Dramaturgy in Scotland.

The Playwrights' Studio encourages links between Scottish and International writers. However, it is foremost concerned with the development and sustainability of Scottish talent, and limited resources currently prevent the Studio from being able to offer widespread support outside the UK to the Scottish diaspora overseas.