The Peter Hall Bursary is awarded every two years by the National Theatre Foundation to support directors, both financially and artistically.

Each director has the opportunity over the two years of the Bursary to gain a greater understanding of the workings of the National Theatre, and be supported to develop work for our stages.

In 2022, a short-list of directors was drawn-up after extensive engagement with stage productions across the country, with a focus on the particular skills and expertise that were not represented among the National Theatre’s Associate and Resident Directors at that time.

The 2022 bursary recipients, Atri Banerjee and Rachel Bagshaw, were selected by Rufus Norris, Nina Steiger, Head of Play Development, and the National Theatre Associates based on the exciting contribution and richness of practice each director will bring to the National Theatre and wider industry as a result of their appointment.

During the period of the Bursary, one of our Associate Directors works closely with the Peter Hall Bursary Directors in a mentor capacity, and the two-year Bursary supports a period of artistic development and research, intended to help create a space to explore and further develop their own creative practice.

Previous  recipients include Ned Bennett, Ola Ince and Nancy Medina (now Artistic Director of Bristol Old Vic) in 2020, and Emily Lim (Director of Public Acts) in 2016.

Photo (of Gary Lilburn and Tanya Moodie, in Trouble in Mind, directed by Nancy Medina), by Johan Persson.