Visitor FAQ

Attending Fresh Ink: Hull Playwriting Festival 2025

  • Fresh Ink is an annual theatre festival designed to support writers with a connection to Hull to create and develop new plays in the city.

    Audiences can enjoy a wide range of events across the weekend of 18-19 July 2026.

    Fresh Ink is produced by co-founders Middle Child and sponsored by co-founders Wykeland, with support from J F Brignall Charitable Trust, Hull City Council, The Fenton Arts Trust, the University of Hull, Hull Truck Theatre, Garrick Charitable Trust and I Am Fund.

  • The weekend will feature script-in-hand performances, alongside writer workshops, industry talks, relaxed networking opportunities and keynote speeches.

    Seven new commissions have been selected from 123 entrants to be shared at the festival, giving audiences an opportunity to see new work in its early stages.

  • A script-in-hand performance is the reading of a script, usually in its early stages of development, by professional actors.

    These sharings are relaxed by design, as a way for audiences to see a first glimpse of new work in early draft form. They are a valuable way for theatre makers to experiment with a piece of work, see how an audience responds and learn how they might develop a play further.

    In the case of Fresh Ink, actors will have had a short rehearsal period of a couple of days, working with a director and the writer. There will be no set, costume and only minimal lighting. Actors will use microphones.

  • Fresh Ink is for anyone who enjoys seeing new work, has an interest in writing, loves theatre, is new to theatre, established writers, new writers and everything in-between.

    Our age recommendation across the festival is 14+, with parental discretion. Children must be accompanied by an adult at all times.

  • See our line-up page, where you can see the schedule broken down by day, event type and venue.

  • Yes. Each play has a list of content notes on their individual page on this website, along with a description of the play, a bit about the writer, credits and times of the performances.

  • See our line-up page for all of the plays.

  • You do not need to be a writer to attend any workshops or talks, although these events are designed for people with an interest in starting out or developing their craft further.

  • Please arrive 10 minutes before your event time and staff will guide you from there.

  • We’ve done our best to avoid clashing time slots in the schedule this year, but a few clashes are inevitable as the programme is jam-packed!

    It won’t be possible to catch absolutely every event across the festival and you’ll need to choose what you most want to see/participate in. But don’t worry, you’ll still be able to attend bags of events across the weekend. Check out the handy clash finder on our line-up page.

The festival

  • All performances of our seven commissioned plays will take place inside a weatherproof marquee at Stage@TheDock, as well as the keynote speeches and Meet the Writer talks.

    The amphitheatre is in the former Central Dry Dock and has seen dozens of stage shows since it opened in 2016.

    The marquee will be accessible at stage level, with lift access if required.

    Find Stage@TheDock on Humber Street, Hull, HU1 1UU.

  • The pop-up space, at 1-2 Pier Street, is a former warehouse converted into a multi-use arts and culture space by Wykeland.

    Pier Street will host all of our workshops and talks for Fresh Ink this year.

    It has level access throughout and an accessible toilet.

  • Hull’s newest theatre, at 69 Humber Street, is a new addition to Fresh Ink this year. A 65-seater studio theatre, it will host sharings of work by Middle Child’s three writers’ groups.

    The space features inclined seating, level access and an accessible toilet.

  • Seating in the marquee at Stage@TheDock and at Middle Child is unreserved (except for wheelchair users) and we ask people to fill from the front upon arrival.

    Seating at Pier Street will be arranged informally for talks and workshops and will also be unreserved.

  • The nearest car parks are the Fruit Market multi-storey car park and the short stay marina car park.

    Vehicles can enter the Fruit Market car park from Blackfriargate and the pedestrian entrance is across the road from Stage@TheDock, by a zebra crossing.

    The short stay marina car park has a limit of three hours and includes uneven ground, but is closer to the Middle Child and Pier Street venues.

  • No. All events will take place either inside our weatherproof marquee at Stage@TheDock or inside a building at Pier Street or Middle Child.

    If the weather turns rainy, please be careful when making your way down the steps at Stage@TheDock, as they can become slippery.

  • If there is lightning, the events at Stage@TheDock will move into an alternative venue.

    If this happens, we will post clear instructions on both the Fresh Ink and Middle Child social media accounts, while staff and volunteers will be on hand to redirect attendees to the alternative venue.

The venues

  • Yes.

    Stage@The Dock: Wheelchair access down to the marquee is available via a lift and we will have staff and volunteers available to direct you if required.

    Pier Street: The pop-up space is ground floor accessed.

    Middle Child: The space has level access and attendees can book wheelchair user tickets.

  • No. This year we are using captions of the plays and keynote speeches at Stage@TheDock.

  • Whilst there are no specific ‘relaxed performances’ of the sharings, rehearsed readings (script-in-hand performances) are relaxed by design, with actors reading from scripts, minimal lighting and no set or music.

    Audience members can leave any space if they need to, at any time.

  • Yes, accessible toilets are available at Bert’s and Nibble, next to Stage@TheDock, at the pop-up space on Pier Street and at Middle Child on Humber Street. See our Access page for more information.

  • A free, no-questions-asked additional ticket is available for any disabled audience member attending a paid event who requires an essential companion.

    To book online, please order a standard ticket and then select an additional free companion ticket.

  • No. The stage and performers will be lit with minimal lighting and no strobe effects will be used.

  • Yes. Babies are most welcome. For older children the festival guidance is 14 years and older, with parental discretion.

    We advise that you book one ticket for each person who requires a seat. If your baby can sit on your lap, you only need to book one ticket.

    A baby changing table is located in the accessible toilet in Nibble, next to Stage@TheDock.

  • See our dedicated Access page for more details.

Access

  • Toilets, including accessible toilets, are located at Nibble and Bert’s, next to Stage@TheDock, which will be available to use at any time, including during the events.

    Festival-goers will have access to the toilets at Nibble, even when the cafe has closed.

    If you are attending a workshop or talk at the pop-up venue on Pier Street or a performance at Middle Child, participants will have the use of the toilets there.

  • A box office will be available at both Stage@TheDock and outside Middle Child over the weekend. You can buy tickets or get help with your bookings here.

  • A baby changing table is located in the accessible toilet in Nibble, next to Stage@TheDock.

Facilities

  • To keep the festival affordable for audience members and participants, most of the events are individually priced between £4-8, with a limited number of Fresh Ink Saver tickets available for just £4.

    Other events are free, but booking is still required.

  • Tickets are sold through Middle Child’s online box office. You can book for any individual event through the Fresh Ink website, or you can visit Middle Child’s online book office to book for multiple events in one go.

    See our Tickets page for more information.

  • Yes. A box office will be open throughout the festival at Stage@TheDock and outside Middle Child, where you can buy tickets for any event (subject to availability), or get help with your bookings.

  • No. If you booked online you should have received your e-tickets via email. You do not need to print these off and can simply show us on a phone or device upon arrival at the venue, where they will be checked by a volunteer or member of staff.

Tickets

  • We encourage festival-goers to take advantage of the excellent establishments on Humber Street and the Fruit Market quarter.

    Audiences are allowed to bring drinks into the marquee, in plastic cups.

  • The Fruit Market area of Hull is home to dozens of independent cafes, restaurants, pubs and bars, including Nibble, Next Door and Bert’s, right next to Stage@TheDock.

  • Yes, audiences and participants are welcome to bring their own refreshments into both festival venues, but please avoid bringing nuts into the venues.

Refreshments

  • All service dogs are welcome at both venues.

  • Our staff will be on hand throughout the festival, near and in both venues, visible in their yellow Fresh Ink t-shirts. They’ll be available to answer questions and point you in the right direction.

    You will also be able to chat with the brilliant HEY Volunteers, in blue uniforms, throughout the weekend, should you have a query or need assistance.

  • Yes, taking photographs of performances is allowed, but we ask that this is done with no disruption to the performers or other audience members.

  • Middle Child are a charity and all of our work is made possible through generous donations, sponsorships and funding partners.

    If you’d like to support our mission to ensure that anyone’s story can be told and heard, why not join our pay what you can supporters’ scheme, Middle Child Mates?

    If you’re a business, charitable trust or other organisation or individual that would like to discuss sponsorship, please contact senior producer, Sarah.

Other questions

For any other questions, please contact Middle Child audience development manager, Jamie Potter: jamie@middlechildtheatre.co.uk