Opening doors to the theatre industry for young Australians
John Bell Scholarship
Interested in a career as a performer and attend school in a regional area? Audition for the John Bell Scholarship.
A life-changing opportunity for budding performers, three students will spend one incredible week training with Bell Shakespeare at our HQ in Sydney.
Winners will undertake acting masterclasses with Bell Shakespeare artists, observe rehearsals, receive specialist training, see live theatre, and more. They will also have the opportunity to perform their winning monologue for Founding Artistic Director John Bell, Artistic Director Peter Evans, and Bell Shakespeare artists, receiving feedback and mentoring.
All auditioning students will undertake a 15-minute, one-on-one Workshop Audition where they will work directly with a Bell Shakespeare artist.
Auditions for our 2025 Scholarships are now closed. Registrations for our 2025 Scholarships will open Friday 1 February, 2025.
Who is eligible?
Applicants must be 16 years of age or older by 31 December 2025 and be enrolled in a regional high school full-time in 2025.
What is the selection process?
Auditions take the form of a 15-minute Workshop Audition with a Bell Shakespeare artist where students perform a prepared monologue from the 2025 monologue list, receiving feedback and direction from a professional Bell Shakespeare artist. Up to four students will be selected for the scholarship from across Australia.
John Bell Scholarship auditions take place in person and via Zoom.
Students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply.
How do I apply?
Register for your Workshop Audition by completing the online registration form. Note: You will not be eligible for the scholarship if we do not receive this form. We will let you know if we can audition you in person, and the available dates. If we are not able to audition you in person, we will arrange a live audition via Zoom.
Select your audition piece from our 2025 monologue list (This list will be made available closer to the registration date). There’s a mix of characters from Shakespeare’s plays, from tragedy to comedy. Take your pick and rehearse your chosen character in your own unique way.
Registration opens 1 February 2025 Auditions take place during Terms 2 – 3 2025 Shortlist announced November 2025 Winners announced December 2025 Scholarship takes place in January-February 2026, dates TBC
2022 John Bell Scholarship winner Cate meeting the cast and crew of MACBETH
2021 John Bell Scholarship winners at Pier 2/3, Sydney
2019 winners Promise, Hanna, Stella and Grace in a movement workshop with Fight & Movement Director Nigel Poulton
2017 winners Kuda, Niamh and Abu in Sydney
2019 winners Grace, Promise, Stella and Hanna in a monologue workshop with Associate Director James Evans
2018 winner Rhyan performing his winning monologue for John Bell and Bell Shakespeare company