Union Arts Center’s New Works Northwest Festival returns January 22–25, 2026, offering staged readings, community events, and artist conversations that center the development of new plays by Pacific Northwest writers. Now in its third year, the festival invites audiences into a vital step of the creative process, supporting stories as they move from script to stage.

Curated from more than 200 submissions, this year’s six-play lineup reflects the urgency, complexity, and contradictions of the world we are living in now. UW Drama is pleased to see members of its community represented among the festival’s directors, including faculty members Valerie Curtis-Newton and Adrienne Mackey, as well as alumnus Bobbin Ramsey.

All staged readings take place in Union Arts Center’s Bullitt Cabaret, an intimate setting designed to bring artists and audiences into close conversation. Tickets are pay-what-you-can, and seating is limited; early reservations are encouraged.

For full festival details, performance times, and ticket reservations, visit Union Arts Center.