We’re thrilled to announce the recipients of the 2025 Seed Commissions are Alfie Jones, Erinn Dhesi and John Bernard.
All three writers are based in and around Coventry and North Warwickshire and will be developing their distinct, exciting new ideas over the coming months.
Alfie Jones
Alfie Jones is an actor, writer, and filmmaker from the West Midlands. In 2018, he co-created the play Blessings with Morning People Productions, then went on to train as an actor at LAMDA.
Since graduating, Alfie has appeared in productions at the Donmar Warehouse and Hampstead Theatre.
This Blighted Star debuted at Underbelly as part of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2025.
Theatre credits include: This Blighted Star (Edinburgh Fringe, Belgrade Seen It First Festival 2025); The Breach (Hampstead Theatre); and Teenage Dick (Donmar Warehouse).
Awards include: Shedload of Future (Shedinburgh)
Training: Alfie trained as an actor and graduated from LAMDA in 2021
“I’m incredibly fortunate to have been given this opportunity to grow and develop my writing. The Belgrade’s commitment to placing its community front and centre is truly inspiring, and I’m honoured to be part of this chapter in its journey. I’m excited to collaborate with the brilliant Belgrade team, whose support and guidance will both empower and challenge me as I continue to evolve as a writer.”
Erinn Dhesi
Theatre
Erinn Dhesi is a playwright and performer whose theatre work explores social media, identity, and the lives of British Asian people. Her one-woman show Wigs Snatched, Perceptions Destroyed premiered at VAULT Festival in 2020 to critical acclaim. Her short plays Sesh (2019) and The Walk (2019) were staged at Curve Theatre, she was commissioned for 5 Plays at The Young Vic (2021) and her first full-length play #ADJUSTMENT received a rehearsed reading at the Belgrade Theatre in 2017. Most recently, her new play Naked Butler completed an R&D at Tara Theatre (2023).
TV
Erinn was selected for BBC Writersroom – Coventry Voices (2021).
Film
Erinn’s hybrid Film and Extended Reality (XR) project #REACTION about family vloggers was awarded the BFI Early Development Scheme in 2025.
Radio / Audio
Her audio play Queens was featured in the Offie Award–winning series THE WAVES (Holy Mountain / Tamasha – 2023). She also wrote three short audio plays for The Power of Persuasion, an education project in partnership with Tamasha Theatre and Bloomsbury Publishing.
Awards
· Queens featured as part of the THE WAVES series, winning Offie’s Best Audio Drama 2023.
· Wigs Snatched, Perceptions Destroyed received Show of the Week and strong 4-star reviews at VAULT Festival.
Training
· Soho Theatre Writers Lab (2014)
· Tamasha Playwrights Group (2019–20)
· Kali Theatre Discovery Programme (2018)
· Belgrade Theatre Critical Mass (2017)
· Develop Create XR Writers Scheme with the BFI and Briightblack (2024)
“I’m thrilled to be developing Spiritual Psychosis at the Belgrade. This Seed Commission gives me the space to dive into a story that blends humour, spiritualism, and the fragile edges of mental wellbeing. I’m excited to explore the theatrical language of a one-woman show that’s both intimate and expansive, and to work in a space that has supported my voice from the beginning of my career.”
John Bernard
John Bernard is the Coventry Poet Laureate (2023–2025), a musician, filmmaker, and creative mentor whose work spans performance, storytelling, and community empowerment. He has performed and facilitated workshops at leading theatres, including the Belgrade Theatre (Empowering Young Voices), the Royal Shakespeare Company (Beyond the Borders), the Criterion Theatre (Springboard Festival), and the Albany Theatre (Locks, Keys and Coasts).
His television and commercial portfolio include Beyond the Bricks of Brum for the Commonwealth Games—featuring the BBQ Symphony Orchestra at Birmingham Symphony Hall as well as the E.ON campaign Spark a Light: Inspiring Our People and Our Playmakers, a commercial for Outland, and a campaign commercial for Coventry Football Club.
As a filmmaker, John wrote and produced the short film Mama Said, which won Best Short Film at the Coventry Film Festival.
John’s poetry and music have been featured across all BBC radio platforms and local stations. He is a recipient of several honours, including Coventry Creative Pioneer and Coventry Poet Laureate.
“Storytelling has always been at the heart of my artistry, and theatre, for me, has always been a space of rawness, impact, and limitless possibility. I am honoured to be part of this Seed Commission and hope it marks the start of my journey into writing for theatre and bringing my stories to the stage. I am inspired to work under the guidance of such incredible people. The Belgrade has played a huge role in supporting creatives like me, making theatre an inclusive and vital space; to be part of this feels like an answer to prayer.”
A Record Response From Writers
This year’s call-out received an overwhelmingly positive response, with far more applications than we anticipated.
This remarkable level of interest highlights the significant need for opportunities that centre and support writers, both within Coventry and the West Midlands, and beyond.
To everyone who applied: thank you.
We know how much time, energy, and care goes into preparing an application, and we’re genuinely grateful you chose to share your ideas with us.
What the Seed Commissions Offer
The Seed Commissions are designed to invest in ideas at their earliest stages.
Writers are often required to begin developing new work independently; drafting early pages or shaping a treatment in their own time, hoping for support down the line. This programme aims to shift that pattern by creating:
· Time and space to write freely
· Freedom to experiment boldly
· Support without the pressure of production
· A nurturing environment rooted in care, trust, and collaboration
Our Commitment to Writers
At the Belgrade, we believe that great work begins with great ideas, and that ideas grow best when artists feel supported. The Seed Commissions exist to help writers in our region develop early-stage projects with confidence, encouragement, and creative freedom.
We can’t wait to begin working with this year’s recipients and to see how their ideas evolve.