The Bill Cashmore Award enables young and emerging artists to transform a fledgling idea from the page to the professional stage, developing their scratch idea into a show to headline the Lyric's annual Evolution Festival. Run in conjunction with the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre, The Bill Cashmore Award is open to submissions by writers, directors and performers between the ages of 18 and 25, who live or work in West London. The Award provides a unique opportunity to learn theatre from the inside out; to experience what it is to produce a play to a professional standard; to develop skills in a supportive and encouraging environment; and to have a springboard and a calling card to get started in this most challenging of industries.

Award founder, Sasha Bates, set up the Award in 2018 after the tragic, sudden death of her husband, actor, playwright, director and entrepreneur Bill Cashmore. She wanted to keep Bills memory alive by honouring his love of theatre and offering something of his spirit of inclusion and opportunity to those who may otherwise struggle to get a foot on the theatrical ladder.

"The Bill Cashmore Award provides creative young artists with an opportunity to discover their voices and learn to express them through theatre. The Award aims to promote experimental new writing which reflects the diversity of todays world, and to thereby create outstanding work while providing a platform to those who deserve to be heard but are all too often overlooked." - Sasha Bates