The Luke Westlake Scholarship 2025
Applications for the Luke Westlake Scholarship 2025 are now closed
This year’s award is worth over £6000. Find out more about about last year’s winner below.
Applications open 29 Sep 2025
Applications close 24 Oct 2025 a 11:59pm
Shortlist announced 31 Oct 2025
Award Evening and Winner Announced 04 Dec 2025
Sponsors
This year’s scholarship is sponsored by Act On This - The TV Actors’ Network. Their support means that we can continue to deliver and support working class actors through the scholarship.
This year’s scholarship wouldn’t be able to take place without the fantastic support of AKO Capital LLP, One on One / Next Level, Simon & How Associates, Thomas Hopkins Productions, Applause For Thought, Creative Artists Management (CAM), BBA Management, Rob Hughes and Emma Bloomfield.
2025 Prize List
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Spotlight
1yr Subscription
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The Stage
1yr Subscription
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Act On This
1yr subscription
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Nick Hern Books
£100 Script Voucher
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True Edge Combat
Standard Level Stage Combat Course
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Becky Paris (Head of Casting at The Globe)
1-to-1 Career Advice Session
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Theataccounts
1yr Accounts & Tax Return
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Oliver Lee
Alexander Technique Masterclass
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Just Add Milk (JAM)
£250 JAM Workshops Voucher & £500 Towards Living Costs (Upon Graduating)
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Faye Timby-Taylor (Casting Director)
1-to-1 Career Advice Session
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Kate Backdrop
Self tape backdrop
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Gavin Mills (Agent at Olivia Bell Management)
1-to-1 Career Advice Session
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Career Development Sessions
With a member of the Spotlight team
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Bex Elliff (Agent at CAM)
1-to-1 Career Advice Session
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Isabelle Sweetland (Agent at Curtis Brown)
1-to-1 Career Advice Session
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Fay Summerfield Photography
Headshot Package
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Max Boast
Filmed Duologue Session
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Screen International
1yr Digital Subscription to Screen International
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Road Casting
Road Casting Merch + opportunity to film your own self-tape in the studio.
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AKTA
Voice Reel Package
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James Westphal
2×1hr Acting Coaching Sessions
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Chris Phoon
1 on 1 singing masterclass with Chris Poon, who is currently MD of Lord of the Flies at Chichester Festival Theatre (Also MD on The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, MD for the workshop of Martin Guerre @ The Old Vic, and Conductor on My Neighbour Totoro @ RSC).
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SOLT Theatre Voucher
A SOLT voucher for a theatre show of your choice donated by BBA Management.
2025 Judging Panel
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Laura Hopper
Actor
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Tom Hopper
Actor
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Liam McLaughlin
Executive Director of JAM
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Chandra Ruegg
Casting Director
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Katy Wale
Agent at Denton Brierley
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Kristian Wall
Executive Director of JAM
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Bridgette & Lee Westlake
Parents of Luke Westlake
Tickets for the Scholarship Award Evening
The scholarship award evening is open to the general public in 2025.
Come and support the next generation of working class talent, with a night of captivating stories and excellent entertainment. Tickets* are £15.00 and go straight back into the running costs of the scholarship.
Lyric Hammersmith Theatre - Thursday 04 December 2025
*Tickets are non-refundable
Shortlisted Actors
Shortlisted Actors
All 2025 scholarship shortlisted actors will be invited to take part in a selection of online sessions and Q&As with leading casting directors and agents this Autumn.
Agent session: Brooke Kinsella (InterTalent)
Mon 03 Nov - 6:30-7:30pm on Zoom
Casting Director: Ceri Bedingfield
Thur 6 Nov - 6:30-7:30pm on Zoom
Agent session: Oliver Campbell (BWH) & Max Latimer (JAG)
Mon 10 Nov - 7:00-8:00pm on Zoom
Casting Director: Faye Timby-Taylor
Tue 11 Nov - 6:30-7:30pm on Zoom
Agent session: Lindsay Kutner (Revolution)
Weds 12 Nov - 6:30-7:30pm on Zoom
An Introduction into Commercial Casting with Casting Director Ali Fearnley and Assistant Kelly Clare
Tue 18 Nov - 6:30-7:30pm on Zoom
Assistant Agents session: Anna Chippendale & Kate Havord (Hamilton Hodell)
Weds 19 Nov - 6:30-7:30pm on Zoom
Agent session: Ryan Iosco-Holmes (The Foundry)
Thur 20 Nov - 6:30-7:30pm on Zoom
Agent Intensive: Bex Elliff (CAM)
April 2026 - via email / Zoom.
The Scholarship in the Press
The Luke Westlake Scholarship on BBC
Watch Tamzin’s BBC interview from January 2024 discussing her scholarship win and looking towards her acting future.
You can also read the BBC’s article below.
BAFTA
BAFTA Partnership
As part of our partnership with BAFTA, all actors who make the shortlist will automatically be eligible for the prestigious Prince William BAFTA Bursary.
After graduating from their drama school or university, shortlisted actors will be invited to apply for the bursary to support their early career.
About Luke Westlake
Now in its seventh year, The Luke Westlake Scholarship is an annual award set up for working class actors (BA) in their 2nd year at Drama School or University in the UK.
The winner receives over £6000 worth of financial and developmental support as they complete their training and graduate.
The scholarship was established in 2019 when we realised that many actors were being priced out of their careers before they even graduated. After spending tens of thousands of pounds on training, actors must then pay for subscriptions, plays, headshots, equipment for self-tapes and other necessities to support themselves - with those from working-class and low-income families losing out due to financial demands of the industry.
The scholarship is named in memory of Luke Westlake, a friend of JAM and a talented actor who trained with them at ArtsEd (2014-17). A diligent, fierce, working-class actor, he represented everything the scholarship stands for and JAM is grateful to be supported by his parents, Bridgette and Lee, in keeping the memory of Luke alive.
Luke Westlake
“We are delighted that the scholarship so kindly dedicated by JAM to the memory of our son Luke continues to grow from strength to strength. It is an amazing opportunity and we urge all those eligible to apply.
We look forward to seeing another excellent field of candidates and this year we hope to meet in person to celebrate the fantastic talent that we know will come forward.”
Lee & Bridgette Westlake