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2024 WINNERS ANNOUNCED
2025 FESTIVAL IN BIRMINGHAM

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 4, PENSACOLA

Del and Emerson with writer/filmmaker William Mettlach and the cast of SMOKE BREAKS, winner of Best Short in the 2023 DSF Writers Search at the World Premiere of his short at the Stamped Film Festival in Pensacola!

MEET THE 2024 WINNERS

Click the video to watch Del Shores & Program Director Emerson Collins interview our 2024 DSF Writers Search winners for Best Short, Best Screenplay and Best Play during our livestream celebration fo Giving Tuesday and Del Shores' birthday!  With special guest appearances from Mat Hayes, Rosemary & Newell Alexander and Ann Walker!

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11, ATLANTA

Attending the world premiere production of A THIRD WAY, by Lee Osorio, winner of Best Play in our 2023 DSF Writers Search and produced by Actor's Express in Atlanta with the support of our DSF Play Production Grant.

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BEST PLAY

EMMA SCHILLAGE

"Cockroaches"

BEST SCREENPLAY

GERARD SHAKA

"Woodside"

BEST SHORT/WEB SERIES

NATHAN BLANKENSHIP

"Augusta"

WATCH DEL & EMERSON INTERVIEW THE
2023 WINNERS

WATCH HIGHLIGHTS FROM
OUR 2024 FESTIVAL
IN ATLANTA

READ ABOUT 2023 OUR WINNERS HERE
MEET OUR 2023 FINALISTS HERE
MEET OUR 2023 SEMIFINALISTS HERE
MEET OUR 2021 WINNERS HERE

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A SOUTHERN LGBTQ+
ADVENTURE

WRITER. DIRECTOR. PRODUCER.

TEACHER. STANDUP COMEDIAN. MENTOR.

THE DEL SHORES FOUNDATION

FINDING AND FACILITATING SUCCESS FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF SOUTHERN LGBTQ+ WRITERS

ABOUT US

Meet Del and our staff and board full of individuals with varied experiences coming together to build this foundation.

PARTNERS

Meet the film festivals and theatre companies that have come on board in our mission to create outlets for new work.

PROGRAMS

THE DEL SHORES FOUNDATION WRITERS SEARCH 2024 winners have been announced!

our 2025 Writers Search will open in the Spring.

DONATE

A little or a lot, every dollar helps us create more programs, prizes and grants to support  LGBTQ writers.

JOIN THE AMBASSADORS CIRCLE TODAY!

Del Shores has had an incredible career across theatre, film and television as a writer, director, producer, lecturer, teacher, coach and standup comedian.  His most explosive hit, Sordid Lives, was inspired by his own coming out journey to his southern family.  Since then, he has occupied a unique space as a gay southern writer, exploring and sharing the stories of people who often have not seen themselves reflected in the entertainment they consume.

In his success, Del realized that the hardest part is getting the opportunity, exposure and guidance it takes to open the first doors in the entertainment industry. The Del Shores Foundation realizes that the next generation of southern LGBTQ+ writers are out there, and we are creating programs that lead to real opportunities for those living in the South, just starting out.

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