The Linbury Biennial is also worth over £50,000 in prize money, design commissions and production sponsorship .

Founded in 1987, the Prize has helped launch the careers of many of the UK's top theatre designers. Examples include Anthony Ward, set designer for Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Tim Hatley who won Olivier and Tony Awards for Private Lives and whose current work includes the Monty Python musical Spamalot on Broadway.

The Prize is open to Final year or recently graduated theatre design students and attracts entrants from across the UK. Twelve finalists get the chance to work with four professional performing arts production companies and exhibit their work at the National Theatre. Four of the twelve win a commission to realise their designs with the commissioning companies and one student is awarded the overall winner's title.

The Linbury Biennial Prize for Stage Design is sponsored by the Linbury Trust, one of the Sainsbury Family Charitable Trusts. Lady Anya Sainsbury chairs the Linbury Committee.

Kallaway manages the competition, the National Theatre exhibition and all media.