The Australian Writers' Guild Celebrates 50 Years of Championing Writers

17 April, 2012

The Australian Writers’ Guild is celebrating 50 years since its founding in 1962.

The Guild kicked off its golden anniversary in Melbourne with a State of the Industry Address presented by Emeritus President David Williamson AO. Speaking in front of a sold out Wheeler Centre audience, Williamson emphasised the importance of Australian stories and how vital it is to invest in local content in order to protect the Australian cultural voice.

The AWG will be marking their 50^th year with a number of special events throughout the country. Taking place in Adelaide in July will be the inaugural ‘Day of the Playwright’. This fantastic event with feature a number of Masterclasses on the art of writing for the stage with Patricia Cornelius, Nicki Bloom and Declan Greene already confirmed as mentors.

AWG President and acclaimed screenwriter Jan Sardi will be crossing the country to speak at one of several 50^th anniversary events planned for the Western Australian branch of the Guild. The AWG will also be presenting a number of events in partnership with AACTA.

As part of the Griffin Festival of New Writing, the AWG will be presenting a panel entitled ‘Where are We as Playwrights in Australia 2012?’ featuring renowned playwrights Andrew Bovell, Lally Katz and Tommy Murphy. The festival will take place in Sydney in June.

Also being held in Sydney will be the 45^th Annual AWGIE Awards. The awards will be bigger than ever, recognising not only excellence in scriptwriting in the past year but also over the half a century of contributions by AWG members to their industry. The awards will take place on Friday 24 August.

The 50^th celebrations will culminate in the National Screenwriters Conference to be held in Victoria in February 2013. The conference is a popular biennial event bringing together Australian and International writers and industry and featuring panel discussions, case studies, networking opportunities, mentorships and exclusive Masterclasses with international guests.

More anniversary events will be announced throughout the year.

The Australian Writers’ Guild was founded in March 1962 by a group of 17 radio writers who wanted a group to represent their professional interests during the heady period following the introduction of television. Since then the AWG has grown into a significant professional association, representing over 2,500 film, television, theatre, interactive, animation and radio writers.

Since its founding the AWG has continued to work on behalf of its members and the industry as a whole. The organisation brings writers together to have an active voice on issues such as industry regulations, trade negotiations and practices and government policies. The Guild establishes recommended minimum rates and conditions for writers and provides model contracts in addition to offering a number of professional development opportunities and competitions throughout the year.

View photos from our 50th celebrations on our Facebook page:

State of the Industry Address and Long Serving Member Celebration

50th Anniversary Long Serving Member Thank You Event