What Have You Got To Lose?

24 March, 2010

OzCo closes ANPC.

OzCo closes Playworks.

Now OzCo denies funding for the AWG, the only national membership organisation fighting for the improved conditions for playwrights.

What's at stake?

• AWG undertook a major 18 month research and consultation process with playwrights, script assessors and dramaturgs around the country to develop a Script Assessment Training Program to improve quality and consistency of script assessment services in Australia
• In 2010 the AWG has co-presented a series of master classes with acclaimed experimental playwright Will Eno and will co-present a master class with Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Edward Albee later in the year.

• We provide a script assessment service for playwrights with a range of written and face to face options, while developing a pathways program for talent identified by our script assessors and judges.

• We offer a mentorship program for both emerging writers and established writers seeking to work in new disciplines and including some of Australia’s most recognised playwrights as both mentors and mentees.
• We strive to provide more and more opportunities for the reward and recognition of excellence in playwriting and continues to present the AWGIE Awards for scriptwriting excellence across an number of categories the bi-annual $40,000 Richard Wherrett prize for excellence in playwriting and $25,000 Kit Denton Fellowship for courage and excellence in performance writing, awarded to playwrights the last two years running.
• We continue to provide free legal, industrial and contractual advice to all members.

AND what some of you may not know about our recent work:

• AWG staff have been working with the AWG Theatre committee, consisting of some of Australia’s most acclaimed and prolific playwrights, to assess current standard and conditions for playwrights and update the Theatre Industry Agreement (TIA). (See below for more information)
  
  The TIA is just one aspect of our industrial and communications work on behalf of our playwright members that the AWG has relied on OzCo funding to supplement.
  
  Our Industrial Team reviews commissioning and licensing agreements, assists with copyright issues and helps resolve disputes between Playwrights and producers, directors and even other Playwrights. On an individual level we continue to offer unlimited free legal advice to full members including unlimited individual contractual and industrial advice.

Sign the petition

Thank you and congratulations to all of you who have already added your names to the OzCo Petition – and of course if you weren't aware of the petition there is still time to sign-on.

The above is just a selection of the extensive range of services that the AWG provide of which most of you would be aware.

We are the only national membership organisation dedicated to supporting playwrights. The paucity of funding for playwrights and the burden of responsibility means we are in desperate need of financial support from the Australia Council to continue providing these services and initiatives.

The only way we can achieve change for Australian playwrights is to band together and support each other in the fight to obtain what is fair.
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Click here to read the petition

 About The 2010 Theatre Industry Agreement

The new TIA was developed through consultations with members, major theatres including MPAG theatre companies, Playwriting Australia and Hot House Theatre, who assisted with the development of a Creative Development Schedule. Thanks to the hard work of the Theatre Committee, we are ready to role out the new TIA this week. If there are any substantive changes to be made through the course of negotiating with Theatre Companies, we will contact you with the details and seek more input. The new TIA has been really well received in our discussions so far, the recognition of current practice and the need to protect and support writers through this has been widely accepted. Of course there are always some who will resist and try to exploit, and we will be making sure writers know who just who commits to these new working conditions and who doesn’t, and highlighting exploitative and disrespectful practices.  The new 2010 TIA includes a commitment for Companies to provide:

•    A commitment to support the development of new Australian work through cooperation and flexibility.
•    A new Creative Development Schedule to help Writers and Theatre companies shepherd new work to Australian audiences as well as protecting emerging writers.
•    An increase in the minimum professional commission to $12,500.
•    The introduction of a New Entrant Commission of $5,000 to support and protect emerging writers.
•    Ensure that Script Competitions prizes are no less than the minimum commission.

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