VWC joins forces with other writers’ centres for “Writing Australia”
The Victorian Writers’ Centre and Writers’ Centres in Tasmania, NSW, South Australian and the ACT have teamed up to formed a new national organisation called Writing Australia – a new Literature Board initiative supported by the Australia Council for the Arts.
“The idea of Writing Australia makes lots of sense,” said Victorian Writers’ Centre director Roderick Poole. “It aims to bring the best of the state centres' programs across state borders to a national audience.”
Writing Australia, to be based in Canberra, will deliver services and programs for writers on a national level. It will provide an additional layer of professional skills development and promotion for Australian writers, including a national program of residencies, opportunities for mid-career writers to promote their work outside their home states, a national conference and links to similar overseas service organisations.
A web-based information hub will also provide a meeting-place for writers across Australia, in cities and the bush, as well as provide on-line workshops, comprehensive information on publishing opportunities for emerging writers and a wiki-based meeting place for writers at every stage of their career.
The Australia Council Literature Board will fund Writing Australia as an emerging key organisation from January 2011, committing to triennial funding. The Board congratulated the directors of each Centre for their energy and initiative in helping develop a viable and forward-looking plan for the literature sector.
Roderick Poole said the emergence of Writing Australia had “come at a great time” and that it would be an organisation with a difference.
“In its development, we’ve been careful to make sure it does not turn into a centralised bureaucracy, but is kept lean and agile with plenty of involvement from the state centres,” he said.
Writing Australia will commence operations in January 2011 once the recruitment of its national director is complete.
— 15.12.2010