Save Writing NSW
An open letter to Create NSW and the NSW Minister for the Arts
We, as writers and active members of the literary community, were dismayed by Create NSW’s decision not to grant Writing NSW Multi-Year Organisations Funding in their latest round, despite the fact that Writing NSW was recommended for funding.
This decision demonstrates the ongoing devaluation of literature within the Australian arts funding landscape. We know literature is the most popular artform in the country, with 87% of Australian reading some form of literary work in any given year, yet in this round Create NSW offered only 5.7% of their ongoing funding to literature organisations.
The decision to defund Writing NSW carries a particular sting. Writing NSW is the leading organisation representing writers in a state with a long literary history and one that is home to many of Australia’s leading publishers, writers, literary agents and other core participants in the Australian literary industry.
Writing NSW is an important stepping-stone for writers at the beginning of their careers, providing high quality professional development programs, and it also employs emerging and established writers to deliver and lead these programs. For decades the organisation has provided high-quality courses, seminars, workshops, festivals, events, grants and literary prizes. In putting such programs at risk, Create NSW is jeopardising both an entry point and an ongoing support system for writers.
Macquarie University research shows that the average income of an Australian author from their practice is $12,900. The current economic crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic makes the situation of writers even more precarious. Writing NSW offers key employment opportunities to writers, through teaching, publication, speaking engagements and both curatorial and judging positions. The removal of these opportunities will mean many writers will not be able to maintain the other income streams that support their writing careers.
The removal of $175,000 from a single source would be catastrophic for any business – not-for-profit or otherwise. For a government funding body to enact such a blunt economic withdrawal in the midst of a global pandemic and without concern for the economic flow-on effect to hundreds of industry professionals is deeply distressing.
We call on Create NSW to reverse this decision and ask them to reveal their future strategies for arts funding and how they plan to rectify the disparity in funding between other funded artforms and literature.
As writers, we will never accept the loss of a vibrant, essential cultural network such as Writing NSW.
What you can do
We invite anyone affected by Create NSW’s decision – writers, publishers, literary agents, illustrators, readers alike – to co-sign this letter. You can copy and customise this letter to draft a version from your own point of view on this matter to send to a Member of Parliament.
To co-sign this letter, add your name here: shorturl.at/dERX6
Signatories
Pip Smith, Writer, creative writing teacher
Sam Twyford-Moore, Writer and arts administrator
Fiona Wright, Writer, editor, critic, reader
Gabrielle Tozer, Author, writer, editor
Brigid Mullane, Editor
Jules Faber, Author, Illustrator
Dr Christopher Richardson, Author and academic
Liz Ledden, Author, podcaster, book reviewer
Kate Tracy
Ashley Kalagian Blunt, Writer, reviewer, reader
Julie Paine, Writer
Nick Tapper, Editor
Belinda Castles, Writer and academic
Simon Veksner, Writer
Amanda Ortlepp, Writer, reader, reviewer, High School English Teacher
Bronwyn Birdsall, Writer, editor
Robin Riedstra, Writer, reviewer, reader, English teacher
Dr Delia Falconer, Writer, critic, academic
Robert McDonald, Author, writer, creative writing teacher
Dr Kathryn Heyman, Author
Wai Chim, Author
Kirsten Krauth, Writer, editor
Tricia Dearborn, Poet, writer, editor
Dr Mireille Juchau, Writer
Gail Jones, Writer
Dr Jeff Sparrow, Writer, editor, academic
Linda Jaivin, Writer, editor, translator
Adara Enthaler, Poet, editor, literary arts manager
Keighley Bradford, Writer, editor, arts and festival administrator
Nicole Priest, Reader and aspiring writer
Shamin Fernando, Writer
Andrew Pippos, Writer
Bianca Nogrady, Writer and journalist
James Bradley, Writer
Ali Jane Smith, Writer
Dr Eleanor Limprecht
Idan Ben-Barak, Writer
Jennifer Mills, Writer
Nicole Hayes, Writer, podcaster
Michelle Starr, Writer/journalist
Phillipa McGuinness, Writer and publisher
Vanessa Berry, Writer and academic
Blake Ayshford, Screenwriter
Emily Maguire, Writer
Sarah Lambert, Screenwriter
Anwen Crawford, Writer
Sarah Bassiuoni, Screenwriter
Jackson Ryan, Writer, journalist, academic
Simon Thomsen, Journalist, editor, other wordy stuff
Ivy Shih, Writer
Miro Bilbrough, Writer, filmmaker, screenwriting teacher, script editor
Graham Davidson, Writer, artist, festival director
Christos Tsiolkas, Writer
JZ Ting, Writer, lawyer
Susan Francis, Writer, teacher
Suneeta Peres da Costa, Writer
Dr Harriet Cunningham, Writer, critic, journalist
Adele Dumont, Writer, reader
Sheree Strange, Writer, book reviewer, book seller
Phil Robinson, Reader
Ashleigh Meikle, Reader, writer, book blogger
Naomi RIddle, Writer, editor
Cathal Gwatkin-Higson, Writer, book seller
Hannah Carroll Chapman, Screenwriter
Angela Meyer, Writer, editor
Steve Blunt, Reader, supporter
Ambra Sancin, Writer, arts administrator
Michelle Baddiley, Writer, reader, archive producer
Dinuka McKenzie, Writer, reader
Catherine C. Turner, Writer, reader, freelance editor and publisher, arts worker
Hilary Davidson, Writer, poet, academic, reader
Dr Eleanor Hogan, Writer
Nicola Robinson, Commissioning Editor
Kim Wilson, Screenwriter
Jane Nicholls, Freelance writer and editor
Lisa Kenway, Writer
Virginia Peters, Writer
Sarah Sasson, Physician-writer and reader
Dr Joanna Nell, Writer
Laura Clarke Author / Copywriter
Nicole Reddy, Screenwriter
Anna Downes, Writer
Sharon Livingstone, Writer, editor, reader
Lily Mulholland, Writer, screenwriter, technical editor
Benjamin Dodds, Poet, reviewer, teacher
Markus Zusak, Writer
Alexandria Burnham, Writer, screenwriter
Sam Coley, Writer
Marian McGuinness, Writer
Selina McGrath, Artist
Adeline Teoh
Natasha Rai, Writer
Catherine Ferrari, Reader
Jessica White, Writer & academic
Zoe Downing, Writer, reader, creative writing student
Amanda Tink, Writer, researcher, reader
Lisa Nicol, Children's author, screenwriter, copywriter
Aurora Scott, Writer
Gillian Polack, Writer, academic
Susan Lever, Critic and writer
Denise Kirby, Writer
Michele Seminara, Poet & editor
Meredith Curnow, Publisher, Penguin Random House
David Ryding, Arts Manager
Catherine Hill
Genevieve Buzo, Editor
Hugo Wilcken
DJ Daniels, Writer
Linda Vergnani, Freelance journalist, writer and editor
Tony Spencer-Smith, Author, writing trainer & editor
Dr Viki Cramer, Freelance writer and editor
Petronella McGovern, Author, freelance writer and editor
Jacqui Stone, Writer and editor
Talia Horwitz, Writer, reader & writing student
Sophie Ambrose, Publisher, Penguin Random House
Rebecca Starford, Publishing director, KYD; editor and writer
David Blumenstein, Writer, artist
Rashida Tayabali, Freelance writer
Sheila Ngoc Pham, Writer, editor and producer
Rosalind Gustafson, Writer
Alan Vaarwerk, Editor, Kill Your Darlings
Gillian Handley, Editor, journalist, writer
Karina Machado
Isabelle Yates, Commissioning Editor, Penguin Random House
Michelle Barraclough, Writer
Natalie Scerra, Writer
Melanie Myers, Writer, editor and Creative Writing teacher
Emily Lawrence, Aspiring Writer
Nicola Aken, Screenwriter
Jennifer Nash, Librarian, writer
Clare Millar, Writer and editor
Kathryn Knight, Editor, Penguin Random House
Linda Funnell, Editor, reviewer, tutor, Newtown Review of Books
Stacey Clair, Editor, writer, former events/projects producer at Queensland Writers Centre
Virginia Muzik, Writer, copyeditor, proofreader, aspiring author
Lisa Walker, Writer
Sarah Morton, Copywriter, aspiring author, Member of Writing NSW Board
Laura Russo, Writer and editor
Vivienne Pearson, Freelance writer
Justin Ractliffe, Publishing Director, Penguin Random House Australia
James Ley, Contributing Editor, Sydney Review of Books
Alison Urquhart, PublisherPenguin Random House
Debra Adelaide, Author and associate professor of creative writing, University of Technology Sydney
Magdalena Ball, Writer, Reviewer, Compulsive Reader
Anna Spargo-Ryan, Writer, writing teacher, editor, reader
Charlie Hester, Social media & project officer, Queensland Writers Centre
Mandy Beaumont, Writer, researcher and reviewer
Chloe Barber-Hancock, Writer, reader, pre-service teacher
Dr Patrick Mullins, Academic and writer
Wendy Hanna, Screenwriter
Chloe Warren
Dianne Masri, Social Media Consultant
Jane Gibian, Writer, librarian, reader
Dr Airlie Lawson, Academic and writer
Karen Andrews, Writer, teacher, reader
Tim Coronel, General manager, Small Press Network and Industry adjunct lecturer, University of Melbourne
Tommy Murphy, Playwright and screenwriter
Evlin DuBose, Editor, writer, screenwriter, director, poet, UTS's Vertigo Magazine
Tony Maniaty, Writer
Emma Ashmere, Writer, reader, teacher
Alicia Gilmore, Writer
Suzanne O'Sullivan, Publisher, Hachette Australia
Jacqui DentWriter, Content Strategist
Rachel Smith, Writer
Intan Paramaditha, Writer
Cassandra Wunsch, Director TasWriters (The Tasmanian Writers Centre)
Meera Atkinson
Eileen Chong, Poet, Writer, Educator
Debra Tidball, Author, reviewer
Beth Spencer, Author, poet, reader
Lou Pollard, Comedy writer, blogger
Bronwyn Stuart/Tilley, Author and program coordinator, Writers SA
Gemma Patience, Writer, illustrator, reviewer
Amarlie Foster, Writer, teacher
Dr Felicity Plunkett, writer
Angela Betzien
Drew Rooke, Journalist and author
Michael Mazengarb, Journalist RenewEconomy
Katrina Roe, Children's author, broadcaster, audiobook narrator
Liz Doran, Screenwriter
Arnold Zable, Writer.
Tom Langshaw, Editor, Penguin Random House
Brooke Maddison
Monica O'Brien, ProducerAmbience Entertainment
Jacinta Dimase, Literary AgentJacinta Dimase Management
Jane Novak, Literary AgentJane Novak Literary Agency
Sarah Hollingsworth, Arts Organisation ManagerMarketing and Communications Manager, Writers Victoria
Barbara Temperton, Writer
Sandra van Doorn, Publisher Red Paper Kite
Alex Eldridge, Writer
Karen Beilharz, Writer, editor, comic creator
Esther Rivers, Writer, editor, poet
Jane Pochon, Board Member, lawyer and reader
Zoe Walton, Publisher, Penguin Random House
Eliza Twaddell
Alison Green, CEO, Board Member, Pantera Press
Emma Rafferty, Editor
Sarah Swarbrick, Writer
Dayne Kelly, Literary Agent, RGM
Léa Antigny, Head of Publicity and Communications, Pantera Press
Jenny Green, Finance, Pantera Press
Sarah Begg, Writer
Mark Harding, Writer, Brand Manager, Social Media and Content Specialist
Shanulisa Prasad, Bookseller
Katy McEwen, Rights Manager, Pantera Press
Olivia Fricot, Content Writer/Bookseller, Booktopia
Jack Peck, Writer, Open Genre Group Convenor, Writing NSW, Retired
Kathy Skantzos, Writer, Editor
Serene Conneeley, Author, Editor
Kerry Littrich, Writer
Merran Hughes, Creative
Cassie Watson, Writer
Lisa Seltzer, Copywriter, Social Media Manager and Marketing Consultant
Gemma Noon, Writer and Librarian
Tanya Tabone, Reader
Laura Franks, Reader, Editor, Writer
Dani Netherclift, Writer
Who to contact
We urge you to join us in advocating for Writing NSW and the state of funding for Australian literature, by contacting Create NSW, your NSW Member of Parliament, and the NSW Minister for the Arts.
Who to else to contact
The Hon. (Walt) Walter Secord, MLC
Shadow Minister for the Arts
Phone: (02) 9230 2111
Email:
[email protected]
Ms. Cate Faehrmann, MLC
Greens representative for Arts, Music, Night-Time Economy and Culture
Phone: (02) 9230 3771
Email:
[email protected]
A full list of names and contact details for NSW State MPs is available here.
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