Founded 1962 Key people Jan Sardi, president Country Australia | Affiliation ACTU, IAWG Office location Chippendale, Sydney | |
Full name Australian Writers' Guild | ||
The Australian Writers' Guild (AWG) is the professional association for Australian performance writers, that is, writers for film, television, radio, theatre, video and new media. The AWG was established in 1962. The AWG is a member of the Australian Council of Trade Unions.
The AWG gives writers a political voice by lobbying government on such issues as copyright protection and the provision of support for film and theatre funding bodies and the ABC and protecting Australian content. The AWG is a democratic organisation run by its members, who each year elect a National Executive Council and State Branch Committees.
The Australian Writers' Guild receives assistance from the Literature Fund of the Australia Council, the State Arts Ministries in New South Wales and Western Australia, the Australian Film Commission, the Film Finance Corporation, Cinemedia, the South Australian Film Corporation, Pacific Film and Television, Screenwest and the NSW Film and Television office.
Since 1967, the AWG confers the AWGIE Awards for excellence in screen, television, stage and radio writing.
History
The Guild was founded in March 1962 when a group of 17 radio writers met at the Australia Hotel in Sydney and decided to form a guild to represent their professional interests. It was originally called The Australian Radio, Television and Screenwriters' Guild, and the interim committee comprised Don Houghton, Richard Lane, Ric Aspinall, Kay Keaveney and Lyle Martin.
In late 1962 it registered as a Trade Union in NSW. This was seen as important because it provided recognition and support from other trade unions within the industry, notably Actors' Equity and the Musicians' Union.
IN 2004, the guild partnered with The Sun-Herald and The Sydney Morning Herald to organize the What Matters? writing competition.
In 2009, the guild quit Australian Screen Council over a financial disagreement.
For many years, the executive director of the organization has been Jacqueline Woodman (now Jacqueline Elaine).