SA NEW PLAY WRITING

All writers are invited to apply to be part of The South African New Play Writing Programme.

“The vision for The South African New Play Writing Programme is that it will provide support to playwrights,” says Ashraf Johaardien, playwright and general manager of the Wits Theatre.

The Wits Theatre, in partnership with the British Council, the Department of Arts and Culture and Sustained Theatre, UK is pleased to announce the launch of The South African New Play Writing Programme.

“The Programme will include the sharing of new play development programmes in the UK with a focus on development of theatre writers in South Africa,” explains Pervaiz Khan of Sustained Theatre, UK. “The process will see writers in SA and the UK sharing extant and new scripts as well as developing a process for the exchange of dramaturgical support. In collaboration with theatres and higher education institutions, the Programme will also seek opportunities for collaboration and co-production with a view to touring work, readings of work in progress, showcases, artists’ and writers’ exchange.”

“For the British Council, this is an opportunity to join South African talent and UK art forms and in so doing, enable them to experience the transformational dialogue effect of the arts,’’ states Deputy Director of the British Council.

“The Department of Arts and Culture sees this as an historic partnership which aims to equip a new generation of South African writers with skills that will enable them to develop dramatic work that resonates with the challenges of the world around them,” states Professor Keorapetse Kgogsitsile, Special Adviser to the Minister of Arts & Culture.

The first phase of the programme will comprise writing workshops in Johannesburg and Cape Town with local writers to be facilitated by Patricia Cumper and Ola Animashawun from the UK who will be joined by two South African writers. The workshops will be aimed at people who are already writing but may not be writing for theatre so it is a chance for them to explore the medium of theatre.

The Johannesburg workshop will take place on January 25 and 26 2011 and the Cape Town workshop on January 27 and 28 2011. Interested writers are invited to submit applications as a single Word document no longer than 5 pages with the following information: one-page CV including contact details, one page letter of motivation, and three-page writing sample.

Applications should be submitted via e-mail to catherine.pisanti@wits.ac.za by no later than November 26 2010. The selection process will be facilitated by The Arts & Culture Trust, South Africa premier independent arts funding and development agency. There will be a number of bursaries covering accommodation and travel for writers selected from outside of Cape Town and Johannesburg.