Yesterday I made my way through the city to the FRESH INK speed dating showcase held at Griffin Theatre (the undesputed home of Australian writing) as an initiative of ATYP. And this was a pretty awesome day for these emerging writers with many industry folk out and about- Michael Gow the patron was there, as were several of the mentors and a few literary managers. Read more

Titled “Award finalist withdraws in protest”- Caleb’s letter has reached the Sydney Morning Herald – complete with comments from Neil Armfield and one of Caleb’s fellow finalists Tamara Asmar: Read more

Independent theatre productions are one of my favourite things- I am always more impressed with what can be acheived by a committed group of artists than a corporate brand. Shining City is one of those shows that you know you just want people to see because it is a really interesting story told well by a group of impressive actors. Read more

This is the much awaited debut for The Sydney Theatre Company’s Residents- a collective of hand-picked young actors who have been brought together to be hothoused and nurtured for a period of 18 months… with a view of creating work. Words being bandied around include: “edgy”, “young”, “collaboration.” Read more

This afternoon I received an open letter to Company B from Caleb Lewis, one of the Shortlisted writers for the 2009 Phillip Parson’s Award, who has decided to withdraw from the competition.

I have posted the letter below. Read more

I am very delighted to share with you some photos taken by Leah McGirr of the get together of the OFF THE SHELF artists in residency at Queen Street Studio. Leah has documented 6 productions I have headed in the last 18 months and I love her photography- it is a rare and precious thing in the transient world of the theatre to have a record of what was- and Leah does it with such style and grace. Read more

At the beginning of every project there is the hope – the big dream of what it could be- what it could look like, could become- what the outcomes are- what the biggest, most exciting wonderful thing that could happen as a result of the project: for me, for the participants, for the projects themselves, for the audience, for the industry, for the wider over arching pursuit of art. And sometimes project management is about making sure that one of the stakeholders’s wishes does not out weigh the other… eg there is absolutely no point in continuing on a grand quest for your art form if there isn’t an audience and no industry is affected by it. Read more

Where are the women?
Booking their tickets to the 2009 Philip Parsons Memorial Lecture.
Perhaps we should all wear white- as to show up against the black seats of the theatre incase there is any misconception that we are invisible.
We are visible.
We have vision.
Read more

There’s alot of change at the moment- well- I am sure there is always alot of change- its just I have the time to notice it at the moment. There are movements in the theatre sector- Artistic directors announced, seasons launched, programs developed and changes- the theatre, the biological microcosm that it is- is expanding, dying off, burning, growing epicormic shoots, and its all in the natural course of things- natural selection.

It would be terribly amiss of me not to acknowledge one significant change I will feel the loss of and that is the ceasing of the regular (and not so regular) writings of Nicholas Pickard aka Sydney Arts Journo. Read more

Opportunity
YAK Events is offering groups and individuals the opportunity to develop new or existing work during a two week residency at Shopfront Contemporary Arts Centre. Read more