Industry Organisations
Offers group writing sessions, workshops, seminars and author readings; facilitates meetings for writers; and promotes books by local authors.
Writers in Townsville Society Inc (WITS) is an eclectic, diverse and dynamic group that meets weekly to share and critique members’ work. WITS publishes anthologies of members’ work, networks with other writers’ groups, undertakes projects and enjoys outings and performances throughout the year. WITS has a strong community involvement. Young poets find encouragement to read their work in public at WITS’ Mid Year Poetry Reading. New members welcome.
Youngstreet Poets meets on the fourth Friday of the month at the NSW Writer’s Centre, Rozelle. By invitation only.
Arts Law is the national legal centre for the arts. We provide practical legal advice and more to artists across all sectors. Legal advice is free or low-cost depending on enquiry. Sample agreements, checklists, guides and information sheets, are sold or available on our website. We present workshops and seminars on key legal issues impacting on creative practice and play a key advocacy role regarding issues facing Australian artists.
Arts Nexus connects far North Queensland’s artists, creative producers, organisations, enterprises and communities by advocating and supporting creative producers and communities with a range of services and projects. Current program partners include Queensland Writers Centre and Tropical Writers.
Arts SA provides assistance for South Australian writers to prepare a draft of a new work and to develop their professional skills through the Independent Makers and Presenters Program. Arts SA acknowledges outstanding Australian literary culture with its national biennial Festival Awards for Literature. For more information, please see website.
Arts Tasmania is responsible for policy, planning, strategic development and funding of the arts in Tasmania. Arts Tasmania also has an industry development arm, arts@work, whose brief is to increase the capacity of the arts sector and the viability of a career in the arts. Funding opportunities exist for Tasmanian writers or activities that will benefit Tasmania.
Arts Victoria is the Victorian Government body charged with advising on and implementing arts policy, developing the arts and cultural industries across the state and ensuring access to the arts for all Victorians. Arts Victoria supports the arts and cultural industries to encourage excellence, develop good ideas, build audiences, encourage participation and improve facilities.
Asia and Pacific Writers Network is an alliance of individuals and organisations that work with language and writing in all their forms. The Network is an initiative of Melbourne PEN and supported by International PEN dedicated to the presentation and promotion of the region’s writings. The multilingual website publishes editions of writing from guest editors; news and announcements from across the region; and a directory listing writing resources.
The Asialink Writing Residency Program is a unique opportunity for Australian writers to live and work for an extended period in Asia. Grants of up to $12,000 cover travel, living and project expenses, and give recipients the opportunity for international cultural exchange, in-depth research and sustained time on creative work.
Association for the Study of Australian Literature (ASAL) promotes the study of Australian writing. It holds annual conferences and mini-conferences and publishes the association’s journal, JASAL. Members receive discounts on ASAL conferences and join the ASAL global email list.
Austlit provides the most up-to-date and reliable information on reviews, literary criticism, and writers and writing in Australia. It is used by librarians, students from school to academic and tertiary levels, and works with literary researchers, publishers and librarians to ensure the information is accurate. Check website for further details.
Australasian Medical Writers Association (AMWA) members include: writers and editors, freelancers, medical practitioners and those working in public relations, medical communications and the pharmaceutical industry. AMWA offers a website, freelance register, e-newsletter, email service, an annual conference, annual AMWA Award, and a Professional Development Program. AMWA keeps members informed and provides networking and education opportunities.
Australia Council for the Arts is the Federal Government arts advisory and funding body. New Work, Publishing and Residencies and Fellowship categories offer grants to published Australian writers. Accepts projects in these genres: fiction (adult, young adult and children), literary non-fiction, poetry and writing for stage, radio and new media. Minimum publication and performance requirements apply. See the Australia Council Support for the Arts Handbook on website for more details.
Aims to improve the quality of indexing in Australia and New Zealand; to promote the training, professional development, status and interests of indexers; to act as an advisory body on indexing to which authors, editors, publishers and others may apply for guidance; and to establish relationships with other bodies with related interests.
The Australian Association of Writing Programs (AAWP) brings together writers, teachers, students, and editors. Membership is open to anyone with a professional involvement in the teaching of writing, primarily tertiary. The AAWP aims to represent the interests of creative writing teachers and students by providing a forum for discussion and publication. It runs conferences and publishes an online refereed journal, TEXT, containing critical articles, reviews, interviews and creative work.
The Australian Booksellers Association is a not-for-profit service organisation, representing the interests and shared aims of Australian booksellers.
Formed to unite and promote Australian Bush Balladeers and Bush Ballad music. Provides compilation album releases, balladeers’ concerts, artist showcases, and the annual Bush Balladeer Star Quest, along with the informative quarterly Balladeers Bulletin members’ magazine.
A non-profit organisation for Australian and New Zealand writers of horror. Brings together professional and amateur writers, while improving the general understanding of what horror is in literature and exposing the genre to a wider audience. Offers support and mentoring programs, critiquingwriting and publication articles, the latest news, state of the market reports (including agents, magazines and publishing houses), magazine subscription discounts, information about competitions, anthologies and annual conferences.
Founded in 1992, the Australian Interactive Media Industry Association (AIMIA) is the trade body for the digital content, services and applications industry in Australia.
The Australian ISSN Agency is situated in the National Library of Australia and has sole responsibility for assigning ISSNs (International Standard Serial Numbers) to serial titles published in Australia. Details of all serial titles registered by the Library are sent to the ISSN International Centre in Paris for inclusion in the International ISSN database. Please call between 10am-12pm and 2-4pm.
The Australian Press Council Incorporated is the self-regulatory body of the print media. It was established in 1976 with two main aims: to help preserve the traditional freedom of the press within Australia and to ensure that the free press acts responsibly and ethically.
The Australian Publishers Association (APA) is the industry body for Australian book, journal and electronic publishers. It protects and promotes the interests of Australian publishers on issues like defamation, copyright, competition policy and taxation, and initiates projects that benefit the wider industry. Membership is open to any person or company engaged in publishing in Australia. Also administers APA Book Design Awards; Educational Publishing and Book Industry Awards.
The Australian Storytelling Guild aims to promote and encourage the oral traditions of storytelling. Membership is open to all ages and all levels of the community.
The Australian Writers’ Guild (AWG) is the professional association for all performance writers, writers for television, screen, theatre, radio and multimedia. The AWG gives access to legal and contractual advice, provides a script development registration service and a script assessment service. The AWG offers professional courses and publications.