Queensland Premier's Drama Award

Introduction

The Queensland Premier’s Drama Award develops, over a period of two years, a theatrical performance reflective of Queensland, culminating in a professional production.The material may be submitted in a variety of formats – for example DVD, CD, written – and may take a variety of forms – for example political sketches, play, songs, cabaret elements, multimedia or first full draft of a script . It must be original material.

The Queensland Government, through Queensland Theatre Company, is seeking submissions from artists or groups of artists for the 2010-2011 Queensland Premier’s Drama Award. Artists are invited to submit material reflective of Queensland: its politics, people, culture, history and experience. Subject matter which also has ongoing relevance and wider resonances will be viewed favourably. The material may be submitted in a variety of formats – for example DVD, CD, written – and may take a variety of forms – for example political sketches, play, songs, cabaret elements, multimedia. It must be original material.

In July 2010 Queensland Theatre Company will select three finalists for further development. The finalists may be individuals or teams of artists. The process of development will include workshops with Industry Experts and a public presentation of the artists’ work. The artists selected will each receive a commission fee. In the case of a team being a finalist, the commission fee will be split between the members of the team.

Following the public presentation, the Judging Panel will select a winner to receive further development and a fully staged production. The winner will work collaboratively with Industry Experts and Queensland Theatre Company to produce a fully staged work, to be presented by Queensland Theatre Company in the Company’s 2011 mainstage season.

The aims of this Award are: (Note: this is the criteria that the judges will use to assess the entries)

to expose audiences to new work that both addresses issues that are of importance in Queensland’s life today, and that has relevance and resonances in a wider context;
to recognise significant contributions to the debate on contemporary Queensland life, encouraging flourishing and uninhibited exchanges of opinion in our society;
to promote the creation of high quality original writing;
to recognise and develop creative artists, their work, and their standing within our society;
to provide opportunities for Queensland artists for professional development.

Queensland Premier's Drama Award Conditions of Entry and Entry Form

Conditions of Entry

Eligible artists must be Australian citizens or legal permanent residents of Australia.
Artists who have previously won this Award are not eligible to receive the Award again, however artists whose work has been short-listed or who have been finalists are eligible.
Eligible material will not previously have had a professional, public performance.
Proposals submitted must be original.
Entries should be reflective of Queensland (its politics, people, culture, history and experience) and have wider relevance and resonances.
The material submitted should total at least 10 minutes in length when performed.
The material may take a variety of forms: eg sketches, play, songs, cabaret elements, multimedia or draft scripts.
The material may be submitted in a variety of formats: eg DVD, CD, written. Written submissions and script drafts must conform to industry standards, and be supplied in Microsoft Word format.
Individual or team entries will be accepted. The artists must ensure that all their details are supplied with the completed proposal.
In the event of a team entry becoming a finalist, the commission fee will be split between the members of the team.
All works should either be in English or, if the work is in a language other than English, the playwright should provide the Company with an English translation.
There are no restrictions on the number of entries submitted. Each entry must have a separate entry form attached.
Submitted work must not have received or be currently entered in an Award and cannot be under consideration by any other Australian theatre company. However, submissions can be included in a grant application and developed under a grant.
Breach of the conditions of entry will render a submission invalid whether prospectively or retrospectively.
Completed proposals must be received by Queensland Theatre Company by 30 June 2010. Late entries will not be accepted.
While reasonable care will be taken with works submitted, no responsibility can be taken for loss or damage to material received.
In July 2010, a shortlist of artists will be invited to meet the Judging Panel, and will be given 10 minutes in which to pitch their material to the Panel.
On the basis of these pitches and the material submitted, the Judges will select three finalists whose work will be further developed. The finalists may consist of individual artists or groups of artists. The decision of the panel of judges shall be final and no correspondence or discussion shall be entered into concerning any of their decisions or rulings.
There will be a public presentation of some of the artists’ work in development in December 2010.
Following this presentation the Judges will select the winning entry.
The artists selected declare that they will adhere to set deadlines for drafts as part of the development process.
The winning artists selected assign to Queensland Theatre Company the option to produce their work. The Company shall also have the first option to produce finalists’ submitted and/ or developed.
The artists selected must be available during the development period to attend meetings and workshops. Any artists selected agree to meet their own costs of transport and accommodation, to be able to attend key meetings as negotiated, and the development workshops.
Queensland Theatre Company does not commit to programming and/ or producing the work if, in consultation with the Queensland Government, it is deemed that the work is not at a suitable presentation standard and its presentation is likely to damage the profile and reputation of the award, Queensland Theatre Company and/or the Government .
All entries must be accompanied by the official entry form and submitted with two copies of the proposal. These copies will not be returned. Do not submit master copies. To obtain a copy of the official entry form, please contact Erica Fryberg, Artistic Development Coordinator at Queensland Theatre Company on (07) 3010 7607 or efryberg@qldtheatreco.com.au

Deadline

The entry form should be completed in accordance with the conditions and guidelines for The Queensland Premier’s Drama Award –2010-2011. Completed entry forms and two copies of the submitted proposal must be:

Post marked by Australia Post NO LATER THAN 30 June 2010 addressed to:

OR

hand-delivered to the Artistic Development Coordinator, Queensland Theatre Company, 78 Montague Road, South Brisbane NO LATER THAN 5.00 pm on 30 June 2010

Late submissions will not be accepted. All submissions will be acknowledged in writing.