How have the participants responded so far?

“The mentors were brilliant, a wealth of knowledge that I will carry forward into the future.”

“This was a fantastic weekend and exceeded all expectations.”

“Getting to work with other creative minds to develop an original piece was an experience like never before.”

“It really opened my mind and showed me that you are always capable. I came out with a launch pad.”

“The workshops with industry professionals who were able to impart so much valuable and practical information making me feel like I knew what I was doing with my writing despite having no playwriting experience.”

Future Proofing the Page & Stage

Is a new program for young emerging writers (aged 17 – 25) who were selected from all over Tasmania to develop their craft for writing for performance. During this writing intensive, young writers under the guidance of nationally renowned mentors will developed new scripts. These young playwrights are given a provocation and through masterclasses in script writing, character and dialogue development, as well as one on one mentoring sessions, craft a script.

What are the aims of the program?

• Provide a platform for Tasmania’s young voices to be heard

• Support young Tasmanian writers to create stories that speak to the experience of being young in regional Australia.

• Create new work to add to the body of Australian work by young writers for young performers

• Future proof the theatre into the next decades

What opportunities is it giving young people?

• Professional development in scriptwriting under the guidance of professional mentors

• Providing a platform for these young voices to be heard and nurtured in a safe and supportive environment.

• Support for creative pathway into the future.

• Creating a young playwriting community and fostering networks

• These young writers can also become part of the Cowshed program as their work develops.

Future Proofing the Stage

We will mentor young theatre makers and practitioners matching them alongside professionals to create professional development opportunity.

Why is it such an important program?

We need to build capacity for our theatre practitioners and foster creative pathways to make this a viable industry in Tasmania. We also need to hear the next generation of voices and their concerns and create a space in which they can do this.

Why was it needed?

It is more important than ever to support young voices as the community debriefs, shares and heals from the repercussions of the Covid-19 pandemic. Our young people are important and their unique perspective needs an opportunity to be heard.