Australia's Richest

Radio Play

Writing Competition

The 2007-08 Dogwood Playwrights Initiative's exciting, challenging and new, radio play format is being launched by the Miles Regional Arts Council Inc. in partnership with the Murilla Shire Council.

First prize is $3000
Second is $1500
Third $800
Fourth $700.

• Former Justice of the High Court of Australia, author and playwright, Ian Callinan.
  
• Writer, director and Previous DPI winner, Hugh O'Brien.
  
• Radio presenter ABC southern Queensland, Belinda Sanders
  
• Miles Arts Council and Murilla Shire Council representative, Ann Gibbons.
  

Competition organiser and Miles Regional Arts Council member Ann Gibbons said the exciting initiative is aimed at focusing on contemporary Australian issues.  It's about giving a voice to people with struggles, challenges and successes that are unique to Australia.

This year's competition is a different genre to the past and is a radio play script.  "We are hoping that this new format will make these scripts more accessible to the public."  It is open to all Australian residents. 
Entry for the initiative is free.

Murilla Shire Mayor Cr. Roderick Gilmour said Murilla Shire Council is keen to support the initiative once again and values the arts in regional and remote areas.
"We hope, that as a result of the Dogwood Playwrights Initiative, there will be original and exciting radio play scripts that will be enjoyed by the travelling public and radio listeners.  What a powerful way to make Australians think about their life and their culture.  I commend all aspiring and professional playwrights to participate in this, the Dogwood Playwrights Initiative."

Miles Regional Arts Council Inc. president Kerry Mullholland said he values teaming up with the Murilla Shire Council to work in partnership to promote the Arts in the Miles region:
"We believe that this new format of Radio play will provide a new way for our community to produce Australian stories in a form that can be recorded and distributed on CD so that travellers can listen to and enjoy these original works. We hope that some radio stations may play them as well.
It is important that Australians continue telling their stories.  We believe that radio plays are a powerful way of telling stories.  This is why this competition is an important way of encouraging our writers to create original scripts that tell the stories of people living in Australia." 

• Play must be in the radio play format and between 20 and 30 minutes long.
  
• Cannot have been previously performed (including rehearsed readings).
  
• We retain first live performance and recording rights option for 24 months on winning plays (4 finalists).
  
• Maximum of 6 characters.
  
• Play is to deal with an issue(s) that is/are relevant to Australia in the new millennium.
  
• Competition is open to all Australian residents
  
• All entries must be submitted in the English language, typed in 12-point Courier or Courier New. Entrants should retain a copy of their work. Entries will NOT be returned.
  
•  Each entry must have attached a cover sheet showing the title of the entry and writer's name or penname. The writing work MUST NOT have the writer's name on any page.
  
•  Copyright for the entry remains with the author.
  
•  The judges' decision is final. No communication with the judge or Receiving Officer regarding awards made will be entered into.
  

Tips for writing a radio play:   click here

• Current entry form (click here)
• Three (3) copies of script
• Script on CD  (IBM - pc format) 
• Character descriptions
• A Short synopsis of play
• Playwright bio 

Postal Address: 
Dogwood Playwrights Initiative,
c/- Mirrabook, Miles Q 4415

Please note: Scripts that do not follow above criteria cannot be considered for finals.

Four finalists may be performed, recorded and distributed as a double CD collection of radio plays.

The competition opens on September 1, 2007 and closes June 30, 2008.  Winners will be announced on September 6, 2008.