THE WRITERS’ CENTRE
15 CRAIGEND STREET, DARLINGHURST
Griffin Theatre Company is establishing a new Writers’ Centre at 15 Craigend Street, Darlinghurst—a two-storey, three-bedroom terrace, which will be dedicated as a working space for Australian playwrights.
This Centre is built on a simple idea: that playwrights need time, space, and support to create their best work—and that these resources should be available in a way that is open, equitable, and enduring.
It will provide a space for playwrights at all stages of their careers: for writing, thinking, testing, and developing work over time.
A Visionary Gift
The Writers’ Centre has been made possible through the support of philanthropist Ruth Ritchie, who generously gifted the funds to purchase the property.
The gift has been provided with no conditions on programming, curation, or the artists who will work in the space. The only agreed stipulation is that the house should be used as a centre for playwriting, to the benefit of all Australian playwrights, in perpetuity.
To this end, a charitable trust is currently being set up—in the spirit of a creative land trust—which will own the property in perpetuity.
This means 15 Craigend Street cannot be sold, re-purposed, or used for private gain by Griffin or anyone else.
Griffin will operate the Writers’ Centre, but it will not own the building, which will endure as a permanent asset for the Australian playwriting community.
The Writers’ Centre will be a working space for playwrights at all stages of their careers.
The Centre is not a performance venue, but rather a space for process: writing and developing work as part of its journey towards the stage.
So far Griffin has undergone two rounds of consultation with playwrights—early and mid-career—which has presented several recommendations for the usage of the house.
Some of the possibilities could include:
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- a small private apartment upstairs for interstate and regional writers to have a base in Sydney
- hot-desking workspace for writers on an as-needed basis
- space for table reads and small creative developments,
- meeting space for writers
- a library of printed scripts—both Australian and international, published and unpublished—as well as additional books on dramaturgy and theatre more broadly
Griffin will work with playwrights and the wider arts community over the coming months to determine how the space will be used.
In response to our consultation processes, and conversations with artists since the announcement of the Centre, Griffin will be establishing an Artist Advisory Committee to support the development of the Writers’ Centre.
The Committee will play a key role in shaping:
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- the principles that guide its operation, and how these are embedded in policy and process
- models for usage of the space, how playwrights are given access to it, and what kind of support is offered
- its approach to inclusion and welcome for playwrights from under-represented communities
- systems of transparency and accountability to the playwriting and wider arts community
The committee will be appointed by a selection panel, comprising both Griffin staff and independent arts representatives.
Further details on the Committee, its Terms of Reference, and timelines will be shared shortly. To receive these updates, join the Writers’ Centre mailing list here.
You can find the full set of FAQs—including answers to questions we’ve received from artists, as well as other anticipated queries—on our dedicated FAQs page.
Learn more >If you are an artist who would like updates on the Writers’ Centre, please click here and add your email to the mailing list.
