WA Writing Sector Review Final Report and Recommendations Department of Culture and the Arts 12 June 2017 WA Writing Sector Review Prepared by Positive Solutions Department of Culture and the Arts June 2017 Page 1 CONTENTS 1. Executive Summary ......................................................................................................................................... 4 The Sector .................................................................................................................................................... 4 Funding ........................................................................................................................................................ 4 Development .............................................................................................................................................. 5 Recommendations....................................................................................................................................... 6 2. Brief and Methodology .................................................................................................................................... 7 3. Contexts ........................................................................................................................................................... 8 3.1 Overview of the Writing Sector ................................................................................................................ 8 3.1.1 Literary Festivals ................................................................................................................................. 9 3.1.2 Publishing ......................................................................................................................................... 10 3.1.3 Support for Writing .......................................................................................................................... 10 3.1.4 Emerging Opportunities ................................................................................................................... 11 3.2 The Market............................................................................................................................................... 12 3.2.1 National and International Trends: Publishing and Distribution ................................................... 12 3.2.2 National and International Trends: Reading ................................................................................... 14 3.2.3 National and WA Contexts: Writers ................................................................................................ 14 3.3 Support for Writing in Other Jurisdictions ............................................................................................. 15 3.3.1 Australia Council for the Arts........................................................................................................... 16 3.3.2 State Agencies .................................................................................................................................. 17 3.3.3 Peak Bodies for Writing ................................................................................................................... 17 3.4 Support for WA Writing in WA ............................................................................................................... 20 3.4.1 Current DCA Support ....................................................................................................................... 20 3.4.2 Local Government ............................................................................................................................ 22 3.4.3 State library WA and Community Libraries..................................................................................... 22 3.4.4 Market Development: Awards ........................................................................................................ 22 3.4.5 Writing Support Agencies in WA ..................................................................................................... 23 3.4.6 Outcomes ......................................................................................................................................... 25 3.4.7 Overview of the Ecology .................................................................................................................. 27 3.5 Resourcing The Sector ............................................................................................................................. 29 3.5.1 Philanthropy ..................................................................................................................................... 29 3.5.2 Crowdfunding ................................................................................................................................... 29 3.5.3 Enterprise Investment ..................................................................................................................... 30 3.5.4 Earned Income ................................................................................................................................. 31 WA Writing Sector Review Page 2 Prepared by Positive Solutions Department of Culture and the Arts June 2017 4. Consultation Findings .................................................................................................................................... 32 4.1 Writer’s Survey ........................................................................................................................................ 32 4.1.1 Profile Of Respondents .................................................................................................................... 32 4.1.2 Income and Publication ................................................................................................................... 33 4.1.3 Development and Support .............................................................................................................. 33 4.1.4 Being a Writer In WA ....................................................................................................................... 34 4.2 Interviews and Group Discussions .......................................................................................................... 34 4.2.1 Publishers and Distribution.............................................................................................................. 34 4.2.2 Supporting The Individual Writer .................................................................................................... 35 4.2.3 Market Development ....................................................................................................................... 35 4.2.4 New Technologies ............................................................................................................................ 36 4.2.5 Funding Environment ....................................................................................................................... 36 4.2.6 Other ................................................................................................................................................. 36 4.3 WA Writing Sector Workshop ................................................................................................................. 37 4.3.1 Writers Hub ...................................................................................................................................... 38 5. Conclusions and Recommendations ............................................................................................................. 40 5.1 Conclusions .............................................................................................................................................. 40 5.2 Recommendations................................................................................................................................... 43 5.2.1 Creative Development ..................................................................................................................... 43 5.2.2 Market Development ....................................................................................................................... 44 Appendix 1: List of Key Documents .............................................................................................................. 48 Appendix 2: Summary Of Writers’ Survey .................................................................................................... 50 Appendix 3: Writing Sector Review Workshop Participants ....................................................................... 69 WA Writing Sector Review Page 3 Prepared by Positive Solutions Department of Culture and the Arts June 2017 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY THE SECTOR The Department of Culture and the Arts (DCA) engaged Positive Solutions to undertake a review of the writing sector in Western Australia (WA), the objective being to identify current challenges, strengths and opportunities, and examine strategies and possible future directions for the sector. DCA noted in its brief to the consultants for this Review a decline in the number of WA writers, citing Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data indicating a 9% reduction since 2006-2011. It is DCA’s wish to stem this decline as far as possible. WA has a history of significant achievement in Australian literature. Amongst others, writers include Randolph Stow (Miles Franklin winner), Sally Morgan (Prime Minister’s