Time Warner Renews Sponsorship of Public Writers Initiative

The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis, Executive Director Andrew D. Hamingson) announced Time Warner's continued sponsorship of The Public Writers Initiative through 2013. This continued sponsorship allows The Public Theater to expand its highly successful Emerging Writers Group from a one-year to a two-year cycle, giving writers more opportunities to develop their work through group sessions and meetings with playwrights, directors and theater professionals. The new format will also allow for increased activity for Emerging Writers Group alumni.
As the program changes to a two-year cycle, the Emerging Writers Group Spotlight Series, which presents full-length play readings by each writer, will now be presented on a biannual basis.

Under the revised Emerging Writers Group program, The Public will accept applications for the group every other year, with the deadline for the 2012 Emerging Writers Group falling in summer 2011. As always, full application guidelines will be available at publictheater.org when the application process begins.

"The Emerging Writers Group has been a remarkable model of what a successful program should be," said Public Theater Artistic Director Oskar Eustis. "It's great for the artists, great for The Public, great for the field. We are thrilled that Time Warmer is continuing to support this program in a deeply meaningful way."

"We have been blown away by the incredible success of our Emerging Writers Group, so much so that we decided to extend the program!" said Public Theater Associate Artistic Director Mandy Hackett. "By expanding to two years, the writers will have a fuller and richer experience at The Public and we are hopeful this will further contribute to their overall artistic development. Time Warner's vision and commitment to the arts is extraordinary; we are deeply grateful to them for their continued support."

"As a media and entertainment company, Time Warner believes in the importance of investing in talent from all backgrounds," said Lisa Garcia Quiroz, Time Warner's Senior Vice President of Corporate Responsibility. "That's why this expansion of the Emerging Writers Group is so exciting for us. The Public is truly dedicated to nurturing the next generation of storytellers, and we're proud to continue our partnership with them on The Public Writers Initiative."

Time Warner funds the entirety of The Public Theater's commissioning program and is the founding sponsor of The Public Writers Initiative.

In addition to expanding the Emerging Writers Group, Time Warner's support will enable The Public to grow the mid-career programming as well as to continue to sustain a high level of commissions, readings and workshops.

About The Public Writers Initiative
The Emerging Writers Group strengthens The Public's commitment to creating an artistic home for a diverse group of 10 exceptionally talented up-and-coming playwrights every two years. Developed in collaboration with Time Warner's Office of Corporate Responsibility, the Emerging Writers Group is one element of The Public Writers Initiative, a long-term program that provides key support and resources for writers at every stage of their careers.

Each emerging writer will now receive a two-year fellowship at The Public which includes a $6,000 stipend; participation in a biweekly writers' group led by Literary Manager Liz Frankel and The Public's Literary Department; master classes with established playwrights; career development advice and artistic support from acclaimed writers and Public artistic staff; complimentary tickets to Public shows and supplemental stipends for productions at other theaters; and a reading of their work in the Emerging Writers Group Evening of Excerpts and Spotlight Series.

Mid-Career Writers will continue to be supported via readings, workshops and commissions. Since Time Warner began funding The Public Writers Initiative, The Public produced 50-70 readings and workshops per season. Artistic development of this nature is at the core of The Public's mission and is critical to helping the institution and writers develop new work for the theater.

Through the Master Writer Chair program, The Public provides an artistic home and support for established playwrights whose work has set the standard for the highest level of achievement in theater. Master Writers will receive full artistic and administrative support, the chance to develop their work with the full resources of The Public Theater and participate in the artistic life of the theater. Inspired by the university model, the full-salaried position as a Visiting Arts Professor at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, Rita and Burton Goldberg Department of Dramatic Writing, affords writers the flexibility and freedom to pursue their artistic goals and endeavors. The current recipient of the Master Writes Chair is Suzan-Lori Parks.

Bios for current and past Emerging Writers Group members can be found at www.publictheater.org.

 

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