Proposals from ASAL Members Welcome

Proposals from ASAL Members Welcome

About Patrons Lectures:

Patrons Lectures are hosted by ASAL with funding from the Copyright Agency. These lectures – of which there will be at least two per year – support emerging and distinguished Australian writers to travel to locations around Australia to present a public talk or lecture on a topic of his or her choosing for a broader public.

One of the two lectures each year should be held in a regional location with the other in a major capital city. Patrons Lectures can be stand alone events, or coupled with other events and initiatives, such as regional writers festivals and the like. They should be free to the public (a condition of Copyright Agency funding). 

By bringing Australian writers into a wide range of communities, Patrons Lectures aim to stimulate broad interest in Australian writing and facilitate deeper understanding between writers, the academy, secondary teachers and the reading public.


How to apply for Patrons Lecture funding:

Any ASAL member is eligible to apply for funding to run a Patrons Lecture. Proposals can be designed to connect in with adjacent or associated events, seminars or festivals, and can represent an opportunity for public outreach and impact. 

Priority may be given to events proposed for regional locations. The costs associated with such an event are usually between $3000 and $6000. Approval of the proposal will depend on the amount of funds available (or remaining for a given year) and on the details of the proposal and the circumstances outlined.

The proposal should contain:

  • A brief outline or proposal that addresses aims of Patrons Lectures described above.
  • Details of the planned event: identify which writer you will invite (indicating whether you have an informal agreement with the relevant writer at this stage); and provide your proposed date, time, and venue.
  • A proposed budget: the appropriate costs would normally include the honorarium for the writer (at the ASA rate of $1000), as well as 1-2 nights’ accommodation, travel and transfer costs, venue hire, catering, and any specific publicity. 

Submit your proposal to the ASAL executive at any time of the year, but please do so well in advance of your proposed event. Applications will be considered in relation to the above aims and criteria and with respect to available Copyright Agency funding.