A short history of the Literature Board 1986-2000

This concise history of the Literature Board covers the years 1986-2000, a period in which the Australia Council underwent two dramatic restructures. Irene Stevens's work is an engaging and lucid overview of the challenging period in the history of the Literature Board.

'Australia is as good as its words'

This slogan, used by the Literature Board in 1992 in promotional material, illustrates the Board's belief that Australian writers and their work are important to the Board, to their readers and to their country.

The Literature Board commissioned Irene Stevens to write a brief history of the Board as a timely sequence to Thomas Shapcott's invaluable book, The Literature Board: A Brief History, published in 1988.

Irene Stevens provides an overview of the changes that have affected the Literature Board's decision-making process and funding priorities, along with examples of grants awarded, successes and failures, and the Board?s commitment to individual writers.

Contents

Introduction 

Restructures

• Literature Board (1986-96)
• Literary Arts Board (1987-88)
• Literature Fund (1996-2000)

Board/Fund members and participating peers

Literature Board/Fund programs of assistance 1986-2000

• Assistance to individual writers
  
• Emeritus Awards

Other grant categories

• Presentation and Promotion
• Development
• Triennial grants
• Partnerships
  
• Commissions 

Other initiatives 

• Picture book illustrators grants
• Translations
• Australia Council-Cambridge University Residency
• Earnback initiatives
• Regional arts development and emerging writers initiatives
• Beatrice Davis Editorial Fellowship
• Editorial training
• Screenwriting attachments (Australian Film, Television And Radio School)
• Board/Fund promotions 

Projects in progress 

• Centenary of Federation
• Books Alive
• Planning for the Future 

Summary

The Future

Postscript

List Of Literature Board/Fund Members 1986-2003

References