Kgokelo

Funded by the National Arts Council’s PESP 4 Grant, “A Season of Storms: New Writing” aimed to establish a robust platform for South African women and gender-diverse playwrights to connect, develop their craft, and showcase their work. Over the course of six months, from October 2023 to March 2024, we successfully executed various initiatives to foster a thriving community of playwrights and enrich the landscape of contemporary theatre in South Africa.

To develop the community of writers in the network and their skills, we hosted writing workshops; table reading evenings where network members could share excerpts of their scripts with others for feedback and motivation; and writers’ evenings-a dedicated space where writers can sit in the company of other writers to write their scripts; and, two retreats where writers were afforded time and space to develop work.

As a result of our funding from the National Arts Council, “A Season of Storms: New Writing” has made significant strides. Through a diverse range of initiatives and events, we have established a platform that we hope will continue to serve as a valuable resource for playwrights for years to come. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the National Arts Council for their support and look forward to further enriching the landscape of contemporary theatre through ongoing initiatives and collaborations.