1. Rates of Pay for Writers
Literature Wales is uniquely placed to observe the current ranges of writers’ fees being agreed between writers and promoters for workshops, readings and lectures in Wales. These can vary according to the experience of the writer, whether special preparation is involved beforehand, and whether significant amount of time is spent travelling to and from the event. Literature Wales is currently consulting on appropriate fees for writers. In the meantime the following rates may serve as an useful guideline to organisers when they negotiate fees with writers:
- An author reading, followed by Q&A (1 hour): £100 – £200
- A talk, lecture or reading (1 – 1.5 hours): £150 – £200
- A writer in school for a day: between £300 – £400 for a whole day / between £175 – £200 for half a day)
These should only be treated as guidelines. Literature Wales cannot contribute towards travel costs or other expenses from the Inspiring Communities Fund funding scheme. Literature Wales’ contribution can be up to 50% of the total of all writers’ fees.
2. Safeguarding
Literature Wales aims to safeguard the welfare of children and vulnerable adults whilst attending or participating in the literary arts. Literature Wales is committed to good practice which protects children and vulnerable adults from harm. In addition, Literature Wales will provide clear guidance to its partners and clients on actions they should take, if they have concerns about the safety of children and vulnerable adults.
Literature Wales has its own in-house Safeguarding Policy and Procedure that complies with the requirements placed by the Arts Council of Wales on its clients throughout Wales. Copies of this policy are available upon request.
With particular regard to Literature Wales’ funding schemes, organisers must remember that, under the terms of Literature Wales’ schemes, the event belongs to the organisation arranging it and is responsible for ensuring that only appropriate writers are engaged. Literature Wales does not take responsibility for the suitability of individual writers and does not provide DBS checks for writers engaged by organisations as part of the Inspiring Communities Fund funding scheme. Visiting writers should never be left without another adult from the organisation when working with children or vulnerable adults. Writers are not teachers and at least one teacher must always remain with the writer.
3. How to Improve the Quality of your Application
The aim of the Inspiring Communities Fund funding scheme is to support high-quality literary events which may not happen otherwise. Demand always exceeds the amount of funding available, meaning not all are successful, even if eligible. In order to make your application stand out, please keep in mind the following assessment criteria:
- Is the event innovative, original, interesting and of high quality?
- For events which are open to the public, is the event likely to attract strong attendance/participation?
E.g. is the organiser using appropriate marketing channels/actively encouraging new audiences to attend, not just existing members? - Will the event aim to have a positive impact on the audience’s health and well-being?
E.g. will the event reduce loneliness in the community by bringing a group together to socialize? Is the subject of the event empowering and will it encourage the audience to use literature to improve their own wellness? - Does the event promote the career and development of the writer(s)?
E.g. do you sell the writer’s books at the event, or encourage the audience to buy their books? Are you paying your writers fairly, including travel costs and related expenses? - Is your event, or your programme of events, representative and inclusive in terms of the writers booked?
E.g. consider the demographic of your own community, but also of the whole of Wales. Do you ensure a fair representation of genders, speaker of all ages, people of colour, and people with disabilities? Do you offer Welsh-language events? - Have you considered the impact of your event on the environment?
- Is the event taking place in a region or a community where provision of literature and other art events and activity are rare?
E.g. a rural community, or a community which traditionally does not engage much with the arts? - Will the event be documented or be available to enjoy again?
E.g. will be the event be filmed, and made available to audiences online? Or will the organiser report on the event on a blog, or to a local newspaper? - Is your event welcoming and accessible to the whole of the community, and therefore reaching new audiences for literary events?
- Is the writer suitable for the intended activity and the intended target audience?
Next: Submit your application.