The Nick Enright Keynote Address at this year's National Play Festival will be presented by Wesley Enoch. Wesley will present The Bill of Writes – the responsibilities, rights, and cost of being a writer. 

Telling stories, bind a society but in a world of increasing commercial pressures are we losing our way? Writers have the responsibility to use their creative vision to help comment on the world and shape discourse, to prototype behaviours, vocabularies and role modelling for an imagined future. Too often the most important social concerns are left on the cutting room floor as we self-censor and avoid offence in favour of mass appeal. What does a playwright have to do to fulfil the unspoken contract with a society? 

About Wesley Enoch:

Wesley Enoch is a theatre director and writer who for over 25 years has specialised in Aboriginal Theatre and cultural stories. He hails from Stradbroke Island (Minjeribah) and is a proud Noonuccal Nuugi man. Wesley is the current Director of the Sydney Festival and was the Artistic Director of companies including Queensland Theatre Company 2010-15, Ilbijerri 2003-06 and Kooemba Jdarra 1994-97. Wesley has worked with many large theatre companies, arts centres and festivals in Australia and won multiple awards including, the Patrick White Playwrighting Award, Helpmann Awards for best production and best new Australia work and Matilda Awards. He was a Director of the 2006 Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony and is a former Trustee of the Sydney Opera House.

About the Nick Enright Keynote Address: 

Nick Enright was one of Australia's most lauded and generous talents. He wrote some of Australia's favourite plays: Cloudstreet (with Justin Monjo), Blackrock, The Boy From Oz, Daylight Saving, Good Works and A Man with Five Children. The Nick Enright Keynote Address recognises his immense and continuing contribution to our community and is proudly supported by the Nick Enright Estate, Playwriting Australia, the Darlinghurst Theatre Company and the Enright Family.