Sydney PEN

Sydney PEN, also known as the International PEN Sydney Centre or PEN Sydney, is an Australian association bringing together writers, readers, publishers and human-rights advocates. Based in Sydney, New South Wales, it is one of three PEN centres in Australia, alongside PEN Melbourne and PEN Perth, and operates as an affiliate of PEN International, the global writers’ and free-expression network founded in 1921. The name PEN originated as an abbreviation for poets, essayists and novelists, although the organisation’s contemporary membership and activities extend well beyond those categories. The Sydney centre was founded in 1931 by the writers Ethel Turner, Mary Gilmore and Dorothea Mackellar. From its beginnings, the organisation combined literary activity with international cultural exchange and advocacy for freedom of expression. Its work has included public events, literary programming, support for endangered and imprisoned writers, campaigns on behalf of people detained for their writing or publishing, and efforts to connect Australian literary culture with international human-rights concerns. Sydney PEN was formally incorporated on 27 January 2006 under New South Wales’ Associations Incorporation Act 1984 as International Pen Sydney Centre. The incorporated association is generally referred to publicly as Sydney PEN. Incorporation provided a formal legal structure for an organisation that had already operated for many decades as part of the PEN network. A central part of Sydney PEN’s advocacy is its Writers in Prison program. The program identifies urgent cases in the region and supports them through public advocacy campaigns. Cases associated with the centre’s campaigns have included Father Nguyen Van Ly, Tashi Rabten, Liu Xia, Gheyret Niyaz, Liu Xianbin, Tan Zuoren, Liu Xiaobo, Nurnuhemmet Yasin, Ragip Zarakolu and Büşra Ersanlı. In 2008, Sydney PEN worked with PEN International in efforts that helped secure the release of 94 writers from prison, according to the organisation’s historical account. The centre also advocates for writers and asylum seekers held in Australian detention facilities. In November 2004, Sydney PEN, as part of the Australian PEN network, received the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Community Award for work involving asylum-seeker writers in Australian detention centres. Its wider mission links literary expression with international understanding, local cultural development and the defence of the right to write, publish and communicate without unlawful repression. Sydney PEN supports public literary culture through lectures, festivals, publications and awards. Its magazine is published twice a year, in May to coincide with the PEN lecture at the Sydney Writers’ Festival and in November around the International Day of the Imprisoned Writer. The magazine contains material about PEN’s work, interviews, literary writing, news and translations, and has been co-sponsored by the University of Technology Sydney and Copyright Agency Limited. The organisation established the Sydney PEN Award in 2006 to recognise members who have advanced the centre’s values. Together with the other Australian PEN centres, it also established the biennial PEN Keneally Award in 2004, named in honour of Thomas Keneally and intended to recognise achievements in freedom of expression, international understanding and access to literature. As of April 2024, Zoë Rodriguez and Claudia Taranto served as joint presidents, supported by six other management-committee members. Sydney PEN remains an active, mission-led association rather than a commercial consumer brand.

Sydney PEN is part of the international PEN movement, whose name derives from poets, essayists and novelists and whose institutional origins date to 1921. The Sydney centre was established in 1931 by Ethel Turner, Mary Gilmore and Dorothea Mackellar. It developed as an association for Australian writers and readers while also taking on the broader PEN mission of encouraging literature, international understanding and freedom of expression. Throughout its history, the centre has combined cultural activity with human-rights advocacy. Its programs have included literary meetings, lectures, publications and participation in public discussions, alongside campaigns for writers imprisoned or otherwise persecuted because of their work. The organisation’s Writers in Prison program selects urgent cases, particularly in the region, and seeks to build public pressure through letters, statements, events and other forms of advocacy. Cases associated with its campaigns have included writers and intellectuals from Vietnam, China, Tibet, Cuba, Turkey and other locations. Sydney PEN has also addressed freedom-of-expression issues within Australia. Its work with asylum-seeker writers detained in Australian immigration facilities contributed to the Australian PEN network receiving the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Community Award in November 2004. In 2008, Sydney PEN and PEN International were involved in efforts reported to have helped release 94 writers from prison. The centre’s institutional structure was formalised on 27 January 2006, when International Pen Sydney Centre was incorporated under the Associations Incorporation Act 1984 (NSW). Although the legal name is International Pen Sydney Centre, the association is referred to as Sydney PEN. The same year, it established the Sydney PEN Award to recognise members who had contributed to the centre’s values and work. In 2004, Sydney PEN joined PEN Melbourne and PEN Perth in establishing the biennial PEN Keneally Award, named for Thomas Keneally and intended to honour achievements in freedom of expression, international understanding and access to literature. Publication and public programming remain important parts of the centre’s activity. Sydney PEN Magazine is issued twice each year, with a May edition connected to the PEN lecture at the Sydney Writers’ Festival and a November edition associated with the International Day of the Imprisoned Writer. The magazine covers PEN advocacy, interviews, literary writing, news and translations. Its publication has been supported by the University of Technology Sydney and Copyright Agency Limited. Sydney PEN is based within the Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences at the University of Technology Sydney. It operates as one of three Australian PEN centres and maintains an international outlook through its PEN International affiliation. The centre’s honorary and life members have included internationally recognised writers and people associated with freedom-of-expression advocacy, including Liu Xiaobo, Father Nguyen Van Ly, Behrouz Boochani, Thomas Keneally, Geraldine Brooks, J. M. Coetzee, David Malouf and Ruby Langford Ginibi. As of April 2024, Zoë Rodriguez and Claudia Taranto were joint presidents, supported by six other management-committee members.

• 2008

  International prisoner-writer advocacy

  [1]Sydney PENen.wikipedia.org

  Sydney PEN and PEN International participated in advocacy efforts reported to have helped release 94 writers from prison.

• 2006

  Sydney PEN Award established

  [1]Sydney PENen.wikipedia.org

  Sydney PEN established its annual award to recognise members who advanced the centre’s values.

• 2006

  Association incorporated in New South Wales

  [1]Sydney PENen.wikipedia.org

  International Pen Sydney Centre was incorporated on 27 January under the Associations Incorporation Act 1984 (NSW).

• 2004

  PEN Keneally Award established

  [1]Sydney PENen.wikipedia.org

  Sydney PEN joined PEN Melbourne and PEN Perth in establishing a biennial award recognising work in freedom of expression, international understanding and access to literature.

• 2004

  Australian PEN network receives community award

  [1]Sydney PENen.wikipedia.org

  The Australian PEN network received the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Community Award for work with asylum-seeker writers in Australian detention centres.

• 1931

  Sydney PEN founded

  [1]Sydney PENen.wikipedia.org

  Ethel Turner, Mary Gilmore and Dorothea Mackellar founded the Sydney PEN centre in Australia.

A civic and literary organisation that uses writers’ networks, public programming and international advocacy to promote literature, cultural exchange and freedom of expression.

• Publication

  Sydney PEN Magazine

  A biannual publication covering Sydney PEN’s work, interviews, literary writing, translations and news. The May issue is associated with the PEN lecture at the Sydney Writers’ Festival, while the November issue is linked to the International Day of the Imprisoned Writer. The magazine has been co-sponsored by the University of Technology Sydney and Copyright Agency Limited.

• Human-rights advocacy program

  Writers in Prison program

  A program that selects urgent regional cases involving writers and supports public advocacy on their behalf. Campaign subjects listed in Sydney PEN’s historical materials include Father Nguyen Van Ly, Tashi Rabten, Liu Xia, Gheyret Niyaz, Liu Xianbin, Tan Zuoren, Liu Xiaobo, Nurnuhemmet Yasin, Ragip Zarakolu and Büşra Ersanlı.

• Annual award · 2006

  Sydney PEN Award

  An annual award established in 2006 to recognise Sydney PEN members whose work has advanced the centre’s values and activities. Recorded recipients include Rosie Scott, Nicholas Jose, Chip Rolley, Denise Leith and Gaby Naher between 2006 and 2010.

• Biennial award · 2004

  PEN Keneally Award

  A biennial award established jointly by the three Australian PEN centres to recognise achievements in freedom of expression, international understanding and access to literature. It is named in honour of Thomas Keneally and his long association with PEN’s principles.

• 2008Writers in Prison advocacy

  International · Australia

  Sydney PEN worked with PEN International on campaigns supporting writers imprisoned for their writing or public expression. The organisation reported that these efforts contributed to the release of 94 writers in 2008.

  Outcome. The reported outcome was the release of 94 writers from prison.

  Source
• 2004Advocacy for asylum-seeker writers

  Australia

  Sydney PEN participated in Australian PEN network work supporting writers and asylum seekers held in Australian detention centres.

  Outcome. The Australian PEN network received the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Community Award in November 2004.

  Source
• Regional Writers in Prison cases

  Asia-Pacific · International

  Sydney PEN’s Writers in Prison program has conducted public advocacy for cases including Father Nguyen Van Ly, Tashi Rabten, Liu Xia, Gheyret Niyaz, Liu Xianbin, Tan Zuoren, Liu Xiaobo, Nurnuhemmet Yasin, Ragip Zarakolu and Büşra Ersanlı.

  Source

• 2006

  Formal incorporation as International Pen Sydney CentreStrategy

  Background

  Sydney PEN had operated since 1931 as an Australian centre in the international PEN network and adopted a formal incorporated-association structure in New South Wales.

  Action taken

  The organisation was incorporated on 27 January 2006 under the Associations Incorporation Act 1984 (NSW), while continuing to use Sydney PEN as its public name.

  Aftermath

  The incorporation established a formal legal identity for the Sydney centre.

  Source

• 2006

  Creation of the Sydney PEN AwardOther

  Background

  The centre sought to recognise members who advanced PEN’s literary and freedom-of-expression values.

  Action taken

  Sydney PEN established an annual award for members who contributed to the centre’s mission.

  Aftermath

  The award became part of the organisation’s recognition and community-building activities.

  Source

1. 1Sydney PENen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Sydney PEN official websitepen.org.au