Playwrights Guild of Canada (PGC) is a non-profit national association of professional and emerging playwrights. It was founded in 1972 as Playwrights Co-op.[1][2] PGC provides promotional and advocacy programs and services for the creative rights of Canadian playwrights.
Through its independently run subsidiary, Playwrights Canada Press established in 2002, PGC is a primary source for unpublished Canadian plays, as well as information regarding performance rights.[1][2]
PGC had its origins in a meeting held in 1971 by the Canada Council's theatre officer, David Gardner, with Carol Bolt, Tom Hendry and Len Peterson to discuss issues affecting English Canadian playwrights.[2] Those present at the meeting determined that there was a need for a publishing house for Canadian plays. Following the meeting, Bolt, Hendry, and Peterson established the Toronto Playwrights Circle to obtain funding for the project.[2] This led to the founding of the Playwrights Co-op of Canada in the following year, for the purpose of publishing and distributing plays written by Canadian playwrights.[2] In 1979, the Playwrights Co-op changed its name to Playwrights Canada, Inc.
In 1977, the Guild of Canadian Playwrights formed to advocate on behalf of playwrights and to lobby for suitable working conditions for Canadian playwrights. In 1982, the Guild of Canadian Playwrights and Playwrights Canada, Inc. merged to form the Playwrights Union of Canada. In 2002, the organization changed its name to the Playwrights Guild of Canada.[2] That same year, it established its publishing arm, the Playwrights Canada Press.[2]
The Playwrights Guild of Canada is a registered charitable organization. In 1986, PGC created the Canadian Drama Foundation (formerly known as the Foundation for Recognition of Excellence in Drama)[3] as its charitable arm. Part of its funding comes from the Canada Council, the Ontario Arts Council, Ontario Ministry of Culture, and the City of Toronto through the Toronto Arts Council.
The Guild has a Women's Caucus, which awards the "Bra D'Or" ("Golden Bra") for supporting the work of female playwrights.[4]