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Gail Babb wins the 2021 Kenneth Tynan Award

Dramaturg, theatre maker and academic GAIL BABB is announced as recipient of the 2021 Kenneth Tynan Award for excellence in dramaturgy, at a ceremony rounding off the Dramaturgs’ Network 20th anniversary celebrations.

Head of the judging panel, Hanna Slättne, said:

"Gail brings her dramaturgical practice to an impressive range of areas: as a maker/collaborator, through her participation work, and through her teaching. She exemplifies the multi-tasking dramaturg. Gail strives for excellence, innovation and inclusion in all her work. She is a champion of Black artists and voices and an important contributor to a contemporary black British dramaturgy.

However, the aspect that stood out to us as a panel and as the Dramaturgs' Network and that we want to celebrate and to mark is Gail Babb, the dramaturg as an artist, as a maker and collaborator. This is a practice that is often hidden and problematised by existing structures. So the panel wants to commend Gail's "ability to work outside accepted structures”, to quote from one of her nominations. Gail is an exceptional artist and we are delighted to award her the Kenneth Tynan Award 2021."

Kenneth Tynan Award 2021 shortlist announced!

We're delighted to announced the three dramaturgs shortlisted for our biennial award for excellence in dramaturgy: GAIL BABB, LOU COPE and NEIL GRUTCHFIELD.

The panel also highly commended the work of RITA McDADE and FRANCESCA PESCHIER.

d'n Dramaturgs' Contract Package

The d'n is delighted to launch its Dramaturgs' Contract Package, supporting freelance dramaturgs to negotiate fair terms of engagement for their services.

Hailed as "an essential and invaluable resource" by the Literary Managers and Dramaturgs of the Americas, the package includes a sample contract with guidelines for its use and personalisation, as well as suggestions for fee calculation and task schedules for different types of creative process.