16TH STREET FOUNDATION
16th Street Actors Studio has changed the landscape of actor training in Australia, by exposing Australian actors to the world’s leading industry professionals from around the globe. 16th Street has, for over a decade, been committed to supporting the artistic development and personal aspirations of actors at every level of their professional lives.
We believe in contributing to a more humane society through the arts and we value connection, creativity and community.
Our Patron is Deborra-Lee Furness.
The 16th Street Foundation was established in 2014 to promote excellence in the arts. The Foundation awarded scholarships to gifted actors, acting teachers and writers to train or develop work with mentors, internationally acclaimed artists and organisations.
Our benefactor was Heloise Pratt from The Pratt Foundation.
In 2019 The Foundation pivoted its objectives to encompass the overall artistic, psychological, intellectual and spiritual wellbeing of Australian dramatic artists. We have designed a series of programs including: skills in meditation practice, engaged dialogues with inspiring role models in the field of mental and spiritual
health and initiatives that inspire creativity and nurture the intellects of dramatic artists through the wealth of great literature and the art of rhetoric.
The Foundation aims to make these programs available to the wider community.
The 16th Street Foundation supports dramatic artists to be at their very best through their connection to a compassionate and collaborative community. We seek to nurture intergenerational engagement and cultivate wisdom and resilience in those we support. We do this so that dramatic artists, young and old, can flourish and continue to make a contribution to the world through the vital art of storytelling.
In creating a local ‘centre of excellence’ to draw international expertise in the entertainment industry to Australia and Melbourne, we will be building on what has already been established by Kim Krejus at 16th Street Actors studio and The 16th Street Foundation over the past 10 years.
Award winning actors Alan Rickman, Hugh Jackman, Ellen Burstyn, Eric Bana and Russell Brand are among the many guests so far.
THE COOPER PRIZE
Australian Actor and Writer Named Recipient of the Inaugural Playwriting Prize – The Cooper Prize
On Monday, September 9th, an enthusiastic audience gathered at 16th Street Actors Studio in Melbourne to hear excerpts from the Cooper Prize finalists’ new work. The four finalists were Australian writers Christopher Stollery and Maeve Hook, British writer Nick Maynard, and U.S. writer Linda Pallotta.
Following the public reading, the panel, comprising: Philanthropist Peter Cooper (Founder of Cooper Investors); Philanthropist Natalie Elliot (Head of CI Private Capital), Theatre Producer, Andrew Henry and Theatre Director Iain Sinclair – deliberated and announced Australian actor and writer Christopher Stollery the recipient of the 2024 Cooper Prize and the $10,000 award.
Christopher’s entry, ‘The Copernican’, reflects the mission of this new writing prize, which is to bring independence of thought and spirit to the theatre. On receiving the new playwriting prize, Christopher expressed, “This prize is a godsend for me. Writing is one thing, but getting someone to read it is another challenge entirely. And to hear it read so well – to such a fulsome audience response – that has provided me the evidence to allay the doubts, push through any writer’s block and dedicate the time to ride this unicorn home. And the cash is nice too.”
The readings were brought to life by Director Iain Sinclair and an incredible ensemble of gifted professional actors: Helen Morse, Deidre Rubenstein, Darren Gilshenan, Lawrence Boxhall, Gareth Reeves, Libby Kay, Harry Haynes and Nick Hardcastle. Reflecting on the evening, Director and Head of the Panel Iain Sinclair stated, “The high level of stagecraft and the exploration of contemporary ideas were crackling through the studio. The celebration of diverse viewpoints was a highlight of the year.”
The Cooper Prize, a new global playwriting award, is dedicated to promoting diverse perspectives in dramatic writing – a commitment clearly exemplified by the impressive new works of the four finalists. Sinclair remarked, “Freedom of speech is the bedrock of any liberal society; it’s no accident that democracy and dramatic arts were born at the same time in the same place in Greece.”
Kim Krejus, Founder and Artistic Director of 16th Street, shared, “It is very encouraging to see the range of talent from around the world. We received 160 submissions. I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to the panellists for their expertise and the time they have given and a special thank you to Peter Cooper and Natalie Elliot, the benefactors of this new 16th Street Foundation initiative.”
16th Street and the 16th Street Foundation remain dedicated to supporting actors, writers, and directors. Through initiatives like the Cooper Prize, we celebrate the value artists bring to the world when they fearlessly express diversity of thought and perspective.
