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Ojai Playwrights Conference highlights education, equitable access ahead of fundraiser
Summary
Leaders of the Ojai Playwrights Conference told the City of Ojai Arts Commission the 28-year program is expanding local education and mentorship while keeping ticket prices accessible; the group plans a major fundraiser in Ojai featuring national artists.
The Ojai Playwrights Conference told the City of Ojai Arts Commission on Tuesday that the 28-year-old program is expanding local education and mentorship while keeping performance access affordable.
At the meeting, Celia Butrón Helene, development director for the Ojai Playwrights Conference, said the conference has rooted itself in the Ojai Valley for 28 years and is working to connect national playwright development with local students and audiences. "We really center all of our work now around kind of this principle of equitable access," she said, noting the conference uses a "pay what you can" model for single tickets to its summer festival.
Nut graf: Conference leaders said local education, mentorship and lowered ticket barriers are central to the organization’s work in Ventura County; they described a fundraiser in Ojai intended to support scholarships and local programming.
Producing artistic director Jeremy Cohen described how new plays workshopped in Ojai have moved into regional production and even onto Broadway, and how the conference uses readings and public post-play conversations to connect authors and audiences. The presenters emphasized that some plays developed at the conference have subsequently drawn broader productions and awards.
Butrón Helene outlined details about the upcoming fundraiser and associated events. The organization will partner with the Ojai Playhouse for a fundraiser concert featuring guest artists including Emily Saliers of the Indigo Girls and Jonathan Brooke, hosted by Tig Notaro, plus appearances by local young performers. The fundraiser is intended to support scholarships and financial aid for student programs, she said. She encouraged interested residents to consult the conference website for participation and ticket information and corrected the URL during her remarks to ojaiplays.org.
Commissioners and staff praised the conference’s mentorship work and its efforts to reduce cost barriers. Chairperson West and several commissioners noted the conference’s value to the town’s arts ecosystem and said the Arts Commission will continue to support programs that promote education and local artist development.
Ending: Conference leaders said the fundraiser and expanded year-round programming aim to sustain scholarships and local classes; they urged residents to visit the conference website for schedules and ticketing.
