Since its founding in 1971, the Austrian Writers' Association - „IG Autorinnen Autoren” - has been committed to improving the legal, social and economic conditions of writers in Austria. 

IG Autorinnen Autoren is firmly established as the representative of the interests of all self-employed literary, journalistic and academic writers in Austria. The Austrian Writers' Association has currently about 4.000 individual members and 60 member associations. 

We represent the professional, legal and social interests of all Austrian authors as well as of authors living and working in Austria. Regardless of membership, writers receive free infomation as well as individual advice and support on professional and legal issues.

IG Autorinnen Autoren has developed a minimum fee schedule and signed a model publishing agreement with publishers. In addition we are working closely together with the Austrian collecting society for literary works, Literar-Mechana, in developing laws and social support schemes.

IG Autorinnen Autoren contributes to law-making processes concerning the arts and the cultural sector and is a contractual partner of the Austrian Publishers' Association as well as the legal representative of publishing houses in the Austrian Economic Chambers (Österreichische Wirtschaftskammer).

 

Other major activities are joint presentations at the book fairs in Frankfurt, Leipzig and Vienna, the publication of catalogues and a magazine, as well as cooperations with different kinds of literary projects.

In the course of its existence IG Autorinnen Autoren has developed and co-developed numerous projects and initiatives. We successfully enforced the implementation of a social fund for writers and translators and co-founded the first literature house in Austria, located in Vienna.  

IG Autorinnen Autoren launched many institutions that are well established today, such as the „Austrian Book Prize“. It also had a significant influence on laws such as the „Federal Arts Promotion Act“ (Bundes-Kunstförderungsgesetz).

Since 2024, IG Autorinnen Autoren is the legal representative of the interests of all Austrian authors and their organizations and therefore authorized to negotiate generally binding contracts and tariffs.

Internationally, our most important concern currently is a joint representation in dealing with copyright matters regarding artificial intelligence and chatbots.