Theatre - November 2008

This report provides a context to the assessment of applications submitted to the theatre board on 15 November 2008.  It provides some statistical analysis of the results of the grant round, and more general comments made by the Board during the assessment of applications.

The assessment meeting was held on 5-6 March 2009, and applications were assessed in the new work, skills and arts development, and fellowship categories.

Attendance

The Theatre Board membership at the time of the meeting was as follows:

• Rosalba Clemente Chair (SA), freelance theatre director, writer and performer, and Lecturer at Flinders University Drama Centre and at the Adelaide Institute of TAFE Arts
• Elizabeth Butcher AM (NSW), general manager of the National Institute of Dramatic
  Art
• Sue Broadway (Vic), artistic director of Strange Fruit
• Annette Downs (Tas), producer for Tasmania Performs
• Matt Lutton (WA) freelance theatre director and artistic director of Thin Ice
• Chris Puplick AM (NSW), professor, Faculty of Health and Behavioural Science, University of Wollongong
• Fraser Corfield (Qld, & from Feb09 NSW) former artistic director of Backbone Youth Theatre, recently appointed artistic director of ATYP.

Theatre staff attending the assessment meeting were:

• Antonietta Morgillo, acting director
• Nicki Pittorino, program officer
• Ange Cecco, program officer
• Kathryn Gray, program officer
• Ann Petrou, section coordinator
• Emily McIntosh, administration officer

Staff from other sections of Council also attended parts of the meeting:

• Andrew Donovan, acting executive director arts development
• Lydia Miller, executive director Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander board
• Sandra Bender, executive director arts development
• Lyn Wallis, incoming director, theatre

Chair’s comments

We welcomed Sue Broadway to her first assessment meeting as board member. She comes to us with a wealth of experience and we are honoured to have her join our board.

This theatre board meeting assessed all applications submitted at the 15 November 2008 closing date.

This was the second meeting to assess the new work categories since the theatre board’s funding programs were revised in the light of the make it new consultations, including changes to new work – production which requires applicants to have a presenting partner involved in their projects.

Some applicants were able demonstrate more successfully than others that they had secured presenting partners, who clearly supported the project financially or in kind. Applicants need to be aware of the increasingly competitive environment we are working in and that there will be a diversity of presenting partners attached to projects in any given round. It’s important that applicants don’t try to second guess how the theatre board will respond, but rather focus on making their case strongly by collecting confirmation letters from their presenting partner/s that evidence their contribution, be it funds, marketing, wages for artists, or other resources.

We have held 'navigating and negotiating connections' workshops in some major cities including Perth, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide to assist independent project based theatre makers to develop their skills in securing presenting partners. Most importantly, applicants are encouraged to discuss their applications with theatre board staff before applying.

There were many more applications in the new work category than in the previous round, which placed a considerable pressure on the limited funds available. The board chose to prioritise a broader support of the sector, and we were pleased that we were able to support a diversity of projects across most categories.

We are happy to report that the managing and producing services (MAPS) will be set up in NSW in partnership with Arts NSW. MAPS are support structures that produce and manage innovative works across Australia and assist theatre and dance artists to create, present and tour their work. MAPS are supported by the theatre and dance boards of the Australia Council in partnership with the state arts agencies in Victoria, Western Australia and Queensland.  MAPS in Victoria is managed by Strut & Fret Production House. MAPS in Western Australia is managed by Performing Lines. MAPS in Queensland is managed by Metro Arts and Brisbane Powerhouse. The call for proposals from entities to manage the MAPS initiative in NSW are due on 27 April 09. Information and guidelines can be found here.

We are looking forward to the theatre forum in May which we have jointly funded with the major performing arts board. This forum will bring the MPAB funded and theatre board funded key organisations together in the collective aim to promote greater interconnections. We hope to see many of you there.

I would like to take this opportunity to welcome our new theatre director Lyn Wallis to Australia Council. Lyn brings an extensive background as a creator, programmer, producer and manager of performing arts projects to her new role. Lyn will join us in the next assessment meeting held in August.

We also thank Pamela Creed for her time on the board and all the dedicated work she did on behalf of our sector.


Rosalba Clemente
Chair, theatre board

Outcomes

A full list of approved grants from this meeting and all approved grants since the September 2008 meeting is below. 

*please note that there are dance board and inter-arts office funds here as well.

New work - production

Cirkidz Inc SA $17,775
'Freaky' is a collaboration between Cirkidz and Circus Monoxide, commissioned by presenting partner the Come Out Festival.

Fragment 31 NSW $36,912
'Irony is not enough - Essay on my life as Catherine Deneuve' is a new performance work exploring the nature of identity. The Performance Space is the venue and presenting partner for this project.

No Strings Attached Theatre of Disability Inc SA $ 43,545
‘Tom the Loneliest' explores the life of a single disabled man living alone in public housing. The presenting partners for this project are Loose Canon Artists Services (SA) and La Mama (VIC).

Ranters Theatre Inc VIC $30,000
'Affection' is an exploration of human affection based on the interrelationships of the performers, with FULL TILT as the presenting partner.

Matthew Scholten VIC $25,000
This grant will support Matthew Scholten to present Daniel Keene's short plays in repertoire each week over the course of one month. The Dog Theatre is the presenting partner for this production.

Slingsby Theatre Company Ltd SA $70,000
'Man Covets Bird' is a production based on an image by John Lurie, for audiences aged ten to adult. The presenting partner for this project is the Adelaide Bank Festival of Arts.

Strange Fruit Productions Inc VIC $63,000
'Ringing the Changes' is a site-specific, large-scale outdoor performance at Birrarung Marr around the Federation Bells. The City of Melbourne is the presenting partner for this project.

Stuck Pigs Squealing Theatre VIC $32,050
'Apocalypse Bear',  written by Lally Katz explores a generation that has grown up in outer suburban ‘Mc Mansions’, and is the third part of a trilogy. This production will be presented at 45 Downstairs.

Theatre Kantanka Inc NSW $54,000
'Missing the Bus to David Jones' is a cross-cultural collaboration investigating nursing homes. Campbelltown Arts Centre and The Performance Space are the presenting partners for this project.

Theatre of Image Ltd NSW $80,000
'The Book of Everything' is a stage adaptation of a Dutch novel for young readers. This project is a co-production between Theatre of Image and Company B.

New work - creative development

The Candy Butchers VIC $15,235
'Blood Sweat Tears' is a new physical theatre performance work that will explore themes of liberation and oppression, gender, sexuality, power and desire. 

Flying Fruit Fly Circus NSW $49,094
'Storm' is a new circus theatre work to be adapted from William Shakespeare’s ‘The Tempest’ and directed by new artistic director Markus Michalowski.

Jenny Kemp VIC $11,000
'Madeleine' is a new dramatic text that will explore schizophrenia. It is the second work ‘On The Edge’ cycle of works dealing with mental illness, and follows on from the previous work ‘Kitten’.

Legs on the Wall Inc, NSW, $39,000
'Snakes and Ladders' is a large outdoor physical theatre work based on the game of the same name, to be performed on a construction of shipping containers.

Precarious Incorporated t/a Circus Monoxide, NSW, $31,488
'Superb and Broken' is a new contemporary circus work that will involve a collaboration between three physical performers and three composers.

Rosslyn Theatre Inc, VIC, $22,843
'Debts' is a new work exploring the vexed human issue of indebtedness in all of its dimensions. It will be developed by juxtaposing two works - John Kander/Fred Ebb’s ‘Cabaret’ and William Shakespeare’s ‘The Merchant of Venice’. 

The Suitcase Royale, VIC, $22,300
'The Horror...' is a new work exploring themes of storytelling, psychosis and the nature of heroic adventure, to be developed using Joseph Conrad’s novel ‘Heart of Darkness’ as a departure point.

Tasmanian Theatre Company Ltd, TAS, $49,727
'Beaconsfield' is a new script commission and creative development project for playwright Tom Holloway, based on the 2006 Beaconsfield Mine disaster.

Lee Wilson, NSW, $43,354
'Sweat' is a new contemporary hybrid performance work, using parkour, football, B-boying, punk rock, dance and performance to creatively exploring what it means to be part of a young underclass.

Yirra Yaakin Aboriginal Corporation, WA, $40,775
'The Coolbaroo Club' is a new musical of scale to be written by playwright David Milroy. It is a fictional account of the times of post World War II Perth and the development of the Coolbaroo League and the hugely popular Coolbaroo Club.

New work - young artists initiative

The Duck House WA $14,974
'Drunk as Drunk on Artichoke' will be devised collaboratively, and is an exploration of sound and voice, an acapella contemporary musical about people’s relationship with food.

post NSW $15,000
'Shamelessly Glitzy Work' is a new contemporary theatre work exploring intimacy and lies. post will be mentored by Clare Grant, Emma Saunders and Dave Harris, and The Performance Space is the presenting partner for this project.

Ahilan Ratnamohan NSW $10,653
'The Phorena' is a contemporary theatre work which explores linguistic forms to question notions of the foreigner in society. This project will include mentorships by Lina Katoumis and Martin Del Amo.

Side Pony Productions WA $15,000
'I Heart Roy' is a theatrical tragedy based on the life and music of Roy Orbison, and set within the Karaoke scene. PICA is the presenting partner for this production.

Shakthidharan Sivanathan NSW $15,000
'Eelam' is a site-specific, interdisciplinary work exploring Sri Lanka's modern political history using Governmental archives, media statements and community consultation.

Fellowships

Josef Ruigrok van de Werven NSW $90,000
Theatre designer/inventor Josef Ruigrok van de Werven  will use the fellowship to undertake a range of local and international activities and collaborations in the genres of image based and object driven theatre, and to initiate projects in large public spaces in Australia.

Skills development

Martyn Coutts VIC $7,000
This grant will support residencies with NES in Iceland, TAKT in Germany, and with The SITI Company in the USA.

Tanya Goldberg NSW $7,000
This grant will support a professional development role as Assistant Director under Anne Bogart, Artistic Director of The SITI Company, on her 2009 production of 'The Seagull' in New York.

Timothy McGarry NSW $3,730
This grant will support participation in the 2009 International SCHAXPIR Theatre Festival for Young People, Austria.

Kelly Ryall VIC $2,900
This grant will support participation in the Pacitti Company's 2009 Spill Festival in London, including assistance with the Romeo Castellucci 'Societas Raffaello Sanzio' productions of Dante's Inferno.

Artform development

Dramaturgies VIC $20,190
This grant supports the delivery of 'Dramaturgies #4', a national gathering of theatre artists and thinkers exploring new dramaturgies for 21st Century. This three-day program will address current practices and develop new ideas through working groups, panels and keynote presentations.

Tasmanian Theatre Company Ltd, TAS, $31,325
This grant will support a program to create two stage management traineeships in Tasmania, in collaboration with Salamanca Arts Centre, TAFE Tasmania and a range of Tasmanian performing arts organisations

Playing the world

Tobias & Bartholomew VIC $8,000
This grant supports a tour of "Die Roten Punkte - SUPER MUSIKANT" to Canada, Centaur Theatre - Wildside Festival (Montreal), Fanshawe College & London Fringe Festival (London, Ontario); and the USA at the UNDER St. Marks at the Horse Trade Centre (New York)

Snuff Puppets Inc VIC $26,000
This grant supports a tour of "Forest in the Night" to the Ansan Street Festival and Gwacheon Hanmadang Festival Festival, South Korea

Strut and Fret Production House VIC $19,452
This grant supports a tour of "Tom Tom Crew" to New Victory Theater, New York and Ann Arbor Summer Festival, Michigan (USA)

Initiatives

Carclew Youth Arts Centre SA $200,000
Lowdown Magazine will, over two years, transition into online delivery. This grant supports Lowdown to broaden and continue its role as a resource for sharing information and discussion about the youth performing arts sector in Australia, and making connections for local and overseas artists and companies in this new format.

Legs On The Wall Inc NSW $200,000
This grant supports Legs on the Wall for their 2009 program of activities.

Performing Lines Limited NSW $600,000
This grant supports the National Touring Initiative- Mobile States consortium to tour the best Australian contemporary performance work between major Australian cities over three years, 2009 – 2011. This is a jointly funded initiative of the theatre and dance boards and the inter-arts office.