News: April 2019

April Update

by Ausdance published on

April Update 

2019 is shaping up to be a year of milestones for the dance sector. Dance Massive recorded the highest attendance to date, Sydney Dance Company celebrates fifty years, Bangarra Dance Theatre turns thirty, and Australian Dance Theatre acknowledges the twenty-year contribution and artistic leadership of Garry Stewart.  Such achievements reflect the resilience and determination of the dance sector as well as highlighting what can be achieved by our companies, industry and artists on stage and beyond through good investment. 

The 2019 Budget announcement represents new investment in the arts, but these are small steps when we need big leaps to overcome the impact of 2015 funding cuts. The dance and broader performing arts sector continue to face challenges as arts funding remains static in real terms with no additional support to the Australia Council. 

The budget highlights the lack of inspired national cultural policy.  To respond to the challenges and opportunities in the coming decades, we need policy that is embedded and invests in the arts as part of building better economic, education and health and well-being outcomes for all Australians.  Read Ausdance National’s 2019 Budget statement here. 

Ausdance National continues to work hard despite having no funding to advocate and lobby for dance and the broader sector. With the federal election date announcement now looming it is time for action! Ausdance National alongside an alliance of key performing arts peak will continue to push arts funding and to ensure that the arts and cultural agenda is on the front foot. 

Opportunities 


‘Home – dance of place, disruption and belonging.
National Dance Forum – Call for Contributions close 15 May.  

Presented by Ausdance National with Tracks Dance Company, the Forum will take place on the opening weekend of the Darwin Festival, 9 – 10 August 2019. The curatorial panel invites Expressions of Interest from artists, artsworkers, thinkers and activists responding to the following themes:

  • Lineage, disruption and action

  • Costume, object and ritual

  • Belonging and the ageing body

  • Shifting values and dance education 

  • Gender diversity and dance

  • Itinerant workforce

For more information and download our call for submissions read on >> 

Ausdance Peggy van Praagh Choreographic Fellowship close 15 May

Ausdance Peggy van Praagh Choreographic Fellowship applications are now open.  We invite eligible choreographers who can demonstrate the value of the fellowship to their own choreographic development, practice or career to submit an expression of interest. Previous recipients are Kristina Chan (2017), Lina Limosani (2015), Kay Armstrong (2013) and Stephanie Lake (2012).

After her death, the trustees of Dame Peggy's estate made a bequest to Ausdance National with the specific purpose of supporting choreographic development that advances the profession. 

Key information

  • Fellowship amount: $10,000

  • For: mid-career choreographers (35 years and over)

  • Purpose: supporting choreographic development that advances the profession

  • Applications close: 31 May 2019

Email your application to Ausdance National with ‘PvP Fellowship’ in the subject line. For more information about the criteria and submitting your application read on >>

PAX – Applications close 18 April

The Performing Arts Exchange (PAX) is PAC Australia’s flagship networking and development event. It’s a face-to-face networking event which brings together producers, programmers and presenters from across the country to create and maximise touring opportunities and build relationships. PAX continues to focus on relationship building relationships beyond pitching, through structured networking sessions and social events designed to facilitate dialogue. 

Key 2019 Dates

  • Applications CLOSE: Thursday, 18 April

  • Successful applicant offers commence: Monday 20 May

  • PAX Program announced: Wednesday, 5 June

  • Performing Arts Exchange: Monday 26 & Tuesday 27 August

  • PAC Australia REAP conference: Wednesday 28 & Thursday 29th August

For more information about PAX on preparing your application read on >>

Australia – India Dance Exchange

Expressions of Interest are sought from Victorian dancers and dance filmmakers for a six-week residency in Kolkata India, in late 2019. Asialink Arts and The Pickle Factory will select two artists, a dancer and dance on film artist (or videographer), to jointly undertake a creative exchange residency with the Pickle Factory Dance Foundation in Kolkata from late October – mid December 2019. Submissions are due by 5pmApril 26, 2019, and will be assessed by a skilled curatorium of choreographers and dance producers. Read on >>

Nominations are now open for the 2019 Creative Partnerships Awards! 

The awards celebrate the dedication, passion and leadership of inspiring Australians who are bringing arts, philanthropy and business together to create great art and culture. 

The awards are open to all individuals from all Australian states and territories, showing leadership in private giving, philanthropy, arts partnership and art investment across the fields of arts, philanthropy and businessNominations are now open and will close on 26 April. Don't wait, nominate your champion of giving to the arts!

The Caroline Plummer Fellowship in Community Dance – 2020 

The University of Otago invites applications for the Caroline Plummer Fellowship in Community Dance for the year 2020 from any New Zealand or international dance practitioner, teacher or researcher. Applications should be submitted via the website and close 1 June 2019.

Building Momentum Support Ausdance National Today 

Ausdance has a unique place in the Australian dance ecology. Please consider making a donation at this critical time for Ausdance National. All donations are tax deductible and you can donate easily via GiveNow

In addition to potential donations, we are working hard with our board to further develop and implement a plan for a more sustainable future.  Your financial support will directly support Ausdance National to build on the significant momentum of the past two years since the current skills-based board was appointed. With your support, we hope to continue and increase our dedicated staff time so that our members can continue to receive the benefit of these services.
 

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2019 Budget

by Ausdance published on

2019 Budget - Small steps for the arts but we need big leaps.  

Ausdance National welcomes the Morrison government’s new funding support for the live music sector ($30.9 million) and individual projects for the Bundanon Trust Art Centre, the Griffin Theatre and support for art installations in the Huon Valley. This represents significant investment but overall, the budget reflects a lack of understanding of the value of arts and culture and the contribution of the sector to Australia’s GDP.  

We recognise the government is focused on supporting economic growth and opportunity, in addition to job creation. The budget reflects the ongoing lack of long term national cultural policy given that the arts sector generates significant primary and secondary employment.  It ignores the research indicating that the future of work will be characterised by human creativity and innovation[1].  

The new funding for live music creates opportunity for Australian artists and is a small step but not the significant leap needed for meaningful reform and investment to address key gaps and challenges across the whole sector.   

Dance is a vital part of Australia’s performing arts ecology. It is valued by all cultures as a way of expressing feelings, thoughts, and storytelling through movement. Dance has capacity to be a valued part of every person’s education, offering creativity, healthy and stimulating experiences for all Australians throughout their lives.  Arts engagement in education leads to enhanced learning outcomes and equips students with 21st Century skills for effectively managing the rapidly changing environment including the future world of work. 

Ausdance and an alliance of performing arts peak organisations[2], have been advocating the following shared sector priorities including:

  • Establish a National Indigenous Arts and Cultural Authority to provide leadership and representation for traditional knowledge and cultural expression and in recognition of the important links between art and culture and Closing the Gap outcomes.
  • Support innovation through strategic seed investment in new ambitious works generating jobs growth and career development for leading creatives, new IP and extending creative skills.
  • Position more multi-year funded companies for growth to deliver a stronger and more diverse performing arts sector.
  • Increase Australia Council project funding to support individual artists and reduce the level of unfunded excellence
  • Increase investment in regional performing arts engagement and touring.
  • Remove the efficiency dividend on government arts and cultural organisations, including the Australia Council, which has had a perverse impact on funds available for investment in arts and culture.

The arts can assist us to respond to the  21st Century economic landscape and inspires innovation, new practices and services, and is a means of social engagement.  Jobs requiring creativity, innovation, and social intelligence will be priorities across all industries – not just the arts.  

More than ever before, Australia needs to foster and invest in creativity, arts and culture to respond to the challenges and opportunities ahead by embedding the arts in building better economic, education, and health and wellbeing outcomes for all Australians. 

For enquires contact Kathy Bayktich, Executive Director, on M: 0414 698 228 or  E: [email protected]

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[1]https://www.weforum.org/reports/the-future-of-jobs-report-2018

[2]AMPAG (Australian Major Performing Arts Group), Ausdance National, BlakDance, Live Performance Australia, Music Australia, Performing Arts Connections Australia, Regional Arts Australia, Symphony Services Australia, Theatre Network Australia.

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