Ausdance President’s report – July 2017

The Ausdance National board has been very busy these past couple of months, in-between meeting for a second time in early June and planning for our next meeting on 23 July 2017. These regular meetings have enabled a range of initiatives to be implemented which have included:

  • working with the Australian Major Performing Arts Group (AMPAG) on a joint submission in addition to an individual Ausdance submission regarding VET Student Loans
  • clarifying and streamlining roles and responsibilities for our Ausdance National office team across administration and marketing areas
  • the establishment of Board Subcommittees with key board members being tasked with responsibility for actively supporting and driving identified priority areas
  • the launch of our fundraising campaign with the fabulous support of past life members Shane Colquhoun and Julie Dyson
  • the activation of the National Dance Forum advisory panel including initial curation and program scheduling
  • the ongoing planning and securement of sponsorship support for the Australian Dance Awards in collaboration with Ausdance VIC.

On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank everyone who was able to donate to our Fundraising campaign. The campaign focuses upon securing funding support for our administration team to ensure that the day-to-day operations that underpin the work the current board is assisting in actively leading can continue, which is vital to the ability to secure the future sustainability of Ausdance National and ensure the ongoing legacy of this organisation can continue for another 40 years (or more)! There have been so many generous donations and every little bit counts—so if you have not had the opportunity to contribute, please do. We are very grateful for your support.

The Australian Dance Awards on Sunday 24 September 2017 at the Arts Centre Melbourne is shaping up to be a spectacular night of dance and the opportunity to formally recognise the many individuals and organisations that contribute to the innovative, dynamic, and evolving dance sector in Australia.

Directly following this event is the National Dance Forum (25–26 September 2017), a two-day forum being held at the Victorian College of the Arts that will provide the opportunity for discussion, skills sharing, and establishing a clear agenda and platform for action regarding dance in the digital domain. A set of key questions for the sector to consider and respond to has been posted throughout Ausdance National’s Facebook, Twitter, and National Dance Forum Twitter. Please invest a minute or two having your say so that you can contribute to shaping the programming and/or provide any further ideas or suggestions for the NDF Panel and Curator to consider in its planning.

Julie Dyson, Ausdance National’s Peak Body Representative, has been busy representing Ausdance and the dance sector across a range of meetings and activities related to the World Dance Alliance (WDA), National Advocates for Arts Education (NAAE) and ArtsPeak. Additionally, we would like to pass on a big thank you to Julie and Sandra Macarthur-Onslow who have been busy assisting with the mammoth task of archiving approximately188 boxes of Ausdance National’s documents and photos from the past 40 years into the National Library of Australia collection! It is wonderful to know that the history of such an important organisation is captured formally so that generations to come can benefit from understanding the developments in the dance sector over this time.