2013 Annual Report

Annual Report 2013 VAPAC Annual Report 2013 1 Luke Kennedy - A time for us to tour. Rush Entertainment. Kingston City Hall, Moorabbin. Direct Producer negotiation. Photo: Mellinda Ballard. Executive Committee Schools performance. MSO. Lighthouse Theatre, Warrnambool. Direct Producer negotiation. Rob Robson Greg Hordacre Karen Robin Batt David Lloyd Jenny Ryssenbeek Chair VAPAC Deputy Chair Patterson Treasurer VAPAC, APACA VAPAC Public Officer Representative Executive Officer West Gippsland Frankston Arts Jack Charles Vs The Crown. Ilbijerri VAPAC Theatre Co & Performing Lines Arts Centre Drum Theatre Colac Otway Centre The Capital (Black Lines). Whitehorse Centre. Dandenong Performing Arts Bendigo Long Paddock. Photo: Bindi Cole. & Cultural Centre Greg Diamantis Shayne Price Adrian Nunes Kathleen Tamara Janice Haynes Roberts Jungwirth Lighthouse Whitehorse City of Kingston The Forge Arts Theatre Centre Moorabbin La Trobe Gasworks Hub Bairnsdale Warrnambool Nunawading Performing Arts Arts Park Port Centre Traralgon Melbourne Cover Left: Roving Performance. Swan Hill Youth Theatre Ensemble in Collaboration with Snuff Puppets. Fairfax Festival, Swan Hill. Festival. Tom Mangan Photography. Cho Cho. National Theatre of China. Arts Centre Melbourne. Co Production Cover Right: Otuho Community singers. Emerge Festival. Wyndham Cultural Centre. - Arts Centre Melbourne & National Multicultural Arts Victoria partnership with Wyndham CC. Theatre of China & Playking Productions. 2 VAPAC Annual Report 2013 VAPAC Annual Report 2013 3 Chair’s Report This year began with a significant challenge for the organisation; VAPAC was in a ‘holding pattern’ awaiting the outcome of the new Arts Victoria ‘Organisational Investment Funding’ assessment process. An extension of the previous funding grant meant that although we could be assured of continuing to service our members for the year, we needed to wait before proceeding with the business plan we had mapped out for the next three years. Happily, the year concluded with a new At the state level, Arts Victoria is reviewing Community use of the venues also funding agreement in place though plans its funding models while Local Government continues to be a significant part of for an expansion of services had to be still bears the greatest cost-load in funding members’ annual programmes and for revised somewhat. presentation of touring productions. many, services to community theatre Justifying the investment at the local level is groups, schools and local performers take No challenge comes without opportunity. increasingly necessary for many members. up the largest part of their annual calendar Preparing the very detailed funding of dates and account for the largest application caused the Executive Group In 2013, VAPAC has confirmed its role in number of attendees. and membership to carefully assess what supporting all aspects of the business of in our business plan was most important operating a performing arts centre; our Venues also reported an increase in the and allowed us to do a bit of imagining member venues have asserted strongly, number of ‘co-productions’ and self- about what we could do if we were they are more than just places presenting produced work as new ways are found granted a little more funding. With our subscription programs drawn from the to broker deals with producers to enable funding support now clearer, we also national touring programme. In fact, new work to me made and shown. have an opportunity to conduct a service while the majority continue to include an In addition to all of this, venues are being review to ensure VAPAC continues to be annually curated program selected from used for a wide range of ‘non arts’ uses, well placed as a leading ‘peak body’ in the showcases and the like, some members many of which return a commercial performing arts sector. This work will be have almost completely withdrawn from income to offset the venue operational a high priority in the first year of our next these risky and (often) highly subsidised costs. three-year strategic plan. presentation activities. In 2013, VAPAC recognises that for its What is becoming increasingly clear is Many member venues are reporting an member venues, everything that happens that we are faced with a very different increase in professional productions hiring in their centres is ‘their programme’, not ‘landscape’ for performing arts centres in their venue. The commercial nature of just their subs season shows; if VAPAC is 2013 and beyond. National Touring has these productions often attracts a new going to continue to be useful, it has to undergone very significant changes, both audience to our members’ venues and provide support across the full range of in the range of productions offered and in with this, new opportunities for audience member activity. the selection mechanisms. Management development. of programs for Federal funding support for touring has moved to the Australia Council and with this has come a number Double Bill - The Twoks & Spyndrift. Colac Otways PACC. of changes. Showcase & Direct negotiation with artist 4 VAPAC Annual Report 2013 VAPAC Annual Report 2013 5 $68 million in box office ticket sales for 2013 Alchemy. Ali McGregor. Kingston City Hall, Moorabbin. Long Paddock. Photo: Kyle Smith. Chair’s Report (continued) This year has seen our Technical Managers’ We have confidence that each meeting I extend a special note of thanks to Network thrive, providing valuable of each network has helped a little to our Executive Group who have met support and development to our develop the skills and practice of our regularly to guide the organisation and members. Their meetings and activities members and to strengthen them to its endeavours. The Exec Group in 2013 are detailed in their separate report, but effectively play their role in the sector. was David Lloyd (Deputy Chair), Robin Batt (Treasurer), Karen Patterson (Public I here acknowledge the hard work and In 2013 we dedicated a number of Officer), Shayne Price, Kathleen Roberts, enthusiasm of their leadership group. This professional development bursaries to the Adrian Nunes, Tamara Jungwirth, and sub-network is a national leader in the memory of Paul Streefkerk and these will Janice Haynes. sector and they have worked to mentor be used to enable members to undertake similar networks among our interstate post graduate studies at Deakin University. I also thank our Executive Officer, Jenny colleagues. Andrea MacDonald from Macedon Ranges Ryssenbeek who has met with our Similarly, our Box Office and Marketing Shire; Karen Doyle from Mildura Arts members, managed our agendas, looked Network has provided highly specialised Centre and Marissa Cesario from Kingston after our bookkeeper, submitted our services to our members, providing advice Arts were the inaugural recipients. In applications and reports, ensured our bills and tools to help them work at the leading partnership with our colleagues at get paid, represented VAPAC at a plethora edge of best practice in their venues. Regional Arts Victoria, we once again of meetings and while doing all of the Bursaries were again provided to support presented Showcase Victoria, this year above has kept a weather-eye out and members to attend national conferences hosted by members, Malthouse Theatre. always knows where the next storm is on ticketing and marketing. Their report For the first time, the event was part of a coming form or the next burst of sunshine! shows the scope of their activity in 2013 broader conference dedicated to touring, I am privileged to have had the and I thank those who have led this sub- combining with a National Long Paddock opportunity to be your Chair and to The Divine Miss Bette. Catherine Alcorn. network. session and a Touring Forum, all adding work with so many inspiring people. Helen Macpherson Smith Theatre. Direct significantly to ‘a really useful three days’. The three Managers’ Network meetings I look to VAPAC’s future with optimism Producer negotiation with the Ballarat Cabaret Festival. Photo: Ian Wilson Photography. were held this year at Gasworks Arts Park We launched the innovative ‘ShowDates’ and confidence knowing we have the in February’ the Malthouse in May and at smart-phone app in 2013, providing one resources in our organisation to ensure The Lighthouse Theatre, Warrnambool in more tool to promote our programmes it remains a leading and effective voice; October. Topics covered at these meetings and our venues, especially to a more and VAPAC’s greatest resource remains its included Values Based Marketing and mobile audience, enabling them to better members and their delegates. Programming; members presented their connect with us, to follow a touring show, own case studies for discussion and or just to watch a promo clip while they specialist guest presenters included John wait. Other state organisations have Paul Fischbach and Merryn Carter. shown in interest in developing a similar platform for their own networks. On behalf of the Executive Group, I extend our thanks for the hospitality of those VAPAC has continued to advocate on hosting meetings, the generosity of behalf of its members in a wide range of those members presenting their cases ways. At the same time as the Executive Rob Robson for examination and the expertise of our Group manages ‘up’, VAPAC has also Chair VAPAC special guests. taken a strong position to support venues West Gippsland Arts Centre Warragul with visits from our Executive Officer, benchmarking surveys, an active email bulletin board and letters of support for a 6 VAPAC Annual Report 2013 wide range of projects. VAPAC Annual Report 2013 7 Box Office Managers’ Network This year we heard from CEO’s of This annual conference continues to grow As Box Office Managers, we face daily battles of best practice in keeping up with industry international ticketing companies, learnt and it shows the strong supportive links standards, budget pressures, developing new audiences and helping to support new innovative from other industries that are ticketed (not between team members working in just theatre), had marketing managers ticketing, marketing and management ideas for and in our venues.

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