2012 NIDA Annual Report NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF DRAMATIC ART Theatre, Film, Television 1 ABOUT NIDA The National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) is an independent public, not-for-profit company and is accorded its national status as an elite training institution by the CONTENTS Australian Government. We continue our historical association with the University of New South Wales and maintain strong links with national and international arts training organisations, particularly through 4 From the Chairman membership of the Australian Roundtable for Arts Training Excellence and through industry 5 From the Director/CEO partners which include theatre, dance and opera companies, cultural festivals and film and television producers. 8 Undergraduate Program NIDA delivers education and training that is characterised by quality, diversity, innovation 10 Graduate Program and equity of access. The Institute’s focus on practice-based teaching and learning is designed to provide the strongest foundations for graduate employment across a broad 12 NIDA Open range of employment opportunities and contexts. 15 NIDA Parade Theatres Entry to NIDA’s courses is highly competitive, with around 2,000 applicants from across the country competing for an annual offering of approximately 70 places across all 16 Operations undergraduate and graduate disciplines. The student body for these courses present totalled 164 in 2012. 17 Development NIDA is funded by the Australian Government through the Office for the Arts, Department of 18 Higher Education Statistics Regional Australia, Local Government, Arts and Sport, specifically charged with the delivery of performing arts education and training at an elite level. 19 Visiting Staff and Guests As well as NIDA’s work in the higher education sector, NIDA Open’s short course program, 20 NIDA Productions 2012 corporate training and the Parade Theatres complex provide additional funds to the Institute. 28 Graduates 2012 NIDA has a highly active program of community engagement which assists in fundraising through private philanthropy and corporate sponsorship. 30 Staff 31 Governance REGISTERED OFFICE NIDA is at the University of 32 Financial Report 215 Anzac Parade New South Wales 59 Donors and Partners Kensington NSW Australia 2033 POSTAL ADDRESS NIDA UNSW Sydney NSW Australia 2052 National Institute of Dramatic Art is supported by the Australian Government TEL +61 2 9697 7600 FAX +61 2 9662 7415 EMAIL [email protected] WEB www.nida.edu.au AUSTRALIAN COMPANY NUMBER 000 257 741 PRINCIPAL PARTNER AUSTRALIAN BUSINESS NUMBER 99 000 257 741 CRICOS PROVIDER CODE 00756M Cover Image: Sunday in the Park with George (Photo: Lisa Maree Williams) Right: EXPONIDA 2012 (Photo: Maja Baska) 3 From the From the CHAIRMAN DIRECTOR / CEO need to ensure we maintain our practice-based multimedia performance within theatres and major conservatoire teaching program, which has a track event venues. We continued to insist on the highest record of producing graduates who can become the quality of applicants across all undergraduate and leaders of the arts and entertainment industries. graduate courses and offered places to a small elite cohort of 71 for 2013. During the year we also In addition to our higher education courses, NIDA began the development of five new Master of Fine Open – with its program of recreational and skills- Arts courses: MFA (Directing), MFA (Writing for based courses for young people and adults across Performance), MFA (Design for Performance), MFA Australia, as well as courses for business-people (Cultural Leadership) and MFA (Creative Producing), – had a successful year. NIDA Open is an important which will be submitted for accreditation during 2013. channel for the community to access the experience An essential element of the Continuum of Opportunity In 2012 the students at NIDA continued to and knowledge offered through NIDA. It is also a very During a year when the cultural community debated program is the work we do helping graduates demonstrate their successful learning journeys important source of funding for NIDA’s operations. priorities for a new national cultural policy, NIDA made transition into the industry. NIDA has always through the high standard of work presented in a significant contribution to the debate, ensuring arts NIDA remains grateful to the Australian Government offered students extensive networking with industry the production program, culminating in the Actors education and training were recognised as a crucial for its continuing strong support, including for professionals during their study with us, and in 2012 Showcase and EXPONIDA 2012. NIDA’s success foundation of the developing cultural ecology of the improvement of NIDA’s infrastructure. These we increased the reach of our alumni mentorship is a reflection of the success of our graduates and Australia. Many of NIDA’s new initiatives were cited improvements, completed in 2012, will enhance our program, industry networking and national and it is very pleasing to see the employment of NIDA as important directions for the sector, especially our training capability and are so consistent with the ‘Continuum of Opportunity’ program, elements of international placements to help graduates take their graduates in so many areas of the arts, entertainment original award-winning design, that it is now hard to which we began to implement during 2012. first steps in their careers. For instance, this year’s and related sectors in Australia and internationally. recall that they were only completed in the last year. The Continuum program aims to bring arts and production students have completed secondments In order to maintain this success it is essential that We are also grateful for the support of UNSW, the cultural education and training to an even wider with companies as diverse as Global Creatures, NIDA’s education programs continue to adapt to the Seaborn, Broughton and Walford Foundation, and our constituency and to provide life-long learning Sydney Festival, Franco Dragone, the Royal Court contemporary environment. This includes providing corporate sponsors and private donors. We could not opportunities for both professional practitioners Theatre in London, the 2012 Olympics ceremonies, opportunities for students to become familiar with continue to achieve our mission without this support. and engaged audiences and participants. It seeks Bell Shakespeare, the Gordon Frost Organisation, digital technology, acquiring the knowledge and to encourage families, schools, businesses and Sydney Theatre Company, Melbourne Theatre skills required for employment in a changing world, I mentioned in last year’s report the passing in early communities to value creativity as an important part Company, Queensland Theatre Company, La Boite while at the same time having a strong commitment 2012 of Leslie Walford AM and Professor Malcolm of their lives and to equip elite students and mid- Theatre Company and Belvoir, and events such as to the essentials of theatre practice which have been Chaikin AO OBE, who made significant contributions career professional practitioners with the skills and Sydney’s New Year’s Eve celebrations and Mardi fundamental to the success of our graduates. to NIDA. I also acknowledge the passing in November expertise to lead the cultural life of the nation. Gras. All our graduating actors were signed with 2012 of Australian broadcasting pioneer, Len Mauger During 2012 we began to expand our offerings agents and many of the playwrights, directors, It was pleasing to see the ongoing support provided AM, who served on the NIDA Board from 1976 to 2000, within NIDA Open and more than 17,000 students designers, production, properties and costume to NIDA’s Director/CEO Lynne Williams during including periods variously as Deputy Chairman, Acting responded to a range of courses and activities for graduates are already enjoying success in their the year, by members of the industry, the public, Chairman and Chairman of the Board. graduates and students, for the changes she has young people and adults. We also produced a chosen fields. My thanks to the members of the Board of Directors, children’s show, Mr Chicken Goes to Paris, which introduced at NIDA. Her approach, in accord with In 2012 we also strengthened our contact with mid- NIDA Board of Studies and NIDA Foundation Trust attracted 4,000 children from kindergarten to year 6, Board strategies, balances the teaching of traditional career professional practitioners through three new who volunteer their expertise and time to NIDA, many of whom experienced live theatre for the first skills and takes account of new demands in the time in NIDA’s Parade Theatre. We continued to programs. The NIDA Independent Production and including Professor Anthony Dooley, Tom Jeffrey and education and training of students. work in communities in Western Sydney, in regional Creative Residencies programs encourage artists Pamela Rabe whose terms on the Board concluded Australia and in partnership with the National Centre to come to NIDA to generate or further develop new The NIDA Board appreciates the commitment in 2012 and Jim Moser whose final term concludes for Indigenous Excellence and the Aboriginal Centre work, and provide opportunities to present work-in- and dedication of NIDA’s staff, led by Lynne, in in May 2013. continuing to enable NIDA to be such a key element for Performing Arts to encourage the broadest progress to an audience of industry professionals. representation of Australian society in our activities. of Australia’s cultural infrastructure through the This marks my final report as Chairman of NIDA, The Creative Forum program provides opportunities education and training that it provides to such a as my term of office also concludes at the Annual The corporate training program initiated a satellite for debate within industry-led fora that addresses wide cross-section of people. General Meeting in May 2013. It has been a privilege office in Melbourne to meet the increased demand important issues confronting the contemporary and an honour to serve as a Board member and for NIDA courses for the business sector.