SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE ANNUAL REPORT 2011/12 Multi-award winning German design collective, URBANSCREEN was commissioned as part of Vivid LIVE to create a new artwork that explored both the iconic sculptural form of Sydney Opera House, as well as its place as a home for music, dance and drama. Contents 5 Who We Are 5 Letter to Minister 6 Highlights 8 Chairman’s Message 10 CEO’s Message 12 Vision and Goals 14 Our History 16 Outcomes and Objectives 20 Goal 1: Artistic Excellence 22 Sydney Opera House Presents 30 Resident and Supported Companies Sydney Opera House Annual Report 2011/12 Annual Report House Opera Sydney 36 Goal 2: Community Engagement and Access 38 Community Outreach and Participation 40 Beyond Bennelong 44 Customer Service and Access 46 Goal 3: A Vibrant and Sustainable Site 48 Our Precinct 50 Venues, Building and Site 52 Environmental Sustainability 54 Safety and Security 56 Goal 4: Earning Our Way 58 Governance 60 Trust Members 62 Executive Team 64 People and Culture 66 Financial Overview 70 Financial Statements 100 Government Reporting 124 Performance List 128 Donors Acknowledgement 130 Contact Information 131 Site Map 132 Index 134 Corporate Partners 4 Introduction Sydney Opera House is a global icon, We are also a community symbol that the most internationally recognised unites Australians from all geographic, symbol of Australia and one of the great cultural and socio-economic backgrounds. buildings of the world. Nationwide research has shown that 95% of Australians, wherever they live, see We are committed to continuing the Sydney Opera House as a national icon legacy of Utzon’s creative genius by and a source of national pride. creating, producing and presenting the most acclaimed, imaginative and We are a public trading enterprise engaging performing arts experiences that generates 85% of its operational from Australia and around the world; funding through commercial and other onsite, offsite and online. ventures (food & beverage, ticket sales, venue rentals and associated business, We are one of the world’s busiest retail, tourism, and fundraising). The performing arts centres, with seven balance of 15% of operating funding primary performance venues in use nearly and the funding for maintenance of the every day of the year. In 2011/12, 1,808 Sydney Opera House building comes live performances were enjoyed by over from the NSW State Government through 1.3 million people. Annual Endowment and Strategic Asset Sydney Opera House is a core part of the Maintenance grants respectively. national cultural fabric and an important In July 2007 Sydney Opera House was piece of tourism infrastructure. More inscribed on the World Heritage list by than 8.2 million people from Australia UNESCO as a “masterpiece of human and around the world visit Sydney Opera creative genius”. Importantly, our House each year and some 300,000 people commitment to leadership in performance take part in guided tours. and creativity goes hand in hand with A 2008 report to the Commonwealth our responsibility to look after this great Government (Economic Activity of building – to uphold its beauty and Australia's World Heritage Areas) integrity but also to maintain it as a living, estimated Sydney Opera House working space. contributes $758.4m in direct and indirect We have a responsibility to resident household income and 12,165 direct and companies, artists, audiences and the indirect jobs to the Commonwealth. community to ensure that this process of renewal and rejuvenation is consistent with our role of cultural adventurer. Sydney Opera House Annual Report 2011/12 Annual Report House Opera Sydney The Hon. George Souris MP MINISTER FOR THE ARTS We have the pleasure of presenting the Annual Report of the Sydney Opera House for the year ended 30 June 2012, for presentation to Parliament. This report has been prepared in accordance with the provisions of the Annual Reports (Statutory Bodies) Act 1984 and the Public Audit and Finance Act 1983. KIM WILLIAMS AM LOUISE HERRON CHAIRMAN CHIEF EXECUTIVE 5 Introduction 2011/12 Highlights Artistic Excellence Community Engagement 1 and Access 2 Sydney Opera House Annual Report 2011/12 Annual Report House Opera Sydney D21 D37 20,317 people attended the Festival of Dangerous 1,609 students from NSW Priority Funded schools Ideas, 50% attendance increase on prior year provided access to performances through Arts Assist Indigenous programming and artists opportunities increased DD23 D37 D37 D21 D23 15,000 people attend Digital tour excursions and free Open Day 2011 drama workshops provided to 63 schools, 3,165 students Vivid LIVE attracted 37,250 Summer At The House, 216 people and four performances performances, 126,165 people, Youth Advisory Two-year Indigenous were streamed live to an 51% were first time patrons to Committee established School Based Trainee audience of 916,819 online Sydney Opera House D45 program launched D41 Website visitation reached 4.49 million, Celebrations commenced in 2012 for 405,830 Facebook Sydney Symphony’s 80th Anniversary and check-ins, 172,401 The Australian Ballet’s 50th Anniversary fans and followers on social media D45 AWARDS B&T Awards Helpmann Award Australian Interactive Media Industry Marketing Team of the Year 2011 Best Ballet/New Dance Work Association Award – Best Cultural/ Best Ad Campaign for The Ship Song Project Can We Talk About This? Lifestyle Video Channel: PLAY 6 Introduction 1,365,953 people attended 1,808 performances, increase of 3.6% in attendance 120 A Vibrant and Earning Our Way Sustainable Site 3 4 d47 d66 Major progress on the Vehicle Access and Pedestrian Food and Beverage revenue increased by $1.6m or 27% Safety project Learning and Development New Code of 2011/12 Annual Report House Opera Sydney High Risk Register Kids Discovery programs provided to Conduct and implemented Tours launched 1,544 staff, a 74% increase briefing sessions d47 d47 on the previous year for 223 staff 64 d64 Venue related revenues increased d47 d47 $1.6m or 8% Guillaume at Bennelong, Opera Guided tour visitors Bar and Theatre Bars celebrate increased by 5% to 307,157 d66 10 years of service onsite NSW Government’s Workplace Health and Sustainability Advantage Silver Safety training programs Partner status achieved delivered to 471 staff d52 d64 AWARDS Opera Bar – Winner of Australian Hotels Live N Learn Gold Australasian Association NSW Award for Best Outdoor/ Break Through Mentoring Reporting Award Non-Enclosed Facility Award 2012 7 Introduction Chairman’s Message Sydney Opera House Annual Report 2011/12 Annual Report House Opera Sydney “Over 1.36 million people attended a performance during the year, a 3.6% increase in performance attendance” 8 Financial & Operating Performance The VAPS project is a critical first Expressions of commercial interest them, The Hon Helen Coonan, stage in the Sydney Opera House’s for allied precinct and visitor Peter Mason AM and John Symond With 1,808 performances staged renewal. An immensely important experience businesses will also be AM, who all have been appointed during 2011/12 the Sydney Opera project given that Sydney Opera initiated with a view to new contracts for the period 11 January 2012 to House continues to be one of the House is freely acknowledged as commencing in 2013/14 fiscal year. 31 December 2014. They bring with world’s busiest performing arts the built icon of our city, state and them a deep range of skills and centres. Over 1.36 million people Safety remains a high priority nation. It demonstrates the ability of experience gained through many attended a performance during the with regular reporting and review the organisation to manage a major years in roles in the private, public year, a 3.6% increase in performance to the Board of Trustees. This has construction project while sustaining and community sectors. attendance over the prior year and been a central policy priority for one of the world’s busiest performing an accumulative 10% increase in the last two years and progress has I also thank my fellow Trustees arts centres and the nation’s foremost attendance over the past three years, been made consistently. A number for their continuing support, tourist and cultural attraction. making the Sydney Opera House of refreshed workplace health and advice and counsel during the a major energy field in Australian The Sydney Opera House’s challenges safety initiatives will continue and year and particularly at a time of performing arts. are well-documented, particularly evaluations will be undertaken to senior management change which in relation to operational limitations better ensure objective progress and transitioned virtually seamlessly. The four core resident companies due to outdated and inefficient improvements in the safety culture. continued to deliver strong audience machinery; challenged artistic and outcomes with the Sydney Symphony, Thank You audience experiences relative to Opera Australia, The Australian Governance and Board contemporary requirements in On behalf of the Trust I would like Ballet and Sydney Theatre Company certain venues; and accessibility for Sydney Opera House is a performing to acknowledge our valued Corporate presenting 573 performances to people with disabilities. These issues, arts and tourism enterprise that is Partners and Donors, in particular audiences of some 637,000 (p.30). if unaddressed, will impact on Sydney accountable to the NSW Government our Major Partners Google and Sydney Opera House Presents staged Opera House’s longevity as a fully and Parliament for the delivery