QUEENSLAND PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE ANNUAL REPORT

Transcription

1 QUEENSLAND PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE ANNUAL REPORT

2 ANNUAL REPORT Contents About the Queensland Performing Arts Centre... 3 Our Purpose... 3 Our Vision... 5 Our Strategic Focus... 5 Our Values... 5 Chair s overview... 6 Chief Executive s overview Highlights and Achievements...8 Live Performance...8 Museum...8 Public Participation...8 Commercial Investments... 9 Festivals... 9 Home Companies... 9 Entertainment Public Participation Strategic Relationships Commercial Opportunities Corporate Governance Financial Statements Income Statement Balance Sheet Statement of Changes in Equity...26 Cash Flow Statement Notes...28 Certificate of the Queensland Performing Arts Trust Future Direction and Challenges Appendices Appendix One Year in review performance listing Appendix Two Contribution to Government objectives...64 Appendix Three Organisational Structure Appendix Four Queensland Performing Arts Trust Board of Trustees Appendix Five Queensland Performing Arts Trust sub-committees...71 Glossary The Queensland Government is committed to providing accessible services to Queenslanders from all culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. If you have difficulty in understanding the annual report, you can contact us on (07) and we will arrange an interpreter to effectively communicate the report to you. 1

3 QUEENSLAND PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE 16 October 2012 The Honourable Ros Bates MP Minister for Science, Information Technology, Innovation and The Arts GPO Box 611 BRISBANE QLD 4001 Dear Minister I am pleased to present the Annual Report for the Queensland Performing Arts Trust for the year ended 30 June I certify that this Annual Report complies with the prescribed requirements of the Financial Accountability Act 2009 and the Financial and Performance and Management Standard 2009 and the detailed requirements set out in Annual Report Requirements for Queensland Government Agencies. A checklist outlining the annual reporting requirements can be accessed at Yours sincerely HENRY SMERDON Chair 2

4 ANNUAL REPORT About the Queensland Performing Arts Centre The Queensland Performing Arts Centre () is the State s leading home of live performance. Located on the banks of the Brisbane River, is one of four organisations that make up the state s Cultural Centre. fosters an environment of innovation, creativity, entrepreneurship and learning. is driven by a desire to entertain, a capacity to create and the genuine wish to support moving and memorable experiences. s operations are underpinned by a belief in the essential value of performing arts as well as the broader contribution art can make to cities and societies. encourages participation in the arts and engagement in creative process as a means of promoting learning, wellbeing, civic participation and social inclusion. takes a leading role in the advancement of research and debate that articulates the value of creative industries as fundamental drivers of economic growth. Each year showcases the best in performance from Australia and around the world. Our venues host leading international and Australian actors, dancers, musicians, artists and companies. In addition, produces or coproduces some of Australia s most innovative and successful shows. is also a performance home to some of the State s leading performing arts companies including Queensland Theatre Company, Queensland Ballet, Queensland Symphony Orchestra and Opera Queensland. Host to over a million people in , delivers integrated services designed to offer audiences an experience that extends beyond the walls of the theatre, providing information and exchange before they arrive and inviting dialogue after they have gone. Our Purpose is operated by the Queensland Performing Arts Trust (the Trust). The Trust is a Queensland Government statutory body, created and with responsibilities outlined in the Queensland Performing Arts Trust Act The Trust s purpose, as set out in the Act, is to contribute to the cultural, social and intellectual development of all Queenslanders. In achieving this purpose, the Trust functions: a. to produce, present and manage the performing arts in the building occupied by the Trust at the Queensland Cultural Centre or any other building; b. to establish and conduct schools, lectures, courses, seminars and other forms of education in the performing arts; c. to teach, train and instruct persons and promote education and research in the performing arts; d. to provide or assist in providing premises and equipment for the purpose of the presentation of the performing arts; e. to promote and encourage the development and presentation of the performing arts; f. to promote and encourage public interest and participation in the performing arts; g. to promote and encourage either directly or indirectly the knowledge, understanding, appreciation and enjoyment of the performing arts; h. to encourage, for persons resident in Queensland i. participation as performers for the performing arts; and ii. involvement in other aspects of the performing arts i. to perform the functions given to the trust under another Act; j. to perform functions that are incidental, complementary or helpful to, or likely to enhance the effective and efficient performance of, the functions mentioned in paragraphs (a) to (i); k. to perform functions of the type to which paragraph (j) applies and which are given to the trust in writing by the Minister. For performing its functions, the Trust has all the powers of an individual and may, for example, enter into arrangements, agreements, contracts and deeds; acquire, hold, deal with and dispose of property; engage consultants; appoint agents and attorneys; charge, and fix terms, for goods, services, facilities and information supplied by it; and do anything else necessary or desirable to be done in performing its functions. 3

5 QUEENSLAND PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE The principles intended to guide the achievement of the object of the Act are the following a. leadership and excellence should be provided in the performing arts; b. leadership and excellence should be demonstrated in the management, on a commercial basis, of venues used for the performing arts, for the benefit of performing artists; c. there should be responsiveness to the needs of communities in regional and outer metropolitan areas; d. respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures should be affirmed; e. children and young people should be supported in their appreciation of, and involvement in, the performing arts; f. diverse audiences should be developed; g. capabilities for life-long learning about the performing arts should be developed; h. opportunities should be developed for international collaboration and for cultural exports, especially to the Asia-Pacific region; and i. content relevant to Queensland should be promoted and presented. 4

6 ANNUAL REPORT Our Vision Queensland s entertainment destination and the leading presenter of performing arts in the Asia Pacific. Our Strategic Focus In order to support the achievement of the vision, s Strategic Plan outlines multiple priorities across four key focus areas: Entertainment Objective: To program, produce and co-produce high quality innovative performing arts. Public Participation Objective: To deliver arts, entertainment and enrichment for every person of every age, every day. Strategic Relationships Objective: To build and strengthen relationships that adds value and brings mutual benefit. Commercial Opportunities Objective: To deliver integrated commercial services that meet the highest industry standards. Our Values Passion We are curious, relentless and committed. Leadership We are responsible for creating a respectful environment where our teams work positively, creatively and inclusively. Creativity and Innovation Dare to seek new ways to grow, express and challenge ourselves without fear of failure. Collaboration Proactively work together to seek mutually beneficial solutions that embrace and strengthen our core. Engagement We stimulate connection through understanding and active participation. Integrity A commitment to ensure a group consciousness of respect, questioning and open communication in a supportive and nonjudgemental environment. 5

7 QUEENSLAND PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE Chair s overview The year for was both extremely challenging and extremely rewarding. It tested the resilience of our staff to put aside the adversity and impacts of the January 2011 floods on our business and strive even harder to meet the aspirations and expectations of our patrons and other stakeholders. It is testament to what a fabulous team we have at - my fellow board members, the CEO and his executive team and staff generally and it is with great pride that I can say has had one of its best years ever. Financially, artistically, technically and in the important servicing of our many patrons and users of our facilities, we have excelled. It has been a huge challenge to have four major musicals in the Lyric Theatre Dr Zhivago, Rock of Ages, Mary Poppins and Annie. The Disney Production of Mary Poppins was a huge success for and was our highest selling musical in over a decade. Overall we had in excess of one million patrons visit with us across performances in the four theatres and ancillary spaces. Financially, our operating surplus for the year was $ as against an operating surplus of $ in the previous year. The surplus recorded in is after providing for two extraordinary items, namely approximately $ one-off payment for six staff who took advantage of a Voluntary Separation Scheme available to Government employees and a one off write down of investments of around $ Adjusting for these two extraordinary items shows that the underlying surplus is approaching $1.1 million. As a Government statutory body, we believe we have a responsibility to maximise the public value of all that we do by delivering great outcomes for all our stakeholders. We have identified and grown income sources that underpin a diverse range of product to support our legislative mandate to contribute to the social, intellectual and cultural development of all Queenslanders. We can do this because we successfully balance the public good with the required commercial imperatives. We are particularly pleased with the success of our qtix ticketing operation. It has been a significant revenue generator in its own right as well as underpinning our marketing strategies with the quality and depth of its data base. It has also helped our major home companies with their own customer relationship management strategies. Our offerings during the year in our major theatre spaces are outlined in more detail in other areas of the report. However I want to highlight three areas that I and the team are particularly proud of: Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra: In October 2011 this wonderful Orchestra gave two unforgettable performances in the Concert Hall as part of s commitment to bring the best of the best to Brisbane. One of those performances was simulcast live to six major centres throughout the State with a total audience of almost in Mt Isa, Cairns, Townsville, Rockhampton, Gladstone and Mackay enjoying the performance in real time. We expect to do more of these broadcasts in the coming years International Series: During the latter part of the year, we launched our International Series. The International Series will bring internationally renowned companies to perform exclusively in Brisbane in coming years. The first in the International Series is a two week residency by the Hamburg Ballet, Hamburg Philharmonic Orchestra and Hamburg State Opera. The International Series will give our patrons the opportunity to experience the world s best performing arts companies right here in Brisbane. Also we anticipate it will entice visitors not just from the South East corner of the state but from across Queensland and the rest of Australia contributing to building cultural tourism in Queensland. The list of companies planned to visit in the next five years reads like the who s who of world performing arts. The Out of the Box Festival: This outstanding and much loved biennial Festival for young children exceeded all our expectations with over patron admissions recorded over the 6 days of the Festival. By any measure it was an outstanding success and continues to grow in stature and appeal in its important demographic was a great year for and I want to thank all who have contributed to making it a year to remember. There are challenges ahead as increasing demands put stress on our facilities. Our audience is also expanding with greater aspirations and a need for diversity of experience which will continually test our capacity to deliver and meet expectations. Further developing our cultural tourism strategy will also be important. We believe we have the team, the commitment and the passion to make Brisbane a culturally vibrant city of which we can all be proud. 6

8 ANNUAL REPORT Chief Executive s overview In , exceeded its visitation target of one million. While measures its success against a range of indicators, none speak more powerfully to the relevance of our programming than the number of people who have chosen to come to the Centre. The diversity of the program, which drew together the best of national and international commercial producers and showcased Australian and international artists and companies in both contemporary and classic works, provided audiences with a myriad of choices. In presenting this program, worked with government, tertiary institutions, corporate supporters and community organisations to ensure that its scope was both broad and deep. The program, which resonated so strongly with Queenslanders and tourists, is the result of partnerships which have been developed over many years. Working with all three levels of Government was demonstrated in the successful delivery of our Opera Australia season in May-June A season of this scale is a mammoth undertaking for all parties, with Government support and facilitation playing an essential role in the presentation. While the season was financially supported by Events Queensland and Arts Queensland, further support was provided by the Federal Government to ensure that a live simulcast of an Opera Australia season would be broadcast to regional centres later this year. This broadcast will be received in venues owned and managed by various Councils throughout the State. While also a financial supporter of endeavours, Griffith University staff and students worked with by sharing technical expertise and skills through In turn, provided low cost accommodation for a number of Griffith programs, presentation opportunities for students and support for Conservatorium. A highlight of shared learning experiences for both organisations was the premiere live simulcast of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra in October, with Griffith Film School working alongside production teams. has been especially fortunate in with QUT facilitating the appointment of our inaugural Scholar-in-Residence, Adjunct Professor Dr Judith McLean. It was particularly fortuitous that was able to access her expertise and guidance in the development of the curatorial framework underpinning the 2012 Out of the Box Festival, and the development and delivery of the Connecting the Dots symposium, focussed on engaging parents, teachers and educators in the importance of arts education experiences for children. works closely with its precinct partners, QAGOMA, the Queensland Museum and the State Library. In , this collaborative approach was evident in two major cross-precinct festivals, the Torres Strait Island Festival as well as Out of the Box festival. The breadth of programming and exhibitions, lectures and workshops for these festivals drew on the expertise and collections of each of Queensland s major cultural institutions to provide visitors with rich and engaging experiences. The twenty-first century will be the Asian century. The importance of building relationships in the Asian performing arts and entertainment sectors has been impressed upon staff and our board. is a major performing arts centre in the Asia- Pacific region and it is important for us to continually learn and expand our awareness, understanding and experience of other worlds and their histories and artists. Asia is a diverse, complex and nuanced region and there is no doubt it will take long term and meaningful engagement for great partnerships and projects to be realised. In lifted its focus on Asia and I was fortunate to travel to the region twice in In February, I visited Korea, Japan and a number of cities in China to establish relationships with the major performing arts centres in those countries, including the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) in Beijing. This trip was an invaluable exchange with the cultural sector and its leaders in these distinctive parts of the world and also allowed me to raise their awareness about and its achievements and reputation in a number of areas. One of the outcomes of this trip was that I was invited to attend and present at the World Theatre Forum at the NCPA in Beijing in June. This was a great opportunity to meet more arts leaders from Asia and the world, and further my understanding of the state and aspirations of China s cultural industries. Asia will increasingly become a focus for within its international agenda. I am particularly excited by the artistic, commercial and educational opportunities greater engagement will create for our artists, professionals and communities as we progress. I credit this year s outstanding successes to the expert guidance and advice from Henry Smerdon and the Board, together with the creativity, diligence and passion of the team. I thank everyone for their support and efforts through

9 QUEENSLAND PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE Highlights and Achievements marks the first year visitation reached one million people in one year. People came to to see performances, an average of almost four performances per day, across 255 seasons. Live performance hosted the internationally renowned Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra (VPO) for two concerts in October Both concerts were sold out and the second concert was simulcast live to six venues in regional Queensland. The live simulcast was the first such venture by and effectively doubled the number of people able to enjoy the concert. VPO was a highlight on Brisbane s cultural calendar. A VPO rehearsal session was open to music students which provided an opportunity for those students to learn from VPO. Mary Poppins was the most successful musical at in over a decade and second highest selling musical at s history. At a time when families in particular are watching their budgets the phenomenal success of pre-sales and full houses was remarkable. This was the first time has hosted a musical by international entertainment giant Disney and with such success we hope it will not be the last. In the last year was one Australian venue to host a season of the new musical version of Dr Zhivago based on the book by Boris Pasternak. also invested in this production which is now showing in Asia. This musical was developed and premiered in Australia. Often musicals are developed in Europe or America and come to Australia after long seasons overseas, Dr Zhivago was a truly fresh experience for Australian audiences and the feedback was positive indicating that trialling musicals in Australia may become more common in the future. Perennially popular musical Annie returned to the Lyric Theatre in This family-friendly favourite played to sold out audiences. Annie provided opportunities for young performers to participate, and for younger audiences to visit. Opera Australia (OA) returned to the stages in Brisbane after 25 years with Julie Taymor s The Magic Flute and Baz Luhrman s A Midsummer Night s Dream. Funding from the Federal and State Governments ensured this season went ahead and there are plans for future seasons from OA in the years ahead. and OA have been working together to determine the best outcomes for the future relationship. Museum In , Museum presented two exhibitions in the Tony Gould Gallery, attended by a total of visitors. The Mary & Me exhibition tied in with s season of Mary Poppins. This exhibition was particularly unique for Brisbane and Queensland audiences with the author of the Mary Poppins books, P. L. Travers, hailing from Maryborough, Queensland. Mary & Me included archival video and costumes from the current musical version of Mary Poppins as well as papers from the P. L. Travers collections at the Mitchell Library at the State Library of New South Wales. A View from the Sixth Row celebrated one person s unique vision of the performing arts and featured works in the performance as well as behind the scenes. Photographer Reina Irmer is well-known to performing arts companies visiting for her passion and talent in capturing unique moments on stage. From the mid-1990s to the present day Reina has taken photographs from the audience perspective, during the final dress rehearsals with only available stage lighting. This exhibition featured a selection of Reina Irmer s images with an emphasis on recent productions including Fame, West Side Story, Queensland Ballet s The Nutcracker r and musical WICKED. Public Participation In July 2011 the entire Cultural Centre collaborated on Torres Strait Islands: A Celebration. Each institution in the Cultural Centre contributed to this celebration. s contribution was to host the 2011 Mabo Oration by Terri Janke, in association with Anti-Discrimination Commission Queensland, as well as the premiere performance of Bangarra Dance Company s Belong. also contributed to the book documenting this celebration of culture. 8

10 ANNUAL REPORT In 2012 the KITE Arts Education an early childhood arts education initiative of Education Queensland in partnership with, concluded its three-year iteration. Over three years KITE has collaborated with teachers and children in the Logan and Wide Bay Burnett Districts to engage in deep, rich and meaningful arts based learning; to create six theatre performances; and to develop community networks between schools and key arts and cultural institutions. The Choir is an audition choir that rehearses weekly at and performs throughout the year. In 2012 the Choir welcomed a new director, Timothy Sherlock. Performances by the Choir at in included s annual Spirit of Christmas and at a concert in June Pure Imagination. Green Jam sessions at continue to be popular and provide opportunities for local and emerging artists to perform. Green Jam additionally opens up the Melbourne Street Green as a venue and captures a market for patrons to attend who may not otherwise attend traditional performances at. While some Green Jam sessions were affected by weather in attendances were still strong. Commercial Investments is Australia s largest institutional investor in commercial musical theatre. s investments contribute to the viability of the performing arts as an art form and ensure continuing supply into its largest venue, the Lyric Theatre. During continued its role as an investor and consolidated its relationships with Australia s major producers, investing in the tour of Annie to Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth. A profit will be made on this investment. During the financial year s investment in Love Never Dies was lost in part due to the early closure during its Sydney season and the remainder of the tour being abandoned. Festivals As in previous years again hosted several performances for the 2011 Brisbane Festival including international pianist Evgeny Kissin, the world premiere performance of Australian composer Elena Kats-Chernin s Symphonia Eluvium and Sydney Dance Company s The Land of Yes and the Land of No. The popular Santos City of Lights brought people to to watch the nightly laser show from the Cultural Forecourt. In 2012, the biennial Queensland Music Festival (QMF) returned to venues at. As part of the Festival co-produced Piano Lessons with QMF, an original work that premiered in the Festival marked the twentieth birthday for the Out of the Box Festival. Between 12 and 17 June the Cultural Centre was taken over by children under eight years old, their parents, carers and teachers. With over admissions across workshops, performances, free events and the specially designed Out of the Box Symposium, Connecting the Dots, this was the biggest Out of the Box yet. presented three premiere works at this year s festival including The Flying Orchestra, Stradbroke Dreamtime with Queensland Theatre Company and Invisible Me with the Southern Cross Soloists. Home Companies s four home companies Queensland Theatre Company, Opera Queensland, Queensland Ballet and Queensland Symphony Orchestra delivered strong programs across each of s theatres. Collectively the companies presented 248 performances during the year, generating attendances of

11 QUEENSLAND PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE Entertainment Program, produce and co-produce high quality, innovative performing arts s role as a leading entertainment destination is evidenced in the scale and breadth of its program, a range of collaborations; recognition within the community and position as the State s foremost centre for live performance. Each year, delivers entertainment options in a program that mixes Australian and international artists across classic and contemporary forms that bring together arts experts and first time visitors. A wide range of performing arts s theatres and foyers are rarely quiet spaces. As a major performing arts centre, is alive day and night with performances, rehearsals, meetings and creative development. Throughout performances were presented across the Centre s four theatres and outdoor performance spaces which equates to an average of almost four performances per day. The performances covered a wide range of performing arts genres and included: classical and contemporary dance and music; comedy; theatre; opera; physical theatre; musical theatre; family programs; and festivals and special events. Traditionally, theatre, musical theatre as well as ballet and dance are larger scale works and have longer runs in our venues. Conversely, forms such as contemporary music and comedy regularly play only one or two performances. These variations in the length of seasons make it possible for Concert Hall to host dozens of seasons of different artists during the run of one musical in the Lyric Theatre. s annual program is a combination of works produced in-house by, works developed or presented in collaboration with other artists or companies and works presented exclusively by external hirers. This multi-faceted model offers flexibility in the management of its venues and ensures audiences are offered the best and most diverse range of productions. In produced a program that encompassed festivals, single night performances, full seasons, exhibitions and international exclusives. The program spanned genres from comedy to jazz and played in all theatres and outdoor spaces. It featured: The Torres Strait Islands: A Celebration including the 2011 Mabo Oration and Bangarra Dance Company s Belong; The Australian Dance Awards; Cradle Songs; Le Grande Cirque Adrenaline; Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra; Green Jam sessions; Harvest Rain (James and the Giant Peach); Ballet Theatre of Queensland (Cinderella); Ozfrank Theatre Film (OzFrank 2012 Summer Program); I Musici Viva Italia 60th Anniversary Tour; Expressions Dance Company (R&J); shake & stir ( Animal Farm); Australian Ballet (Romeo and Juliet); ) An Evening with Chris Botti; Out of the Box Festival. Local, national and international In , collaborated with many local, national and international organisations from both the commercial and subsidised sectors: Skyline Theatricals Pty Ltd (Dr Zhivago); Major Brisbane Festival Pty Ltd (Evgeny Kissin, Mortal Engine, Maria De Buenos Aires, Circus Oz Steampowered, Sydney Dance Company The Land of Yes and the Land of No; Australian Chamber Orchestra national subscription tour; Queensland Music Festival (Piano Lessons, Randy Newman with Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Queensland Country Comfort Hour); ) Dylan Moran; Senior Superstar Grand Finals; QI Live; Spring Awakening; Whispering Jack concert; John Cleese; Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain; Flamenco Fire (Gypsy Pathways). Venue utilisation exceeded its venue utilisation target of 75%, achieving 85% over s four theatres are used for performances, rehearsals, workshops and corporate events. Throughout the year, scheduled maintenance periods are also allocated to ensure theatres comply with workplace health and safety requirements and that s technical equipment remains at the forefront of industry standards. One of s key priorities identified in the strategic plan is to maximise venue usage. A number of strategies are employed to ensure each of the theatres, in particular the Lyric Theatre, are live as many nights of the year as possible was the first time presented a simultaneous season of live comedy performances during Opera Queensland s (OQ) season using the Lyric Theatre on traditional OQ dark nights which ensured remained vibrant and brought in new audiences. This model will be used in future seasons when there are dark nights in the Lyric Theatre. This year the Lyric Theatre featured 22 different productions and achieved 95% utilisation. This included exclusive seasons from Opera Australia and The Australian Ballet, and four major musicals; Doctor Zhivago, Rock of Ages, Mary Poppins and Annie. The Lyric Theatre featured a mix of musical theatre, music, comedy and dance that attracted audiences across all age 10

12 ANNUAL REPORT groups. This included children s works such as The Flying Orchestra and Nick Junior s Dora the Explorer LIVE!, as well as Opera Queensland s Tosca, Carl Barron, The Ten Tenors, Le Grand Cirque s Adrenaline, and audience favourite John Farnham. The Brisbane season of Mary Poppins, Disney s first major musical presentation to open in Queensland, ran for three months and was s highest selling production in more than a decade. brand International exclusives alongside the best in local and national performing arts experiences helped to build s brand as a leading performing arts centre in Australia and the Asia Pacific. Full in-theatre productions combined with free and outdoor programs as well as Festivals and collaborations with our Cultural Centre partners contributed to the brand recognition. A recent survey conducted found that 57% of respondents were aware of unprompted and that prompted recognition was at 91%. had the highest rate of unprompted awareness of all live entertainment venues in Brisbane according to survey results. Cultural Centre is one of the four organisations that make up Brisbane s Cultural Centre and values its position within this environment. The unique location and combined capacities of the Cultural Centre organisations enable large and small scale collaborations and partnerships. In 2011 all four organisations collaborated with Torres Strait Islands: A Celebration. This Celebration saw each organisation curate programs unique to their art form and that fit within the banner of celebrating Torres Strait Islander culture. presented Bangarra Dance Theatre s premiere work Belong and the Mabo Oration 2011 featuring Terri Janke. also contributed to the Torres Strait Islands publication. In 2012 again collaborated with the Cultural Centre to present the Out of the Box Festival. Whilst the majority of performances, workshops and free events were held at, a number of Out of the Box events were held across the Queensland Museum, State Library of Queensland and the Gallery of Modern Art. Of particular note was the Connecting the Dots Symposium held at The Edge, State Library of Queensland over three days of the Festival. 11

13 QUEENSLAND PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE Genre by Performances Comedy 3% Theatre 14% Ballet & Dance 8% Special Events 4% Opera 2% Contemporary Music 5% Children s/family 11% Classical Music 5% Festivals (Multi-Category) 1% Musical Theatre 25% Festivals (Single-Category) 22% Genre by Ticket Sales Comedy 6% Special Events 6% Opera 3% Theatre 9% Ballet & Dance 9% Children s/family 8% Contemporary Music 7% Classical Music 6% Festivals (Multi-Category) 1% Festivals (Single-Category) 4% Musical Theatre 41% Genre by Seasons Comedy 5% Theatre 5% Special Events 10% Ballet & Dance 9% Opera 3% Children s/family 6% Contemporary Music 16% Musical Theatre 7% Classical Music 26% Festivals (Single-Category) 10% Festivals (Multi-Category) 3% 12

14 ANNUAL REPORT Public Participation Deliver arts, entertainment and enrichment for every person of every age, every day. focuses on maximising public participation as part of its strategy to deliver the best in arts, entertainment and enrichment for a wide audience. defines participation as the active connection and involvement with people, ideas and experiences. To attract and maximise public participation, identified priorities around recognition, visitor experience, and audience engagement, the vibrancy of the South Bank precinct, cultural diversity and learning. Recognition is increasingly recognised in the Asia Pacific region as a leading performance arts centre passionate about collaboration, creativity and innovation. s operations are underpinned by a belief in the essential value of performing arts as well as the broader contribution art makes to cities and societies. supports participation in the arts and engagement in creative processes as a means of promoting learning, well being, civic participation and social inclusion. s programs produce social, educational and cultural benefits for the state as well as contributing to the increasing recognition of Brisbane as a cultural tourism destination. This year further consolidated this reputation by attracting over one million visitors, a first for, presenting companies and artists from around the world and partnering with an eclectic mix of emerging and established artists, major commercial producers, small companies and collectives. staff are recognised as industry specialists and are consistently sought out to offer advice and training and to present at conference and forums. CEO John Kotzas presented a keynote speech at the World Theatre Forum in Beijing. Visitor experience s commitment to audiences extends beyond the experience inside the theatre to include all aspects of the public s interactions with the Centre. recognises that part of the theatre experience comes from education and information before the show, what the patron experiences on the stage and during their visit as well as ongoing conversations with our guests after a performance to complete a holistic review and maintain a commitment to continuous improvement of our services. Patron Services are committed to deliver exceptional customer service which is responsible for a major part of the visitor s experience at the Centre. After purchasing tickets, the Patron Services team are the first and last touch points that patrons interact with at. Patron Services team include Front of House staff, merchandise sellers, First Aid and Stage Door officers, Museum gallery attendants, chefs, kitchen hands, Café, Bistro, Restaurant and Playhouse Café attendants, bar attendants across the Centre s eight bars and Green Room attendants. Integration with the website continues to improve with the majority of sales now coming from the website where people are able to choose their own seat and are given a photo of the view from certain sections of the theatre. The website also offers integration in booking The combined Front of House and Food and Beverage team comprises approximately 300 casual staff. During the season of Mary Poppins in 2012 patron services rostered around 830 front of house shifts and 565 food and beverage shifts each fortnight to ensure s operational needs and the needs of our guests were anticipated and not only met but exceeded. New and existing audiences has continued to expand engagement with audiences in Website traffic has increased over 22% since with the majority of bookings for performances (78%) coming from the website. launched a mobile site in September 2011 in recognition of the huge increase in people accessing information from smart phones and tablets. The website and Facebook pages have been enabled to accept patron reviews that allow our audience to directly post reviews and generate discussion around performances, often faster than reviews are available through newspapers and magazines. The My Account feature on the website allows patrons to view upcoming and past events, reprint their print@home tickets and view their booking details and booking confirmation. Social network sharing has also been enabled for upcoming events. The number of patrons who connect with via social media has increased over with the Facebook page now having over 20,000 fans. Twitter followers have increased 50% on last year s total. Social media allows to interact in a more immediate way than a traditional website does and patrons can provide instant feedback and engage in conversations more readily. 13

15 QUEENSLAND PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE In s audience demographics saw an upswing in under 18s attending the centre with 18.5% of all audiences being under 18. This was due to the Out of the Box Festival and musicals such as Mary Poppins and Annie. Most other demographics remained steady. Precinct The Cultural Centre and South Bank precincts continue to be activated with expanding restaurants and retail outlets, new buildings and high levels of pedestrian traffic from local, intra-state, inter-state and international visitors. The precinct around has had some significant changes over the past year. The ABC Building has now opened and is fully operational. The Queensland Symphony Orchestra is in the process of moving into their new offices and studio at the ABC Building and we look forward to working in such close proximity with one of our home companies. The entry to the Conservatorium continues to evolve and the spaces between the Conservatorium and the ABC Building are becoming more active each day. welcomes the new Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre extension BCEC on Grey (Street). This new facility, along with the ABC Building, has opened up an area of Grey Street that was previously underutilised. With changes to governance at South Bank looks forward to working with a new Chair of the South Bank Corporation and to working with Brisbane City Council as the main government funding body for the Corporation. The South Bank precinct continues to grow with more cafés, restaurants and shops opening each month. Cultural diversity s engagement with culturally and linguistically diverse communities in resulted in some vibrant, rewarding and well-attended events. The focus was on the presentation of works by or about non-western peoples and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. recognises and supports the vision and objectives outlined in Arts Queensland s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Arts Policy In presenting work relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, continued its positive partnerships with several organisations. During the year, joined with its cultural precinct partners (Gallery of Modern Art, Queensland Art Gallery, Queensland Museum and State Library of Queensland) to present Torres Strait Islands: A Celebration which opened on 1 July s contribution to this celebration included its presentation of Bangarra Dance Theatre s Belong; the fourth Mabo Oration presented with Anti-Discrimination Commission Queensland and featuring an oration by lawyer and author Terri Janke; a comprehensive program of free performances staged in the Cascade Court and Melbourne Street Green; and a cross-precinct partnership on the publication of Torres Strait Islands, a high quality book showcasing the outstanding collections and performance programs of the major arts organisations located at South Bank. also continued its long term relationship with Aboriginal Centre for Performing Arts (ACPA) through the presentation of Stolen by Jane Harrison and directed by ACPA Artistic Director Leah Purcell in November In late 2011, and Queensland Theatre Company committed to a formal arrangement for the development and presentation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island work. The first co-presentation by the partners was Sydney Theatre Company s Bloodland d an extraordinary production by Stephen Page and Bangarra Dance Theatre. This work, performed in Yolgnu and pidgin was presented in s Playhouse in March The partners also came together to commission, produce and present a new work for children which premiered at s Out of the Box Festival in June Stradbroke Dreamtime based on the book by Oodgeroo Nunukul, was directed by Sue Rider and featured choreography by Gail Mabo and music composition by Kahl Wallace and Jhindu Lawrie. Performances presented at representing non-western peoples included: Flamenco Sin Fronteras presented in July 2011 The Imperial Russian Ballet Company presented in September 2011 The Shaolin Warriors during September 2011 Maria De Buenos Aires during the Brisbane Festival in September 2011 Celebrations of the Golden Jubilee Korea Australia presented by the Queensland Korean Orchestra Council in October

16 ANNUAL REPORT The Laughing Samoans in October 2011 The Chinese Acrobatic Spectacular presented by Voice of Australian Chinese Pty Ltd in February 2012 I Musici Viva Italia 60 th Anniversary Tour presented by in February 2012 Buddha Birth Day Meditation Sessions offered by Buddha Light International Association Queensland in May Learning In a review was undertaken of the Learning and Development practices. The result has been to enhance s competency framework that is based on the four pillars of training (job role specific, compliance, professional development and career planning). A compliance register was set up to ensure that a comprehensive register of all licences and registrations is maintained which is readily available to all stakeholders. Furthermore a mandatory unit specific induction has been developed for all units that underpin the existing Corporate and Workplace Health and Safety inductions. A leadership and management program was implemented for the Executive Team with particular emphasis on building productive working relationships, identifying strategic direction and achieving results to ensure effectiveness and efficiencies across the organisation. This program integrated into the newly developed competency framework and aligns with the workforce performance and recruitment and selection activities. A supervisor program was offered for staff in frontline supervisory positions to support and develop the leadership capability of supervisors ensuring effectiveness in creating motivated and productive teams. A new format work experience program was introduced to provide school students with experience in the live entertainment industry with a view to possible employment; concurrently successfully addressing recruitment requirements in those areas. acknowledges the value of engaging with schools and tertiary institutions in providing work experience and industry placements. Throughout 2012 has hosted nine work experience students across all three disciplines of Lighting, Staging and Audio Visual and the feedback has indicated that the beneficial experience has been a two way process. Further for the first time has provided a dedicated internship for five university students; two in Finance, one in Development, one in Visitors Services and one student as part of Out of the Box Festival. 15

17 QUEENSLAND PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE Strategic Relationships Build and strengthen relationships that add value and bring mutual benefit recognises the critical role partnerships play across all areas of our work. Partnerships expand our capacity, enrich our everyday practice, encourage us to think from different perspectives and offer opportunities for growth. Like s business, our relationships are varied and support a range of activity from the creation of new creative works to delivering impeccable customer service. These relationships take a number of forms and vary in their depth and longevity. Producers and presenters Some of the most critical relationships for are those with producers and presenters. In partnered with producers and presenters locally and from around the world. is a significant investor in commercial musicals and in partnered with the Gordon/Frost Organisation on Annie. also partnered with leading Australian producers Leo Schofield and Ian McCrae to secure and present two concerts by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra in October As a presenting partner, co-presents with local organisations as well as many companies from around Australia. A co-presentation is usually driven by multiple factors and will often focus on expanding the local audience base and/or developing the production quality. For example, regularly co-presents with national companies Bangarra Dance Theatre and The Australian Ballet, and this year with Opera Australia; and state based companies Expressions Dance Company, Zen Zen Zo Physical Theatre, Queensland Theatre Company, Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Queensland Ballet as well as the Queensland Conservatorium, Griffith University, Brisbane Festival and Queensland Music Festival. The issues that influence s decision to enter into partnerships as well as the outcomes sought vary enormously and range from enhanced public participation to art form development or commercial opportunities. Industry partnerships is a leading organisation in the performing arts sector in Queensland. As much as is a venue, also has a strong focus on strategic relationships within the overall arts industry. Through these industry partnerships seeks to support the development and advancement of the performing arts industry and to maintain strong and productive working relationships with a variety of artists and organisations. belongs to both the Australian Performing Arts Centres (OZPAC) and Northern Australian Regional Performing Arts Centres Association (NARPACA) networks. These associations create networks and build on professional relationships across the performing arts industry. A significant part of s commitment to industry partners is the artists and companies in residence program. continued to work with musical ensemble Southern Cross Soloists as Company-in-Residence. Since forming in the mid-1990s Southern Cross Soloists has become one of the most innovative musical ensembles in Australia. In Southern Cross Soloists have two showcase concerts and two concerts in their Music and Words series. Brisbane s Harvest Rain Theatre Company continues to perform at with this year showing James and the Giant Peach, The Wizard of Oz, The Neverending Story and Hairspray. Government stakeholders In partnered with all levels of Government across a range of projects. Brisbane City Council was again a major sponsor for the 2012 Out of the Box Festival. consolidated a partnership with Events Queensland by presenting the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra (VPO). Extra funding from the Federal and State governments was also granted for this project to assist with costs in a live simulcast of the VPO performance. The VPO live simulcast to six regional Queensland venues was the first such simulcast presented by. The success of the VPO and live simulcast created the momentum for and Events Queensland to create a formal partnership in the International Series to bring international companies to perform exclusively in Brisbane in coming years. The first in this series will occur in August and September of 2012 with the Hamburg Season. A performance in the Hamburg Season will also be simulcast live to venues in regional Queensland. In 2012 Opera Australia (OA) returned to Brisbane for a performance season for the first time in 25 years. Extra funding from the Federal and State governments made this return season possible. OA will return to Brisbane in coming years. 16

18 ANNUAL REPORT 2012 marked the final year of s KITE Theatre partnership with the Australia Council for the Arts. The culmination of this three year youth arts project was realised at the Out of the Box Festival with the release of the Yonder DVD. Learning and development from this project is ongoing. Corporate communities continues to embrace corporate partnerships, striving to build mutually beneficial relationships that support s projects and operations and deliver tangible brand outcomes for each partner. In continued its partnerships with PricewaterhouseCoopers, Heritage Bank and Sirromet; all forming the foundations for which hopes will be long term relationships. Longstanding partners Treasury Casino and Hotel, Qantas and Grinders all continued to drive value and positive outcomes from their association with. The new International Series will present engagement and interest from potential new partners. The gala nature of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra season provided a backdrop for The House of Louis Roederer Champagne to showcase its product. has now established a Venue Partnership with Louis Roederer as well as support for the International Series. s Out of the Box Festival continues to resonate with partners and this year s Festival saw many new partners join the family. Special mention must go to IGA, The Courier-Mail, Channel 10 and Oaks Hotels and Resorts for their generous support. It is encouraging that so many corporate partners recognise the value of supporting Out of the Box and the richness it delivers to the community. International partnerships is committed to creating and participating in a vibrant arts community in Queensland. Part of this is to export Queensland arts to the world shows that have been developed in Queensland and at have been shown around the world. Conversely seeks the best in international performances to show at. continued its membership of international industry bodies the Association of Asia Pacific Performing Arts Centres based in Singapore and the International Society for the Performing Arts based in New York. In s main international focus has been on Asia. The current economic conditions in European and North American are forcing fiscal conservatism for many in the performing arts. Now more than ever is the time that is strategically aligning itself to Asia. s CEO presented a keynote speech at the World Theatre Forum in Beijing in 2012 about Opera in Australia and Ideas for the future. This conference also provided the opportunity to meet performing arts professionals from arts centres around the world. A key purpose of this and other travel is to maintain s profile as a leading international venue and to develop and maintain partnerships that will support to present a diversity of performing arts product from around the world. The program featured performances from international artists and companies. Highlights of the international collaborations included the presentation of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and children s classic Angelina Ballerina with the Royal New Zealand Ballet. Organisational culture Information workshops continue to be run throughout the year with s Organisation Health and Wellness Program offering programs focused on nutrition, fitness and general lifestyle and health education. In completing its ninth year s program continues to have a positive impact on our employees. With the aim of a continued connection to employees who have dedicated fifteen years or more of service to a new program Friends of has been rolled out with the aim of continuing s engagement and recognition of past employees contribution and commitment. s Reward and Recognition program continues to gain momentum since its inception in July The purpose of the program is to ensure all employees who go above and beyond are recognised for their outstanding value to and their contribution. So far to date we have received over two hundred and forty five nominations ranging from outstanding customer service to innovation. seriously considers any employee request for flexible working arrangements to assist our employees to achieve a work life balance and we appreciate how flexible working can benefit an employee s performance through improved motivation and productivity. 17