TNV STUFF

17 Nov – ‘CHAMPIONS OF CHANGE’ 2015 Victorian Theatre Forum (VTF) – Register now
TNV members are invited to attend the sixth annual VTF on Tuesday 17 November at Malthouse Theatre. The program explores what we need to do now to ensure that we have a united vision for the arts, that we have the policies and funding to support that vision, and that we will not have the rug pulled out from under us again. Program includes a keynote address from cultural strategist and Platform Paper author Cathy Hunt, interviewed by Julian Meyrick; and a panel, ALL TOGETHER NOW: How independents, small to medium companies and major companies rely on each other for a vibrant theatre sector. Registration from $22 for indies to $38 for funded orgs and includes lunch. Register for VTF 2015 here. (VTF is a Members Only event. Not yet a TNV member? Join here).

TNV partners with Young People and the Arts Australia (YPAA)
We’re pleased to announce that Theatre Network (Vic) is the new Host and Secretariat for YPAA and ASSITEJ (International Association of Theatre for Young People). YPAA will continue to have an active ASSITEJ role with Sue Giles as Australian representative. These international links are important for TNV, and we also look forward to working together on the issues and goals of the YPAA sector. Check out the YPAA and ASSITEJ section on our website under ‘Our Work’. Read more here.

TNV’s Independent Salary Survey – How do you juggle your time and money?
Thank you to everyone who has taken time to participate in our 2015 Salary Survey. We’ve started to collate data from Organisations and are now calling for final responses from independent artists and producers. This is the first time we have included the independent sector in this research, so please take the time to let us know how you manage your practice. Take the survey here.

NATIONAL STUFF

Nominations now open – 2016 Australia Council Awards and Indigenous Excellence Awards
The Australia Council is calling for nominations to recognise the outstanding achievements and significant contributions made by individuals to the arts across seven art forms at the 2016 Australia Council Awards ceremony in March next year. Nominations that recognise outstanding achievement in Indigenous arts are now also open for the 2016 National Indigenous Arts Awards which will be presented on 27 May next year. AusCo Awards | Indigenous Arts Awards

Final Hearings – Senate Inquiry into Impact of the 2014/15 Commonwealth Arts Budget
The final four hearings are coming up. Please try to attend the hearings, even if you’re not presenting, to support your colleagues! 27 Oct, Cairns, QLD; 29 Oct, Darwin, NT;  04 Nov (Western) Sydney, NSW; 05 Nov (Central) Sydney, NSW. Over one thousand submissions have now been uploaded. Read the submissions and hearing info here. New Arts Minister Mitch Fifield has promised big changes to the government’s plans. Listen to the Minister’s interview on ABC’s Books and Arts.

9 Nov – Queensland Touring Showcase 2016 – Production submissions now open
Producers and artists are invited to submit their production for consideration to be a part of the Queensland Touring Showcase at The Arts Centre Gold Coast on Monday 14 and Tuesday 15 March. Queensland presenters along with artists and producers will meet to exchange ideas, network and collaborate. More info.

30 Oct – Ensemble Theatre New Writing Commission 2016 – $12,500
Australian Writers’ Guild, playwright David Williamson and Ensemble Theatre have joined to commission a new Australian play with the guarantee it will be presented as part of Ensemble Theatre’s 2017 Season. The recipient will also receive a $12,500 commission and gain entry into the AWG’s Pathways Program. Entries close 30th October. Read more here.

Australia Council for the Arts – Registrations now open for the Arts Learning Forum
The Australia Council’s inaugural Arts Learning Forum will be a three day event held at Footscray Community Arts Centre in Melbourne from 25 – 27 November. Featuring national and international speakers, the forum is for arts professionals with a role or interest in arts education, learning or engagement across all art forms, ages and communities. Registrations range from $150 – $375 and close on 20 November 2015. Find out more.

Actors’ Psychological Wellbeing Study – Fact Sheet
Following on from the discussions at TNV’s Australian Theatre Forum in January 2015, authors Alison Robb, Dr Clemence Due, Dr Anthony Venning, and Emeritus Professor Ted Nettelbeck have prepared a fact sheet from recent research into the welbeing of performing artists. More info and link to Fact Sheet.

15 Dec – 2016 Anywhere Festival Brisbane – Registrations now open – $150 – $250
Anywhere is a festival of discovery in Brisbane from 5 – 21 May 2016. Open to all events and activities that explore the nooks and crannies of the city from exhibitions, concerts, markets, restaurants, walking tours, open houses, workshops and, of course, performances anywhere in Brisbane. Regsitrations cost $150 for a one off / free event and $250 to register with box office paid to you on completion of your event. Deadline is 15 December. Find out more here.

Artist call out – 2016 Queensland and Melbourne Cabaret Festival submissions now open
Submissions are now open for the 2016 Queensland and Melbourne Cabaret Festivals. The Queensland Cabaret Festival will be held at Brisbane Powerhouse in June 2016. Show submissions close next Friday 23 October. The Melbourne Cabaret Festival runs from 15 – 26 June. Applications close in January, but get in early! Brisbane info | Melbourne info.

Australia Council Report – Building Audiences: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts
The research found that 92 per cent of those who took part in the study viewed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts as an important part of Australian culture and 64 per cent had a strong or growing interest in art created or performed by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, yet only 24 per cent had actually attended an Indigenous arts event. This shows enormous potential to build new audiences for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts. Read more here.

Australia Council’s Amanda Coombe will be presenting the findings of the research at the upcoming Victorian Touring Workshop (see below), co-presented by TNV, Regional Arts Victoria and VAPAC.

VICTORIAN STUFF

20 Oct – Last chance to register for the Victorian Touring Workshop – Tickets $25 – $35
The annual Victorian Touring Workshop is a day long event offering practical advice to performing arts practitioners looking at touring pathways for 2016. Managed by Regional Arts Victoria, TNV and The Victorian Association of Performing Arts Centres, this year’s meeting will be held at Plenty Ranges Arts and Convention Centre next Tuesday 20 October, 9:30am – 4pm. Register here.

Congratulations to Ian Pidd – Melbourne Fringe’s Inaugural Living Legend Award winner
Amongst the great range of shows given Awards at the Melbourne Fringe Festival closing night on Saturday 3rd October, was a new award for Fringe Living Legend. The inaugural award winner was TNV’s fabulous colleague Ian Pidd. In announcing the award, Simon Abrahams noted Ian’s committed role over 25 years as Fringe artist, Chair of the Board, mentor for young artists, Fringe judge and general Fringe supporter. Congratulations Ian, well deserved! Check out all the award winners here.

9 Nov – Lucy Guerin 2016 Studio Residency – Applications now open
Choreographers are invited to use the studio space at the Lucy Guerin Inc Studio in West Melbourne for two weeks to develop a contemporary dance project. No presentation outcome required, but artists are encouraged to arrange a showing of their work. 2016 Residencies will be available from January. Applications close 11pm Monday 9th November. More info.

10 Nov – Poppy Seed Festival – Melbourne’s newest theatre festival kicks off next month
Poppy Seed aims to support artists by hosting a festival which directly addresses the issues surrounding the creation of new works and productions. Selected from an open submission process, the inaugural festival will see four new works presented at Trades Hall, Butterfly Club and Fortyfivedownstairs from 10 November – 13 December. View the full program here. To book a festival pass including the opening night gala or closing night party click here.

Join the Auspicious Arts and Expert Arts mailing lists
If you’re looking for ways to keep across the latest grants, development workshops, industry tools and networking opportunities, we suggest you also subscribe to the Enews lists of our colleagues at Auspicious Arts and Expert Arts (Creative Victoria).

YPAA & ASSITEJ AUSTRALIA UPDATE

Global Update – YPAA & ASSITEJ Australia
The next ASSITEJ congress will be held in South Africa 2017. There is currently a call out for productions, particularly collaboration projects between African countries and the world. There will be a call out for workshop and seminar applications soon. View the 2017 congress details here.

Related news:

• “The performing arts is present as a voice for progression, compassion and awareness, expressed in many forms and for many ages” – Sue Giles, ASSITEJ Australia rep. Read a summary report here.
• TYP Birmingham in 2016 – On the Edge festival and ASSITEJ Artistic Gathering. Young and emerging artists are also invited to participate in the Next Generation program. More info.
• Alex Desebrock has returned from her residency with the ASSITEJ Germany international directors seminar at Mannheim. Read her report here.
  

INTERNATIONAL STUFF

Stage Directors UK – Earnings Study
Stage Directors UK (SDUK) is the only professional body representing theatre and opera directors in the UK. It deals with all directors’ issues from fees and contracts through to development and training. Launched in September 2014, the network grew to over 1000 supporters within six months. In January this year, SDUK produced a devastating Earnings Study that transformed the directors’ pay debate. SDUK is now April a subscription funded organisation.

11th International Conference on the Arts in Society – University of California, USA
The special focus of the conference will be ‘The Practice of Art in the Age of the Anthropocene’. We live in an age defined by all-consuming modes of production and imaginaries of innovation. How do practices of art and our ways of interpreting art reflect, reverberate, contest, the eco-social realities that we now face? What is the duty of art? The conference will be held in Los Angeles from 10-12 August 2016. For more info, including how to submit a presenter proposal, click here.

INDUSTRY GOSS

• Senator the Hon Mitch Fifield appointed as Minister for the Arts and Minister for Communications of Australia replacing former Arts Minister Senator George Brandis.
• James MacKenzie announced as the new President of the Victorian Arts Centre Trust, which oversees the iconic Arts Centre Melbourne.
• Sam Strong has been announced as the new Artistic Director of Queensland Theatre Company.
• John Kachoyan finishes up at MKA: Theatre of New Writing.
• Toby Sullivan commences as Producer of Malthouse Theatre.
• Aphids Artistic Director Willoh S. Weiland has won the ANTI Festival International Prize for Live Art.
• Angelo Loukakis finishes up as Executive Director of the Australian Society of Authors in order to write another book (amongst other things).
• The Australia Council Board has appointed journalist Rebecca Weisser to the board.
• Karl Hatton to retire as Arts & Culture Manager of Glenelg Shire Council at the end of this year.
• Vicky Guglielmo finishes up at City of Melbourne and will commence in the role of Manager, Creative Culture at City of Darebin at the end of this month.
• Robin Penty has moved from Locum Manager, Creative Culture at City of Darebin to a newly-created position as Director, Business Development, Faculty of Arts at the University of Melbourne.
• Angela Pamic is the new Company Manager at Snuff Puppets.
• Australian artist and producer, Noel Jordan has been announced as the new Festival Director of Scotland’s Imaginate Festival.
• Alison Murphy-Oates has taken up two roles: Company Manager for Moogahlin Performing Arts and the Aboriginal Project Manager position at Carriageworks.
• Catherine French has left Polyglot Theatre to take up the role of Marketing and Communications Manager at Footscray Community Arts Centre.
• The NIDA Foundation Trust has elected arts advocate Jennifer Bott and producer Garry McQuinn to the board.
• Sarah Cole has finished up as Creative Industries Advisor to Victorian Minister Martin Foley and will be replaced by Lauren O’Dwyer.
• Olivia Allen steps in as Acting Artistic Director/Theatre Coordinator of Union House Theatre.

POSITIONS VACANT

Venue Manager, Malthouse Theatre. Apps close 16 Oct.
Creative Director, Melbourne Indigenous Arts Festival. Apps close 25 Oct.
Artistic Director, Circus Oz. Apps close 26 Oct.
Director Business Development & Philanthropy, Adelaide Festival. Apps close 30 Oct.
Venue & Events Coordinator, Sydney Theatre Company. Apps close 19 Oct.
Deputy Producer/Administrator, Phillip Adams BalletLab. Apps close 5 Nov.
Small Town Transformations Administrator, Regional Arts Victoria. Apps close 29 Oct.

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