2012/13 Year in Review

A Message from the Executive Director

A Year of Reform

2012-13 has been a critical year for arts, culture and the creative industries in NSW.

The Minister for the Arts announced the appointment of a five member reference group to guide work on

the State’s first Arts and Cultural Policy which will provide a clear direction for the sector over the next

decade. A complementary review of the Arts Funding Program also commenced to ensure that NSW

maintains an efficient, equitable and sustainable arts and cultural funding model.

The NSW Government also released a 10 year action plan for the creative industries to drive growth,

innovation and productivity across the creative industries.

Planning and design for a world class arts precinct in Walsh Bay continued to progress and over 30 arts

organisations continued to be supported through a program of subsidised accommodation in Arts NSW

managed properties, within the framework of a new infrastructure support policy.

Record attendances were achieved at the Museum of Contemporary Art and Carriageworks and it was

another strong year for the State’s Cultural Institutions with combined visitor attendance of over 10

million.

The Arts Funding Program provided over $54 million to more than 270 organisations, almost 30 individuals

and over 400 programs and projects across the State including $10 million for regional NSW and $3 million

in Western Sydney.

This report provides a snapshot of our key activities for the year.

A more detailed 2012-13 report is available within the NSW Trade & Investment Annual Report.

We look forward to completion of these major reform activities in 2013-14 and working with the sector to

continue building a thriving arts and cultural life in NSW.

Mary Darwell

Executive Director

Arts NSW 2012-13 Year in Review 2

2012/13 Year in Review

At a Glance

274 arts and cultural organisations funded

430 programs and projects funded

30 organisations supported through the Infrastructure Support Program

$3 million to support Western Sydney based organisations

$11.6 million to support regional activity

11 Major Performing Arts companies supported

3 major festivals supported

16 devolved funding programs delivered

14 service organisations supported

$2.1 million to Aboriginal Arts and Culture

15 arts and disability organisations supported

3 fellowships awarded

18 awards through the Premier’s Literary and History Awards

14 Regional Arts Boards and Regional Arts NSW supported

Fast + Fresh Dance 2012 presented by Form Dance Projects Dancer - Maria Esquivel (Photo by Mick O'Donnell)

Arts NSW 2012-13 Year in Review 3

The NSW cultural sector is significant for Australia, directly and indirectly employing more than 176 000

people. This is around 36% of the national cultural workforce and about 5.6% of total NSW employment.

Arts and culture are a large part of our lives with almost 4.8 million or 83.2% of the NSW population

attending at least one cultural venue or event per year. Nearly 660 000 or 66% of NSW children aged 5-14

years attended at least one cultural venue or event outside school hours.

NSW attracts 61% of Australia’s total international cultural and heritage visitors and 32% of domestic

overnight cultural and heritage visitors (1.7 and 3.6 million people respectively). In 2012 these visitors

spent an estimated $7.3 Billion in NSW.

The NSW Government supports the sector and encourages audiences in a number of ways.

Arts Funding

Arts Funding Program

In 2012-13 Arts NSW provided $54.7 million to more than 270 organisations, almost 30 individuals and

over 400 projects across the State including –

• More than $18.8 million for state-wide arts activities and approximately $25.7 million for activities in

Sydney (including $3 million in Western Sydney)

• Over $11.6 million for 190 programs and projects in regional NSW, including $10 million to

organisations and individuals based in regional NSW such as local councils, community and cultural

organisations, regional conservatoriums, regional galleries and museums and regional arts boards.

• Providing $6.3 million for three major festivals: the Sydney Festival, the Biennale of Sydney and

Sydney Writers’ Festival. Screen NSW provided nearly $980 000 for the 2013 Sydney Film Festival. The

combined attendance at these festivals was up to 1.4 million.

• Investing over $12 million in 11 major performing arts companies in New South Wales, leveraging $47

million from the Commonwealth Government, and attracting audiences in New South Wales of over

1.9 million people.

• Awarding 3 fellowships and 18 awards to support individual artists and creative professionals, including

the Premier’s Literary and History Awards managed in association with the State Library of NSW, the

Philip Parsons Fellowship for Emerging Playwrights, the Helen Lempriere Travelling Art Scholarship and

the NSW Centenary of Anzac Commemoration (2014-2018) History Fellowship.

'Fresh Mullet at New Italy', John Witzig, Grafton Regional Art Gallery (Photo by Simon Hughes)

Arts NSW 2012-13 Year in Review 4

Arts and Cultural Policy and Arts Funding Program Review

In February 2013 the Minister for the Arts appointed a reference group to guide the development of the

first NSW arts and cultural policy through the preparation of a discussion paper, a consultation process and

the development of the final policy. The policy will provide a clear direction for the sector over the next

decade and will recognise its central economic role as part of the Visitor Economy Action Plan.

The five member reference group comprises –

Chris Freeland, Chair, Sydney Film Festival, and National Managing Partner, Baker and McKenzie

Professor Deborah Stevenson, University of Western Sydney

Scott Howie, Eastern Riverina Arts

Lisa Havilah, Carriageworks

Ben Quilty, artist, 2011 Archibald Prize

Also underway is a review of the Arts Funding Program to ensure that NSW maintains an efficient,

equitable and sustainable arts and cultural funding model.

Regional Creative Impact

Arts NSW continued its support for capital projects in regional NSW in 2012-13 through an investment of

over $700 000.

In addition, nearly $11.6 million was provided for arts and cultural activities in regional NSW (which

includes Newcastle and Wollongong) through the Arts Funding Program.

Highlights included:

A $500 000 boost in funding for the State’s 14 regional arts boards in 2012-13, bringing total

investment in the network to $2.1 million. Together these regional arts organisations provide

services to over 100 local government areas and more than 1.7 million people.

Support for a new Regional Parterships category for 2013, with $480 000 provided to 15 new arts

and cultural development partnerships.

$720 000 for regional conservatoriums to undertake a diverse range of projects across the State.

$1.4 million provided to the NSW Department of Education and Communities towards core

operational funding for regional conservatoriums.

Leading on from the findings and research report, Future Framewokrs: Towards a Strategic Plan

for the Visual Arts and Museum Sector in NSW, Arts NSW provided $300 000 in multi-year funding

($100 000 per annum from 2012-14) to Museums & Galleries NSW to deliver a program of

targetted initiatives over three years.

In 2012-13 Arts NSW also provided $450 000 for performing arts touring to 28 regions throughout

NSW including locations such as Albury, Taree, Port Macquarie, Tamworth, Lismore, Griffith and

Queanbeyan to name a few examples.

Arts NSW 2012-13 Year in Review 5

NSW Arts and Disability Partnership

2012-13 was the second year of the $1.5 million, two-year NSW Arts and Disability partnership with

Ageing, Disability and Home Care (ADHC), part of the NSW Department of Family and Community

Services. The partnership, funded by ADHC under its Stronger Together Two disability services plan and

administered by Arts NSW, increases opportunities for people with disability to participate in arts and

cultural activities and supports the creative practice of NSW artists with disability.

In 2012–13 the partnership provided funding of $750 000 as follows:

• $520 000 to 15 arts organisations and disability organisations such as Arts OutWest and Sunnyfield

Organisation to deliver professional arts programs for people with disability.

• $150 000 for Amplify your art program which provides funding to 12 NSW artists with disability to

develop their professional artistic practice.

• To ensure the impact of this partnership is thoroughly measured, nearly $80 000 was provided to the

University of Technology, Sydney for a two-year research study into the impacts of the partnership on

the participants with disability and the participating organisations.

Studio ARTISTS printmaking at Koskela (Photo by Emma Johnston)

NSW Aboriginal Arts and Cultural Strategy

Arts NSW invested over $1 million in support for the NSW Aboriginal Arts and Cultural Strategy.

The strategy aims to foster a vibrant Aboriginal arts and cultural sector that gives Aboriginal people greater

opportunities to participate in, share and strengthen their culture through arts practice, and to develop

careers and businesses in the arts and cultural sector. Support is prioritised against the strategy’s four

directions: artists, visibility, community and jobs.

In 2012-13, 30 programs and projects were supported in total, with 16 of them in regional NSW.

Multiyear commitments totalled nearly $350 000 and included:

• Funding to the Campbelltown Arts Centre for the Parliament of New South Wales Aboriginal Art Prize

• Beyond Empathy’s community partnership in Bowraville.

Arts NSW 2012-13 Year in Review 6

Other priority initiatives included:

• A focus on Aboriginal writing with support for the Yellamundie: National Aboriginal and Torres Strait

Islander Playwriting Festival at Carriageworks and for an emerging Aboriginal Writers mentorship

Initiative through the NSW Writers’ Centre

• Three talent identification programs for Aboriginal young people managed by Australian Theatre for

Young People (ATYP), National Aboriginal and Islander Skills Association (NAISDA) and Gondwana

National Indigenous Children’s Choir

• Support for the 2014 Sydney Festival’s Black Diggers project commemorating the anniversary of World

War I

• Five quick response grants to artists to secure career and trade opportunities including support for

Naretha Williams from Northern Rivers to present at the 19th International Symposium on Electronic

Art in Sydney and comedian Sean Choolburra to showcase his new work 50 Shades of Black at the

2013 Melbourne Comedy Festival

• Grants for significant new regional work in design and storytelling through Saltwater Freshwater and

the creative development of a new performance work about Bundjalung culture through Northern

Rivers Performing Arts (NORPA)

Sector Snapshots

The 2013 Sector and Regional Snapshots provide an overview of arts and cultural activity in NSW and are

available on the Arts NSW website here. Thank you to the sector representatives and Regional Arts

Development Officers for contributing to these important documents.

Major Performing Arts Companies

The Major Performing Arts sector plays a significant role in NSW as it includes 11 of the 28 Major

Performing Arts companies: Bell Shakespeare Company, Sydney Dance Company, Sydney Symphony

Orchestra, Bangarra Dance Theatre, Opera Australia, Australian Chamber Orchestra, Company B - Belvoir,

Sydney Theatre Company, Musica Viva Australia, The Australian Brandenburg Orchestra and The

Australian Ballet.

These companies reached audiences of more than 1.9 million for the year across NSW.

The NSW Government is a key supporter through triennial partnerships with the Australia Council for the

Arts.

Highlights in 2012-13 included –

Paid ticket attendance rose to 1.2 million paid tickets across the NSW MPA’s. This compares to

1.1 million in 2011.

The growth of social media engagement was also a highlight with a 51% increase in social media

engagement from 2010.

Range of tours internationally including an Australian Chamber Orchestra tour to Japan, Bangarra

Dance Theatre tour to Vietnam and Sydney Dance Company tour to South America.

Arts NSW 2012-13 Year in Review 7

Major Organisations

Arts NSW is a proud supported of the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia and Carriageworks.

Following the $53 million redevelopment of the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia (MCA) the museum

reached one million visitors 11 months after its March 2012 reopening, almost doubling its previous annual

record of under 600 000 visitors in 2010.

The MCA Online Collection has broadened the audience further still with 750 000 MCA website visits in the

first 11 months since the MCA’s reopening. View the online collection via the MCA website at

www.mca.com.au

Carriageworks also achieved record attendances as a result of strategic planning and investment, doubling

its audience from 2012 to be on course to reach over 400 000 for 2013. Read more about Carriageworks

at www.carriageworks.com.au

Museum of Contemporary Art Australia (Photo courtesy of MCAA)

Infrastructure Investment

Arts NSW manages a property portfolio consisting of eight properties in and around the Sydney CBD.

Facilities include theatres, exhibition spaces, rehearsal facilities, creative spaces and office and storage

accommodation.

The properties accommodate over 30 arts organisations at subsidised rents, and are a major sector

resource providing key arts and cultural organisations with affordable spaces to support program delivery.

Key outcomes within the infrastructure area were:

• An Infrastructure Support Policy was developed to set out a framework for allocation of spaces under

Arts NSW management.

• Planning continued on the Walsh Bay Arts Precinct development.

• In May 2013 long-term (45 year) leases were signed with the Sydney Theatre Company (STC) for its

spaces on Wharf 4/5 and the Sydney Theatre. This arrangement anchors one of Australia’s major

performing arts organisations to Walsh Bay for more than a generation.

Arts NSW 2012-13 Year in Review 8

Walsh Bay Pier 2/3 (Photo by Prudence Upton)

The Arts Portfolio

In addition to Arts NSW, the NSW Government’s Arts portfolio includes the Cultural Institutions and Screen

NSW. Here is a snapshot of their highlights for the year.

Cultural Institutions

2012-13 was another strong year for the State’s cultural institutions including the Sydney Opera House, Art

Gallery of NSW, Australian Museum, State Libarary of NSW and Powerhouse Museum with a combined

visitor attendance of over 10 million. Highlights included –

• In January 2013 the Sydney Opera House announced a three-year, multi-million dollar partnership

with Etihad Airways. The partnership will connect Sydney Opera House to a global network of

destinations and enhance Sydney’s profile as one of the world’s great tourist and cultural destinations.

View the Sydney Opera House 2012-13 Annual Report here.

• In March 2013 the Art Gallery of NSW unveiled a strategic vision and masterplan to transform itself

into an art museum for the 21st century, with a proposal for a major expansion and renewed focus on

serving a global audience. Funding to support the masterplanning work was announced by the Minister

of the Arts in the 2013-14 budget announcements.

View the Art Gallery of NSW 2012-13 Annual Report here.

• Alexander the Great: 2000 years of treasures exhibition at Australian Museum was the largest

collection of treasures ever to come to Australia from the world-renowned State Hermitage in St

Petersburg, Russia and set new attendance records for the museum, attracting over 160 000 visitors

over 22 weeks.

View the Australian Museum 2012-13 Annual Report here.

• State Library of NSW launched Curio, a mobile app that transforms the way people experience the

library by providing an interactive guide through its collections and historic buildings.

View the State Library of NSW 2012-13 Annual Report here.

• Powerhouse Museum celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2013 as one of Australia’s leading cultural

institutions. It also embarked on a major capital project to increase its storage and access capacity

which will be shared between the Powerhouse Museum, the Australian Museum and Sydney Living

Museums (formerly Historic Houses Trust). Design work for the new facility has been completed, with

council approval anticipated in coming months.

View the 2012-13 Powerhouse Museum Annual Report here.

Arts NSW 2012-13 Year in Review 9

Screen NSW

NSW is Australia’s pre-eminent State for film and television production, with 57% of all Australian drama

production in 2012-13 taking place in NSW with production expenditure of $430 million. 81% of all

Australian drama production was generated by NSW-based production companies.

Screen NSW continued to invest during the year in the development and production of local screen

projects, development of the screen sector in the State and support for screen events. In 2012-13 the

Government has committed more than $4.6 million in 28 screen projects. This will leverage production

expenditure of more than $100 million and supports the creation of more than 4900 jobs in the State.

The NSW Government provided incentives for the blockbuster production The Wolverine, which leveraged

an estimated NSW spend of $80 million and created almost 2000 jobs. Also provided were incentives for

the production of The Great Gatsby, which was filmed in NSW, leveraging an estimated NSW spend of

more than $120 million and creating more than 2300 jobs.

The Screen NSW supported film, The Sapphires, was the most successful Australian film of 2012, taking

more than $14.7 million at the box office. It is also enjoying an international release, winning 22 awards

and screening at 41 festivals in Australia and around the world.

Screen NSW also built a new locations database, with more than 40 000 images of NSW locations to

showcase the diversity of NSW to film production companies both nationally and internationally. This

database is publicly accessible 24 hours a day for people looking for filming locations, and for individuals to

upload images of their own locations that they wish to make available for screen productions.

View the Screen NSW 2012-13 Annual Report here.

The Sapphires (Photo courtesy of Goalpost Pictures)

In 2013 Arts NSW moved office and is co-located with Screen NSW on Level 5, 323 Castlereagh St, Sydney.

View all contact details on the website.

Arts NSW launched its Twitter account in 2013. Follow us @ArtsNSW for the latest news and information

about the vibrant NSW Arts sector.