Theatre network in peril
A key agency responsible for providing back end support and advocacy for small to medium-sized theatre companies and professionals is struggling to keep its doors open.
The Theatre Network received $50,000 of the $82,000 in annual funding it requested from Create NSW to fund its operations in 2019. The shortfall of $30,000 represents 40 per cent of its annual income and it is now looking at merger and downsizing to stay afloat.
A forum called on Wednesday considered potential lifelines for the network, established five years ago to help theatre independents across western Sydney and regional NSW navigate questions of wellbeing, gender equity, professional development, funding and access to or sharing of resources - practically everything unseen by audiences.
''We stand up for the little guy to make sure the interests of the artist working in an independent show or in a small company are represented,'' network chairman Nick Atkins said.
The Theatre Network receives 10 per cent of its income through membership and other services and 40 per cent of its total costs as in-kind partnerships for office space, website design, and venue hire.
Most of its income for programming and services comes via the NSW Government's Arts and Cultural Organisations program. This financial year $4,030,000 was awarded to 53 of the 63 organisations who applied, slightly less than the $4.2million distributed the previous 12 months.
''If a philanthropist walked in with enough support to keep us going three days a week we wouldn't be having this discussion but it's easier said than done,'' director Jane Kreis said.
Labor's arts spokesperson, Walt Secord, called on the Berejiklian government to urgently restore funding.
''The Theatre Network NSW request is modest when compared to massive amounts of grants the Berejiklian Government provides to the larger cultural organisations,” Mr Secord said.
Mr Atkins said he couldn't say that closure was not a possibility but ''we are determined to do everything we can to remain open and active''.
The agency was happy that major theatre and performance companies were receiving the support they needed. ''We want them to succeed but even the majors acknowledge that they can only thrive when the independent arts sector is thriving because we feed audiences and we champion art as a community good across the state,'' Mr Atkins said.