Queensland Arts Council goes into voluntary administration

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This was published 7 years ago

Queensland Arts Council goes into voluntary administration

By Nathanael Cooper
Updated

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has affirmed her commitment to regional schools arts touring as the organisation responsible for delivering the program battles extreme financial hardship.

Artslink Queensland, formerly known as the Queensland Arts Council, has entered voluntary administration with the first creditors meeting held on Tuesday morning.

Performer and director Clint Bolster of Homunculus Theatre Company has a tour through Queensland schools which was due to commence next week.

Performer and director Clint Bolster of Homunculus Theatre Company has a tour through Queensland schools which was due to commence next week.

The organisation is responsible for managing the extensive in-school arts touring program for both primary and secondary schools, offering performances that match school curriculum.

Artslink began as the Queensland Arts Council and generations of students sat in school halls watching performances delivered by them over five decades.

Geoffrey Rush is the associate artist of Artslink Queensland, formerly known as the Queensland Arts Council.

Geoffrey Rush is the associate artist of Artslink Queensland, formerly known as the Queensland Arts Council.Credit: Chrisopher Lane CLA

Its financial problems began when it lost the tender for a major regional touring contract, Artour, which went to physical theatre and circus company Circa. The value of the contract was more than $1.2 million.

In the same year they saw a decline in funding from Arts Queensland.

Along with the schools touring programs, Artslink also administer a federal government regional touring grant.

Now, with administrators called in and creditors chasing their money, the future of the organisation and its programs have been left up in the air.

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The major area of concern is schools touring, with artists unclear whether their upcoming tours will go ahead.

Clint Bolster, from Homunculus Theatre Company, has a tour through Queensland schools which was due to commence next week.

But with the organisation now going through the process of administration and all staff on unpaid leave, Mr Bolster has no idea whether it will be going ahead, leaving himself, his company and the artists he has engaged facing a lean few weeks.

"It has been very distressing," Mr Bolster said.

"I have two performers on hold and if the tour doesn't go ahead, they could be unemployed for four weeks because they haven't had enough lead up time to find an alternative.

"I am not only losing a substantial amount of money that will affect my company, myself and my performers

"The employment of professional artists can be precarious at best."

And with no one at Artslink to answer the phones and the administrators and Arts Queensland rushing to find a solution, there are still no answers for artists.

"I have been ringing and sending emails and I still haven't got an answer," Mr Bolster said.

While the future of Artslink remains unclear, premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the government was committed to ensuring students in regional areas had access to the arts.

"Artslink has delivered very important services to regional Queensland," she said.

"As the premier and the minister for the arts I am 100 per cent committed to ensuring regional Queensland has access to arts and cultural experiences.

"The next Deborah Mailman or the next Michael Caton could be sitting in a Queensland classroom right now and it's important they have the chance to see quality drama and other cultural events.

"I'm advised the first Artslink creditors meeting was held this morning and I've been reassured that Arts Qld is working with administrators to ensure the best outcome for regional Queensland."

Shadow arts minister Ian Walker said he hoped the government would be able to come to a suitable arrangement for Artslink.

"I am sure, like a lot of Queenslanders, the first arts program I saw at school was a visiting play by the Queensland Arts Council," he said.

"I am sorry to see that a venerable institution like Artslink, formerly the Queensland Arts Council, is suffering what appears to be significant financial difficulties.

"I hope that the government looks favourably on any request to assist Artslink through this difficult time."

Many of Queensland's most successful artists began their careers with Queensland Arts Council tours and the organisation still boasts Geoffrey Rush as its associate artist.

A spokeswoman for the federal arts department, who provide the funding for Artslink's regional touring fund confirmed the current round of funding which closed in March would be delivered.

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