If you want us, you have to fund us

ONE of the state’s leading professional theatre companies says it will close this year if it is unsuccessful in the current State Government funding round.

The Tasmanian Theatre Company missed out in last year’s Arts Tasmania funding round — and its artistic director Adam Powers, right, says the money is running out.

“The biggest impact will be on our ability (as a state) to tell Tasmanian stories,” Mr Powers said.

Blue Cow Theatre’s artistic director Robert Jarman, left, said: “The State Government has decided it wants a symphony orchestra and a dance company and a theatre building. It needs to decide if it wants a theatre company and, if it does, then it needs to fund it.”

ONE of the state’s leading professional theatre companies will close at the end of this year if it is unsuccessful in the current round of State Government funding.

The Tasmanian Theatre Company is almost out of money after it was defunded during Arts Tasmania’s annual funding round last year.

It has used savings and other funding sources to produce this year’s shows, including Kate Mulvany’s acclaimed new play, The Mares. The uncertainty comes as Hobart prepares to welcome a state-ofthe art new theatre space at the multimillion-dollar Hedberg performing arts complex.

“If we are not successful, the Tasmanian Theatre Company will be closing at the end of this year,” TTC artistic director Adam (Gus) Powers said. “As a sector, together with Blue Cow Theatre, we put on eight productions a year.

“That will be reduced to three or four if we don’t get the funding [and are forced to close].

“That will have a huge impact on the sector in terms of employment opportunities for theatre professionals.

“But the biggest impact will be on our ability [as a state] to tell Tasmanian stories. Tasmania will no longer have a voice on the national and international stage.”

Blue Cow Theatre artistic director Robert Jarman said theatregoers and producers were excited about the new theatre building, but wondered how well used it would be, other than for touring and amateur productions, if TTC closed and the broader funding issues persisted.

“The State Government has decided it wants a symphony orchestra and a dance company and a theatre building,” Mr Jarman said. “It needs to decide if it wants a theatre company and, if it does, then it needs to fund it and guarantee that funding over time.”

Minister for the Arts Elise Archer said the Government created the one-off $400,000 Tasmanian Theatre Fund last year to meet the needs of the sector.

“The Hodgman Liberal Government recognises the valuable contribution the state’s professional theatre sector makes to our thriving cultural and creative industries, and that’s why we created the $400,000 Tasmanian Theatre Fund, in addition to Arts organisation funding.”

Blue Cow Theatre was awarded the $400,000 — distributed at $200,000 a year for work in 2019 and 2020 — following a peer selection process.

An Arts Tasmania spokesperson said successful applicants to the most recent funding round will be announced in September.