YEAR IN
Review Queensland Performing Arts Centre 2016
A message from the Chair It is with great pleasure that I extend my heartfelt congratulations to the staff and management of Queensland Performing Arts Centre on another outstanding year. QPAC is an industry leader, a venue that presents the best in live performance and also an organisation that takes seriously its role as artistic collaborator and curator; a place vital to the community and to the artists and companies who perform here. As you will see in the pages of this book, 2016 has been successful in all respects. Financially, through QPAC’s multiple revenue streams the organisation delivered a sound financial performance with an operating surplus of $126,000 for the financial year ending 30 June 2016. Our key performance indicators as set in the Strategic Plan and endorsed by the Queensland Government were met and in many cases exceeded. Two of our signature events – Out of the Box and the QPAC International Series – took place within a few short months. This was an exciting and busy confluence providing a major focus for the organisation and many opportunities to demonstrate more widely the significance of the arts for our community, Brisbane as a vibrant cultural destination and an opportunity to work with partners across Queensland to help us realise our vision. My thanks must go to the Queensland Government who support QPAC through a core operating grant via Arts Queensland, as well as event funding from Tourism and Events Queensland. This financial support as well as their trust in QPAC as custodians of our iconic South Bank building is acknowledged by us as one of the most significant and enduring contributions to the ongoing success of the Centre. We are fortunate to have the Premier and Arts Minister as our champion and to continue to work with the Government in planning for an exciting future. This year, we welcomed 1.3 million people to 1524 performances. As we look to the future there is much to be excited about; there will be many memorable performances bringing together artists and audiences as we continue to be Queensland’s flagship centre of live performance; a place for all Queenslanders to connect with each other. Chris Freeman AM Chair 2016 YEAR IN REVIEW |
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A message from the Premier Congratulations to QPAC on another wonderful year. This Year in Review details the many activities and enterprises undertaken by QPAC in 2016. As Premier and Minister for the Arts, I extend my thanks to the Board, management and staff at QPAC for creating moments that matter for Queenslanders and visiting audiences. As the State’s leading performing arts centre, QPAC leads the way in creating outstanding live performance experiences for a truly diverse range of audiences. From the long-running QPAC International Series, which in 2016 featured France’s Ballet Preljocaj in their unique production of Snow White, to the flagship Out of the Box children’s festival, to the many wonderful and varied shows that drive the nightlife of the South Bank Cultural Precinct, QPAC is a destination for audiences who seek the best in live performance. The Queensland Government supports QPAC in its aim of contributing to the social, cultural and intellectual development of all Queenslanders. Since its establishment more than 30 years ago, QPAC has flourished into an iconic cultural destination bringing in people from all over Australia, and further abroad. Cultural tourism is a driving force in our economy and organisations such as QPAC are instrumental in ensuring Queensland’s reputation as an exciting place to visit.
Annastacia Palaszczuk MP Premier and Minister for the Arts
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About QPAC
QPAC’s vision is to create a lifetime of unforgettable live performances for all Queenslanders. Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC) is one of Australia’s leading centres for live performance. Welcoming over 1.3 million visitors to more than 1,500 performances this year, we embrace the best in live performance – the world renowned alongside the emerging, local and new – and connect to the stories and ideas at the heart of each production. Through the warmth and expertise of our staff, we have become a trusted curator, presenter and host; a place to come together to relax, reflect, share stories and celebrate. QPAC is located in the vibrant cultural and educational precinct at South Bank, Brisbane that encompasses the Cultural Precinct (QPAC, Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art, Queensland Museum and State Library of Queensland) as well as Griffith University, Queensland University of Technology, Opera Queensland, Queensland Symphony Orchestra, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, and Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre and extending towards West End with Queensland Theatre, QPAC’s Merivale Street Studio (a rehearsal and studio space for QPAC and its companies in residence) and Queensland Ballet. This precinct is unique in Australia in size and character. At the heart of QPAC’s activities is the aim to cultivate excellence, planning and delivery to help build the success of art in Queensland. QPAC strives to be a place that is readily accessible, filled with people learning, exploring and having fun.
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QPAC at a glance Our Venues QPAC has four theatres suitable for a range of performance styles: Lyric Theatre (2,000 seats) is designed primarily for opera, ballet and large-scale theatre events such as musicals; Concert Hall (1,600 seats, with ability to expand to 1,800 seats) is a versatile space, designed primarily for orchestra performances and also used for contemporary music, stand-up comedy and presentations; Playhouse (850 seats) is primarily designed for theatre and dance; and Cremorne Theatre (312 seats) is an intimate and versatile black box theatre space. Food and culture meet at QPAC with a range of dining and bar options available around the Centre. The Lyrebird is contemporary Australian cuisine showcasing creativity on the plate; this is QPAC’s flagship restaurant. The Bistro sits within QPAC’s Cascade Court and provides tasty family favourites. Adjacent to this is The Café, open daily and offering a relaxed escape from the CBD; set on the Melbourne Street Green, The Café is fresh and seasonal also hosting Green Jam on Friday afternoons. The Russell Street Wine Bar is located in the Ground Floor Foyer of QPAC’s Playhouse. As well as dining outlets, QPAC’s Foyer Bars provide space for audiences to meet and share experiences before and after performances. QPAC’s Functions and Events team create events with a different perspective that allows audiences to gaze upon Brisbane’s twinkling landscape. Outside of the four theatres, there are a variety of unique and versatile event spaces within QPAC.
Visits to QPAC onsite ••••••••••••••••••••••••• 1,326,869 Positive brand identification •••••••••••••••••••••••••• 51% Dining satisfaction •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 76% Online engagement ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• High Venue utilisation •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 90% Audience satisfaction •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 94% No. of performances••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 1524 No. of seasons ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 297 % seasons by Qld companies ••••••••••••••••••••••••• 49% Recognition as a learning centre ••••••••••••••••••••••• 55% % audience identifying as from culturally diverse backgrounds (incl. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) •••••••••••••••••• 7% Regional engagement •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 33% Sustainable business growth ••••••••••••••••••••••• Positive Development Revenue ••••••••••••••••••••••• $1.2 million
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LYRIC THEATRE
QPAC invests in and supports the creation of new works.
2 – 17 January Les Misérables Cameron Mackintosh 29 – 31 January Cats Lunchbox Theatrical Productions CONCERT HALL 7 – 17 January Cirque Adrenaline QPAC in association with Tim Lawson & Simon Painter 23 January Joanna Newsom QPAC in association with Penny Drop, Spunk & Chugg Entertainment 28 – 30 January Dawn French: Thirty Million Minutes Live Nation PLAYHOUSE
9 – 17 January Heathers: The Musical QPAC and Showwork 14 – 17 January The Tiger Who Came to Tea QPAC, Andrew Kay in association with Nick Brooke and Kenny Wax 20 – 23 January Aladdin Ballet Theatre of Queensland 30 January Quartet Queensland Theatre Company CREMORNE THEATRE 6 – 23 January George’s Marvellous Medicine by Roald Dahl shake & stir theatre co and QPAC 28 – 30 January Flamenco Fire – Viva Sevilla Red Chair and QPAC
7 – 9 January Deadly 60 Live starring Steve Backshall QPAC, Andrew Kay & Phil Bathols 9 – 13 January Carnival of the Animals QPAC and Circa
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LYRIC THEATRE 3 – 14 February Cats Lunchbox Theatrical Productions 20 – 24 February Cinderella The Australian Ballet in association with QPAC 26 – 28 February Shen Yun 2016 Falun Dafa Association of Australia CONCERT HALL 2 February Sounds of Light 2016 Human Appeal International (Australia) 5 – 6 February Nick Offerman’s Full Bush QPAC & Live Nation 8 February Welcome to Nightvale Live Nation 11 February Lior Suchard Duet Productions 14 February Australian Youth Orchestra Australian Youth Orchestra 15 February Beethoven & The 21st Century Australian Chamber Orchestra 17 February All Hallows’ Inaugural Mass 2016 All Hallows’ School Limited 19 February Goran Bregovic & his Wedding and Funeral Band QPAC & Arts Projects Australia
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23 – 25 February Australian Performing Arts Market 2016 Brisbane Powerhouse 27 February QSO Maestro 1 – QSO Plays Mahler 2 Queensland Symphony Orchestra 29 February EXILE: Songs & Tales of Irish Australia QPAC PLAYHOUSE 1 – 21 February Quartet Queensland Theatre Company 8 February A Tribute to Carol Burns QPAC 25 – 29 February The Secret River Queensland Theatre Company CREMORNE THEATRE 1 – 6 February Flamenco Fire – Viva Sevilla Red Chair 13 – 20 February EDC Black – Triple Bill Expressions Dance Company, Guandong Modern Dance Company & QPAC 23 – 25 February Australian Performing Arts Market 2016 Brisbane Powerhouse
Queensland is a diverse and exciting place to live and what is on our stages should reflect that dynamism.
LYRIC THEATRE
QPAC is a destination for the best live performance in Australia and a leading performing arts centre in the Asia Pacific region.
10 – 31 March The Sound of Music Andrew Lloyd Webber, David Ian, John Frost & The Really Useful Group CONCERT HALL 4 March Sufjan Stevens Billions Australia 5 March QLD POPS Mark Vincent Patrick Pickett 6 March Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis QPAC 10 March CMC Music Awards 2016 Foxtel CMC Rocks Qld and Tourism & Events Queensland 11 March Songs and Stories with Richard Clapton The Board Meeting Charity 12 March Björn Again Zaccaria Concerts and Touring 13 March QSO Music on Sundays 1 – Love, Death and Happy Endings Queensland Symphony Orchestra 15 March Mary Black – The Last Call, Australia QPAC 16 March Ireland The Show Phil Bathols 17 March QSO Maestro 2 – QSO Plays All Mozart Queensland Symphony Orchestra 18 March QSO Masterworks 1 – QSO Plays All Mozart Queensland Symphony Orchestra
19 March QYO Masterpiece 1 – Organ Symphony Queensland Youth Orchestra Council 20 March Southern Cross Soloists Concert 1 – Forbidden Love QPAC 23 March Take Me Home – The Music & Life of John Denver Concert Events Limited 24 March QSO Choral Classics 1 – Mozart Requiem Queensland Symphony Orchestra 26 March Melissa Etheridge QPAC in association with Bluesfest Touring 30 March Jackson Browne Live Nation 31 March The Blind Boys of Alabama Bluesfest Touring in association with QPAC PLAYHOUSE 1 – 5 March The Secret River Queensland Theatre Company 9 – 13 March World Science Festival Brisbane Board of the Queensland Museum 16 – 20 March The Rabbits QPAC 31 March A Midsummer Night’s Dream Queensland Ballet CREMORNE THEATRE 3 – 19 March Pennsylvania Avenue QPAC 29 – 31 March Concerto for Harmony and Presto QPAC
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OUR PLACE QPAC is a place dedicated to the experience of live performance. Our building, the experiences we create and our connectedness to communities are all part of what makes us a great place. The way that audiences experience QPAC’s productions, staff and building is influenced significantly by the spaces in which those experiences occur. From connections between food and culture and the importance of food and dining experiences to creating spaces outside the Centre that animate and attract audiences to crafting unique soap in the bathrooms of QPAC, there is a pride at the Centre to make people feel welcome and to be open and welcoming for the community. Over our 30 year history QPAC’s stepped roofline has become a recognisable part of the Brisbane skyline. Underneath that iconic silhouette, our theatres, spaces and facilities enable us to collaborate with and present the world’s best artists as well as the emerging and the new. QPAC is set within a unique precinct in Australia and utilises that location to work with partners from across the Cultural Precinct, South Bank and more broadly around Australia to attract the best artists and artistic collaborators to QPAC. QPAC is built upon an ancestral meeting ground and continues to be a meeting ground for people to connect with self, one another and the city’s cultural life. QPAC is a place to gather together, to express our creativity, to tell our stories and experience those of others.
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QPAC works with Australian artists and companies to bring to life new Australian works.
LYRIC THEATRE 1 – 30 April The Sound of Music Andrew Lloyd Webber, David Ian, John Frost & The Really Useful Group CONCERT HALL 4 April ACO Cinemusica Australian Chamber Orchestra 8 April The Beatles Orchestrated Ben Maiorana Entertainment 9 April Brisbane Baroque – Bach Music in the Castle of Heaven Brisbane Baroque in association with QPAC 10 April Brisbane Baroque – The Red Priest Viva! Vivica + Vivaldi Brisbane Baroque in association with QPAC 14 April Brisbane Baroque – Mahan Esfahani Brisbane Baroque in association with QPAC 15 April The Proclaimers QPAC 16 April Tommy Tiernan Adrian Bohm
21 April QSO Masterworks 2 – QSO Plays Ravel Queensland Symphony Orchestra 22 April Anglican Schools Music Festival 2016 St Andrew’s Anglican College 23 April QSO Maestro 3 – QSO Plays Ravel Queensland Symphony Orchestra 28 April Katie Noonan & The Brodsky Quartet: With Love and Fury QPAC PLAYHOUSE 1 – 16 April A Midsummer Night’s Dream Queensland Ballet 23 – 30 April Much Ado About Nothing Queensland Theatre Company CREMORNE THEATRE 1 April Mike Nock Trio Rotary Club of Brisbane Planetarium Inc 1 – 2 April Concerto for Harmony and Presto QPAC 20 – 30 April Velvet QPAC
20 April Matt Corby Telluric Tour QPAC and The Music House
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LYRIC THEATRE 1 May The Sound of Music Andrew Lloyd Webber, David Ian, John Frost & The Really Useful Group 26 – 31 May Strictly Gershwin Queensland Ballet Company CONCERT HALL 4 May QSO Education Concert 1 Queensland Symphony Orchestra 7 May QLD POPS The Best of British Patrick Pickett 8 May The Ten Tenors – The Power of Ten Frog in a Sock 12 May The GPS Music Showcase 2016 The Great Public Schools Association of Queensland Inc. 16 May Beethoven & Mozart V Australian Chamber Orchestra 17 May QPAC Choir Showcase Concert 2016: A Soul Celebration QPAC 20 May QSO Masterworks 3 – Beethoven Concertos 3 + 4 Queensland Symphony Orchestra 21 May QSO Maestro 4 – Beethoven Cycle #1 Queensland Symphony Orchestra
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22 May Medici Concerts – Piers Lane Medici Concerts 25 May China Super Vocal 727 Top Pty Ltd trading as Visi Cultural Media 26 May Bianca Del Rio – Not Today Satan Working Management 28 May QYO Masterpiece 2 – Olding Plays Barber Queensland Youth Orchestra 29 May UQ School of Music: Shakespearean Feast University of Queensland School of Music 31 May The Hendrix Revolution Tour Phil Bathols & Liberty Stage PLAYHOUSE 3 – 15 May Much Ado About Nothing Queensland Theatre Company 21 – 28 May When Time Stops Expressions Dance Company & QPAC in association with Camerata of St John’s CREMORNE THEATRE 1 – 15 May Velvet QPAC
QPAC links audiences and artists; supports local and national companies; develops and produces new works; presents a bold and wide ranging program.
LYRIC THEATRE
Out of the Box is a core part of QPAC’s program and the foundation of a commitment to enriching the lives of our youngest citizens through art.
1 – 4 June Strictly Gershwin Queensland Ballet and QPAC 7 – 16 June Carl Barron A-List Entertainment 12 – 19 June Madama Butterfly Opera Queensland 21 – 28 June Out of the Box – Creature: An Adaptation of Dot and the Kangaroo Out of the Box & Stalker Theatre 25 – 28 June Out of the Box – Dad’s Films QPAC CONCERT HALL 3 June APIA Good Times Tour 2016 APIA with Premier Artists 5 June QSO Music on Sundays 2: Long Live the Bard – 400 Years Queensland Symphony Orchestra 7 June QSO Mid-Season Gala Queensland Symphony Orchestra 9 June Megan Hilty in Concert QPAC
16 June Michael Jackson – HIStory, This Is It Rockcity and Showtime 17 – 18 June The Pink Floyd Experience – Pulse In the Flesh Productions 19 June Southern Cross Soloists Concert 2 – Visions of Earth QPAC & Southern Cross Soloists 23 – 27 June Out of the Box – Gazillion Bubble Show QPAC 30 June Leo and Lulu Tim Woods & Phil Bathols PLAYHOUSE 1 – 12 June Little Shop of Horrors Luckiest Productions & Tinderbox Productions 21 – 28 June Little Red Riding Hood Queensland Ballet and QPAC CREMORNE THEATRE 12 – 19 June Wuthering Heights shake & stir theatre co 21 – 28 June Out of the Box: Hanuman – The Tale Behind the Name QPAC
10 June Lisa Fischer and Grand Baton QPAC 11 June The Laughing Samoans The Laughing Samoans 13 June Patrizio Buanne QPAC
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OUT OF THE BOX Out of the Box is one of QPAC’s signature events. Staged every other year, the festival focuses on encouraging children to participate in, and learn through arts experiences. Children growing up in Queensland today are likely to speak languages other than English, and have their parents or grandparents born overseas. This is a generation that will grow up with a more diverse cohort of contemporaries than some previous generations. In 2016, the Out of the Box festival celebrated the many different arts and cultural practices of Australia’s Asia Pacific neighbours with a focus on India and Asia. The future landscape of work and life is all about innovation and creative problem solving. The arts have much to teach in this area. Out of the Box is not just about future-proofing, it’s about acknowledging that kids matter now – their experiences are valid and their view of the world interesting and important. Taking place at QPAC and across the Cultural Precinct, this festival publicly demonstrates kids at the centre of art making and embraces learning in and through art to understand the world around us. In 2016, Out of the Box presented a number of world premieres and newly commissioned works including Creature: An Adaptation of Dot and the Kangaroo, Holi Throw and Jarjums Life Museum. Around 215 performers and artists from Australia and around the world worked with QPAC as well as more than 500 volunteers. As well as the performance component of the festival, Out of the Box was a space for educators and interested parties to discuss how arts learning affects kids. The K8 Symposium provided professional development opportunities for educators who participated in the two day conference which asked children to imagine a future version of Brisbane. This element of Out of the Box is the bridge between academic theory and creative artistic practice.
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#atQPAC
QPAC has an active social media presence with more than 200,000 followers across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest and Google+. QPAC encourages visitors to share their experiences via #atQPAC. Below is a selection of highlights from 2016:
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Our Program QPAC’s performance program embraces the best in live performance – the world renowned alongside the emerging, local and new. As a venue, a producer, an investor, a presenter and a collaborator, QPAC’s curatorial framework guides programming choices, informs marketing and communications activities and underpins how QPAC inspires the community to be arts literate. Our program reflects our respect and understanding of our audiences and our interconnectedness with our industry. It encompasses multiple genres and performance styles appealing to a wide cross section of audiences from first time visitors to arts aficionados. The program demonstrates the pursuit of excellence in form and collectively is broad, diverse and speaks to many audiences. QPAC is the only performing arts centre in Australia that invests in performing arts works; in 2016 this included investing in Little Shop of Horrors and We Will Rock You. Telling Australian stories, creating opportunities for young and emerging artists to find their voice and contributing to the rich legacy of Australian art is also important. QPAC additionally supports new works, such as Heathers: The Musical and The Rabbits, which in turn creates meaningful arts experiences for our audiences and provides pathways for our artists to remain working and creating in Australia. Throughout this Year in Review, our program is highlighted – a reflection on the many performances and events that shaped QPAC in 2016 and a reminder of the transformative power of art to shape communities, audiences and the world.
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Our Audience and Communities Performing arts centres bring together audiences, artists and communities and variously functions as performance houses, meeting places, community centres, national icons and vibrant sites of civic and cultural expression. For contemporary performing arts organisations, bringing productions to the stage is not enough. QPAC has both an obligation and a desire to create value for our audiences and communities by contributing to our society’s cultural, social and intellectual development. The arts have long helped to break down barriers around language and culture by providing a common language and helping to teach empathy and understanding. QPAC is a place where artists from all over the world converge, the shared cultural exchanges that happen on stage in front of audiences and behind the scenes between artists at the peak of their profession forms part of the fabric which makes QPAC a centre recognised as a place of learning and engagement. QPAC’s website is a digital ecosystem enabling QPAC to lead conversations about arts and performance and create deeper emotional engagement for visitors. The website is integral in supporting QPAC’s commercial needs by facilitating a large volume of ticket sales but is also a point of connection for users to feel welcome, informed and engaged. In 2016, there were approximately 2.5 million unique website visitors and QPAC’s social media following is more than 200,000 people across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest and Google+. Great public institutions reflect the communities they work for. Key to achieving this is developing an understanding of who makes up our audiences and communities, their interests and drivers. QPAC’s audience mainly reflects the demographic makeup of South East Queensland where the majority of our audience is from. QPAC builds context and supports the interpretation and understanding of works on our stages and live performance broadly; we are seeking ways to find points of connection and meaning making with audiences while promoting cultural literacy and public value of arts and culture. Learning in and through art contributes to the development of citizens by fostering in communities a curiosity about the world, the arts and themselves.
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Art in Queensland is thriving. QPAC works with many of Queensland’s exciting and innovative performing arts companies and Cultural Precinct partners to produce works that resonate with audiences
LYRIC THEATRE
PLAYHOUSE
1 – 3 July Carl Barron A-List Entertainment
7 – 23 July OQ The Barber of Seville Opera Queensland
10 – 31 July We Will Rock You John Frost in association with Queen Theatrical Productions, Phil McIntyre Entertainment and Tribeca Theatrical Productions
15 – 16 July Jimeoin A-List Entertainment
CONCERT HALL 1 July Forever Diamond Ben Maiorana Entertainment 2 July QSO Maestro 5: QSO Plays Dvoˇrak Queensland Symphony Orchestra 9 July ACO Sequenza Italiana Australian Chamber Orchestra 10 July QSO Music on Sundays 3: Carnival in Venice Queensland Symphony Orchestra
28 – 30 July QB Lest We Forget Queensland Ballet CREMORNE THEATRE 12 – 31 July Bad Jews Aleksandar Vass & Vass Productions TONY GOULD GALLERY 1 – 31 July Jarjum’s Life Museum QPAC MELBOURNE STREET GREEN Every Friday Green Jam QPAC
13 – 14 July The Simon and Garfunkel Story Phil Bathols & Tim Woods 16 July QSO Maestro 6: QSO Plays Mahler 4 Queensland Symphony Orchestra 17 July The Choir of Trinity College, Cambridge Musica Viva Australia 18 – 19 July Billy Crystal Dainty Group 23 July Go Show Gold Dennis Smith 26 – 28 July QUT Graduations Queensland University of Technology
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LYRIC THEATRE 3 – 20 August We Will Rock You John Frost in association with Queen Theatrical Productions, Phil McIntyre Entertainment and Tribeca Theatrical Productions 22 – 24 August Tango Fire QPAC 25 August BEATLES Back2Back: Sgt Peppers and Abbey Road Phil Bathols 27 August The Umbilical Brothers A-List Entertainment CONCERT HALL 5 August The Prodigy Collective: An International Gathering of Youth Orchestras QPAC 8 August Blazing Baroque Australian Brandenburg Orchestra 9 August Punch Brothers QPAC
16 August Wind from Lingnan – Guangdong Culture Queensland Tour VAC International Group 18 August Ben Folds with yMusic QPAC & The Music House 19 August QSO Maestro 7: QSO Plays Tchaik 5 Queensland Symphony Orchestra
2 – 6 August QB Lest We Forget Queensland Ballet 11 – 20 August Bangarra OUR land people stories QPAC and Bangarra Dance Theatre 23 – 28 August Shadowland ATA Allstar Artists CREMORNE THEATRE
20 August QYO Masterpiece 3: Te Deum Queensland Youth Orchestra Council
9 – 20 August Endgame QPAC and shake and stir theatre co
21 August Jimmy Barnes Soul Deep Tour Frontier Touring by arrangement with Premier Artists
TONY GOULD GALLERY
23 August Alan Carr Adrian Bohm and Off The Kerb Productions 24 – 25 August Dan and Phil: The Amazing Tour is Not on Fire KRDB Entertainment Pty Ltd
12 August Cabaret De Paris M2 Productions and Entertainment
27 August QSO Choral Classics 2: Carmina Burana Queensland Symphony Orchestra
13 August QLD POPS Rhonda Burchmore on Broadway Patrick Pickett
28 August Brisbane Sings 2016 Queensland Show Choir in association with QPAC
14 August QSO Music on Sundays 4: Around the World and Back Queensland Symphony Orchestra
26 – 28 July QUT Graduations Queensland University of Technology
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PLAYHOUSE
1 – 30 August Jarjum’s Life Museum QPAC MELBOURNE STREET GREEN Every Friday Green Jam QPAC
QPAC is committed to building pride in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts and culture.
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International Series The QPAC International Series brings the world’s leading performing arts companies exclusively to Brisbane. In 2016, the QPAC International Series featured France’s Ballet Preljocaj performing Snow White. Ballet Preljocaj is a modern, innovative dance company based in Aix-en-Provence. Led by Angelin Preljocaj, the full company performed exclusively in Brisbane to great critical acclaim. The two week season sold out with thousands more Australians participating in the season via live stream and an extension program. The QPAC International Series is built on a residency model which ensures the program has multiple points of connection with Australian artists and audiences, particularly those in Queensland. Since it began in 2009, the QPAC International Series has reached a collective audience of almost 130,000 people, drawn around a third of audiences from outside Brisbane and generated a combined economic impact of more than $17.2 million. The high profile seasons have directed national attention towards Brisbane showcasing the city and state as an attractive cultural destination. In 2016, the Premier and Minister for the Arts along with the Minister for Tourism and Major Events announced a three year funding arrangement between QPAC and Tourism and Events Queensland to continue the QPAC International Series. The company to perform at the 2017 QPAC International Series – The Royal Ballet – was announced in October 2016. Early interest in this season indicates the success of the QPAC International Series will continue.
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We approach partnerships with enthusiasm and boldness because we know we thrive together, not alone.
LYRIC THEATRE
PLAYHOUSE
2 – 11 September Ballet Preljocaj Snow White QPAC
3 – 7 September BF 2016: En Avant, Marche! Brisbane Festival
22 – 30 September Singin’ in the Rain Lunchbox Theatrical Productions, Michael Cassel Group and Dainty Group and David Atkins Enterprises
9 – 17 September BF 2016: A Midsummer Night’s Dream Brisbane Festival
CONCERT HALL
20 – 24 September BF 2016: La Verita Brisbane Festival
7 September Queensland Philanthropy Showcase QPAC
27 – 28 September Peppa Pig Live! Big Splash Life Like Touring
9 September BF 2016: george Brisbane Festival
30 September Shaolin Warriors Andrew Kay and Associates with Red Live Events & Touring
10 September BF 2016: Pink Martini Brisbane Festival 16 September QSO Masterworks 4: QSO Plays The Russians Queensland Symphony Orchestra 17 September QSO Maestro 8: QSO Plays the Russians Queensland Symphony Orchestra 20 September Sonam Kalra and the Sufi Gospel Project (Confluence Festival of India) QPAC 23 September BF 2016: Symphony For Me Brisbane Festival 26 September The Next Step – The Wild Rhythm Tour Live Nation and Disney Channel 28 September Joe Bonamassa Only Blues Music 29 August In the Mood Mario Maiolo and Mellen Events
CREMORNE THEATRE 7 September Queensland Philanthropy Showcase QPAC 8 – 10 September Deborah Conway and Willy Zygier: The Beginning and The End QPAC 14 – 17 September BF 2016: Lippy Brisbane Festival 20 – 24 September BF 2016: You and Me and the Space Between Brisbane Festival TONY GOULD GALLERY 1 – 30 September Jarjum’s Life Museum QPAC MELBOURNE STREET GREEN Every Friday Green Jam QPAC
30 September Mark Vincent and Marina Prior Lunchbox Theatrical Productions and Jon Nicholls Productions
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Our Organisation and Partners Vital cultural organisations deliver on mission and create impact and public value. They do not deliver at the same scale and in the same way year on year. They are nimble, resourced to adapt and change and they reinvest in themselves. In order for QPAC to innovate and grow we need more than just great ideas, we need the capacity to implement them. We want to be equipped for real innovation, to be truly adaptable and creative. The most critical components of our organisational capacity are our staff, partners and financial resources. To innovate and grow our staff have the right combination of skills and are united by a shared vision cultivated by a culture of safety, collaboration, curiosity and fun. We are committed to working with partners, from all sectors, to achieve results and amplify impact. Our financial capacity underpins our ability to invest, expand and try new things or old things in new ways. The arts by their very nature are collaborative. QPAC is a space that brings together artists, provides a platform and stage for artistic works and collaborations, and connects artists with audiences. The development of new works is a huge undertaking and carries with it some risk but it is important in building the capacity of the arts industry and in telling our stories. Critical to QPAC’s ongoing success are the many partnerships and relationships with Australia’s network of producers and presenters who are responsible for touring performances nationally. Building and maintaining a robust industry is important for QPAC but also has wider implications; the vitality of art in Australia is a collective responsibility.
Principal Partners Hyundai Lendlease – Out of the Box Heritage Bank – Green Jam Major Benefactors YFG Shopping Centres The John Villers Trust Major Partners Sunday Mail The Courier-Mail Treasury Playgroup Queensland C&K Supporting Partners Palms for Brisbane Aurecon Paiste Grant Burge Barossa Aria Chroma National Storage TPO OnePure Oaks Hotels & Resorts Indigenous Supply Chain Connections Neals Event Hire Coconut Essence Distinction Wines Supporting Benefactors Circle of Influence Out of the Box Brava Art Press Community Partners Hyundai Help for Kids Cultural Precinct Partners State Library of Queensland Queensland Museum South Bank Parklands GOMA Media Partners 612 ABC Brisbane JCDecaux Brisbane’s Child Government Partners Queensland Government Brisbane City Council Transport Partner TransLink Preferred Accommodation Partner Mantra Group Corporate Member Qantas
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LYRIC THEATRE
QPAC’s Creatory is where ideas and stories come together, where audiences can engage more deeply with content and feel connected to the creativity at the heart of QPAC.
1 – 31 October Singin’ in the Rain Lunchbox Theatrical Productions, Michael Cassel Group and Dainty Group and David Atkins Enterprises CONCERT HALL 1 October Louis Theroux – Live on Stage BBC Worldwide, Andrew Kay & Phil Bathols 4 October Paco Pena Flamenco in Concert Abstract Entertainment 7 October Choir of Hard Knocks 10th Anniversary ‘Hope and Inspiration’ Tour Melbourne Street Choir Inc 8 October QLD POPS Best of the Pops Orchestra Queensland Pops Orchestra 9 October Medici Concerts: Jayson Gillham Medici Concerts 10 October ACO Baroque Brilliance Australian Chamber Orchestra 11 October The Dire Straits Experience Phil Bathols 12 October The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards ATA Allstar Artists 14 October QSO Masterworks 5: Beethoven Concertos 2 + 5 Queensland Symphony Orchestra 15 October QSO Maestro 9: Beethoven Cycle #2 Queensland Symphony Orchestra
16 October UQ School of Music: Scheherazade University of Queensland School of Music 18 October Glen Hansard’s “Didn’t He Ramble” Australian Tour QPAC in association with Gaynor Crawford 20 October Goodbye Ruby Tuesday – in benefit of Carol Lloyd WIV Presents
PLAYHOUSE 1 – 2 October Shaolin Warriors Andrew Kay and Associates with Red Live Events & Touring 6 – 8 October That’s Dancing! Ashgrove Dance Studio 14 – 31 October QTC: Disgraced Queensland Theatre Company CREMORNE THEATRE
22 October A Tribute to Roy Orbison & The Everly Brothers Ben Maiorana Entertainment
1 October Sriyah – Nrityagram Dance Ensemble QPAC
23 October Joshua Redman and Brad Mehldau Duo QPAC
5 – 15 October shake & stir: Tequila Mockingbird QPAC and shake & stir theatre co
25 October St Rita’s College Annual Thanksgiving Celebration St Rita’s College
19 – 23 October Backstage in Biscuit Land QPAC
26 October Clayfield College Annual Speech Night 2016 Clayfield College 27 October All Hallows’ Night of Celebration All Hallows’ School Limited 28 October CSTD Dance Extravaganza 2016 Commonwealth Society of Teachers of Dancing 29 October QYO 2016 Finale Concert Queensland Youth Orchestras 30 October The Tallis Scholars QPAC
27 October The Sky’s The Limit: Student Cabaret Showcase QPAC 28 – 29 October Rachael Beck – This Girl QPAC TONY GOULD GALLERY 1 – 5 October Jarjum’s Life Museum QPAC MELBOURNE STREET GREEN Every Friday Green Jam QPAC 8 October Brisbane Open House QPAC 23 October JMI: Jazz Sundays Jazz Music Institute Pty Ltd
2016 YEAR IN REVIEW | 48
OCTOBER 49 | 2016 YEAR IN REVIEW
NOVEMBER 2016 YEAR IN REVIEW | 50
LYRIC THEATRE 8 November Ronan Keating Live Nation 11 November Rodriguez Frontier Touring Company 25 – 30 November Matilda The Musical Louise Withers & Associates CONCERT HALL 2 November Smokie Live NOW Music Company 3 November Brisbane Boys College Speech Night 2016 Brisbane Boys College 4 November A Russian Triple Bill Imperial Russian Ballet Company
11 – 12 November OQ: Kiss Me Kate Opera Queensland 13 November QSO Music on Sundays 5: Passion & Romance Queensland Symphony Orchestra 14 November St Aidan’s AGC Annual Awards Ceremony 2016 The Trustee for The Society of The Sacred Advent – St Aidan’s Trust 15 November St Margaret’s Speech Night 2016 The Trustee for The Society of The Sacred Advent – St Margaret’s Trust 16 November Brisbane Grammar School Speech Day 2016 Brisbane Grammar School
5 November QSO Maestro 10: QSO Plays Grieg Queensland Symphony Orchestra
17 November Somerville House Speech Night 2016 The Trustee for The Presbyterian & Methodist Schools Association Somerville House
6 November Making a Murderer Live Nation
18 November A Tribute to Elvis – If I Can Dream Ben Maiorana Entertainment
6 November Joe and Caspar Live Nation and BBC Worldwide
19 – 20 November At Last – The Etta James Story QPAC in association with Room 8
7 November ACO: Slava, Rodrigo & Beethoven Australian Chamber Orchestra
22 – 25 November Bill Bailey Adrian Bohm
8 November Australian Brandenburg Orchestra: Avi Avital Australian Brandenburg Orchestra
26 November Australian Girls Choir Annual Concert 2016 ASPA Group
9 November John Paul College Speech Night 2016 John Paul College
27 November Southern Cross Soloists Concert 3: Heavenly Voice QPAC & Southern Cross Soloists
10 November Iona College Junior and Senior School Speech Night 2016 Iona College
29 – 30 November QSO Season Finale: Tchaikovsky Gala Queensland Symphony Orchestra
51 | 2016 YEAR IN REVIEW
PLAYHOUSE 1 – 6 November QTC: Disgraced Queensland Theatre Company 12 – 30 November QTC: Tartuffe Queensland Theatre Company CREMORNE THEATRE 12 November 2036: The Future is Now Performance 2016 Australian School of Performing Arts, Film and Television 18 – 19 November Flight Aboriginal Centre for the Performing Arts and QPAC 25 – 26 November The Boxties QPAC 29 – 30 November The Very Hungry Caterpillar QPAC TONY GOULD GALLERY 15 – 30 November Dramatic Imaginations QPAC MELBOURNE STREET GREEN Every Friday Green Jam QPAC
There is more to QPAC than what you see on stage.
For many people, attending musical theatre is their first time attending live performance. In 2016, 42% of QPAC’s audiences attended a musical theatre performance*.
LYRIC THEATRE
PLAYHOUSE
1 – 31 December Matilda The Musical Louise Withers & Associates
1 – 4 December QTC: Tartuffe Queensland Theatre
CONCERT HALL
8 – 23 December QB The Nutcracker Queensland Ballet
2 December The Monkees’ 50th Anniversary Tour David Roy Williams, Nice Events & Magic 882 3 December QSO Choral Classic 3: Handel Messiah Queensland Symphony Orchestra 4 December Camerata of St John’s: Gypsy Camerata of St John’s in association with QPAC 7 December The Tallest Man on Earth QPAC in association with Handsome Tours 8 December Em Rusciano “The Try Hard Tour” Frontier Comedy 10 December Giggle and Hoot’s Magical Christmas – The Legend of Hoot-o-Claus QPAC
26 – 31 December Fawlty Towers Michael Coppel & Phil McIntyre in association with Louise Withers CREMORNE THEATRE 1 – 18 December The Very Hungry Caterpillar QPAC 20 – 24 December A Very Very Kransky Christmas QPAC & The Kransky Sisters TONY GOULD GALLERY 1 – 31 December Dramatic Imaginations QPAC MELBOURNE STREET GREEN 9,16 and 23 December Green Jam QPAC
11 – 16 December QUT Graduations December 2016 Queensland University of Technology 17 December QYO Alumni Concert: Mahler 5 Queensland Youth Orchestras 23 – 24 December Spirit of Christmas QPAC 31 December QLD POPS New Year’s Eve Gala Queensland Pops Orchestra
*QPAC ticketing data
2016 YEAR IN REVIEW | 52
DECEMBER 53 | 2016 YEAR IN REVIEW
A message from the Chief Executive Throughout history the arts have offered new and innovative ways to think about being human. The arts help to build communities and can provide social and spiritual insights into society often times as drivers of change and renewal. The starting point for artists in getting from A to B includes creative detours via C, D and X; the end point not as critical as the journey that spurred the exploration. In reflecting on the year that was with its many worldwide changes, upheavals and upsets, I am reminded again of the value of the arts to offer a form of optimism in the face of uncertainty. Each visit to the theatre is unique. The connections that are shared – between audience and artist, between audience members, between artists and technicians – are singular and cannot be repeated. No two live performances are ever the same and there is a depth and richness to experiencing performance enacted live. The theatre is a place where we can step outside ourselves temporarily and explore what it’s like to walk in the shoes of someone else; the arts help us to make sense of the world around us and to reflect with others on the different ways we are all human. At the heart of what we do at QPAC, is the aim to contribute to the social, cultural and intellectual development of all Queenslanders. As you have seen in the pages of this Year in Review, QPAC plays many roles: producer and presenter of artistic works; a public building and community space; a centre of learning and advocacy for arts literacy; and custodian of our building at South Bank. It’s been a big and busy year and there are many people who have helped to make QPAC Queensland’s leading centre of live performance. I extend my thanks to the Queensland Government, our Board, the staff at the Centre and the more than one million people who have visited, performed and participated in creating art at QPAC over the course of 2016. As we look to the future, there are many ways to connect with more people around the state, and beyond. The digital sphere is an important element of this, but the work underpinning what we do begins first with our choices in what we present, who we work with and how we encourage Queenslanders to engage in the live arts. John Kotzas Chief Executive 2016 YEAR IN REVIEW | 54
55 | 2016 YEAR IN REVIEW
Credits Connect atQPAC @QPAC @atqpac qpactv QPAC
Contact PO Box 3567, South Bank, Qld, 4101 (07) 3840 7444 | qpac.com.au qpac.reception@qpac.com.au
Acknowledgement The Queensland Performing Arts Trust is a statutory body of the State of Queensland and is partially funded by the Queensland Government: The Honourable Annastacia Palaszczuk MP, Premier and Minister for the Arts; Director-General, Department of Premier and Cabinet: David Stewart.
QPAC Board Chair – Christopher Freeman AM Deputy Chair – Simon Gallaher Kylie Blucher Professor Peter Coaldrake AO Sophie Mitchell Professor Chris Sarra Leanne de Souza
Executive Chief Executive – John Kotzas Executive Director – Stakeholder Engagement Strategy: Jackie Branch Executive Director – Curatorial: Ross Cunningham Executive Director – Visitation: Roxanne Hopkins Executive Director – Development: Megan Kair Executive Director – Business Performance: Kieron Roost
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Behind the scenes of Ballet Preljocaj’s Snow White. Photographer Darren Thomas
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Photographer Darren Thomas
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Photographer Darren Thomas
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Photographer Jasmin Ellem
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Photographer Darren Thomas
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QSO in Orchestra pit during Ballet Preljocaj’s Snow White. Photographer Darren Thomas
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Out of the Box Festival. Photographer Darren Thomas
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Ballet Preljocaj’s Snow White. Photographer Darren Thomas
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shake & stir’s Georges Marvellous Medicine. Photographer Darren Thomas
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Goran Bregovic. Photographer Nikola Babic, Orange Studios, Belgrade
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Dear Albert, World Science Festival Brisbane 2016 Photographer Gary Cranitch Queensland Museum
16-17 Out of the Box Festival. Photographer Darren Thomas 18
Katie Noonan and The Brodsky Quartet. Photographer
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Velvet.
24-25 Out of the Box Festival. Photographer Darren Thomas
26-27 QPAC’s Social Media accounts 28-29 The Rabbits. Photographer Jeff Busby 30-31 Queensland Theatre Company, Secret River. Photographer Heidrun Löhr for Sydney Theatre Company 32-33 Once Upon A Time. Photographer Darren Thomas 36
Kaine Sultan-Babij OUR land stories people Bangarra Dance Theatre. Photographer Edward Mulvihill
38-39 Ballet Preljocaj’s Snow White. Photographer Virginie Fabrizio 41
Queensland Philanthropy Showcase Dinner. Photographer Darren Thomas
42-43 Josh Redman/Brad Mehldau Duo. Photographer Weintraub 45
Ballet Prejocaj Gala Reception. Photographer Darren Thomas
46-47 Ballet Prejocaj Gala Reception. Photographer Darren Thomas 48
Conversation with John Bell. Photographer Mindi Cook
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The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Photographer Dillion Louis-Savage
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Matilda The Musical. Photographer James D Morgan
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Photographer Darren Thomas
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Photographer Darren Thomas