Chair’s Report

2022 was an exhilarating year for Sydney Dance Company. Despite the residual challenges from the pandemic, and an associated fear of arrested momentum for the arts sector, Sydney Dance Company’s ambition to make a meaningful and rewarding contribution to the lives of audiences and participants is stronger than ever.

With the return of all main stage performances, Sydney Dance Company’s remarkable year included two Sydney seasons (ab[intra] and Resound), an extensive national tour, a Melbourne season, and an international tour with a residency at Théâtre National de Chaillot in Paris. Plus, performances at festivals like Sydney Festival, a Night at the Barracks in Manly and our PreProfessional Year students performing at the New Annual Festival in Newcastle.

Sydney Dance Company plays a vital role in the ecology and leadership of the contemporary dance sector and from our perspective this starts at home on the Wharf with our performances, training, and open programs. As an organisation we nurture our people, but equally we prioritise sharing our expertise across the sector by building networks and sharing knowledge. In 2022 we curated our first season of INDance, our mini festival of works by independent choreographers supported by the City of Sydney. We also celebrated our ninth season of New Breed, supported by The Balnaves Foundation, this is a program that continues to nurture and develop emerging choreographers.

Another pivotal moment came in late 2022 when Sydney Dance Company was approved by the regulatory body Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) to become a Registered Training Organisation (RTO # 45863). Our educational offering, from open access to elite levels, is a key plank of who we are as an organisation. Becoming an RTO means Sydney Dance Company can now provide accredited training courses and this will create opportunities for growth and expansion in the future.

In 2022, Sydney Dance Company posted a year end deficit of $523,929 and an operational deficit of $410,285 as a result of ongoing business interruptions and uncertainty as we emerged out of the pandemic. The increased financial risks now being faced by Sydney Dance Company are primarily out of our control and will require close monitoring by the Board and management to ensure our overall sustainability. It will also place even greater emphasis on self-generated philanthropy and commercial income.

We remain incredibly grateful for the generosity of our donors, the commitment and loyalty of our audiences and the ongoing support of the Australia Council for the Arts and Create NSW. Sydney Dance Company is dependent on robust financial foundations to enable the organisation to plan with confidence and the Board remains committed to ensuring financial sustainability in order to allow the organisation to flourish artistically.

It has been a joy to experience the performances of 2022 and to be reminded of the extraordinary value of our work both on stage and in the community. I would like to express my gratitude to our wonderful Executive Director Lou Oppenheim and indefatigable Artistic Director Rafael Bonachela for their always capable and committed leadership. Together with a remarkable team united by a common purpose, Sydney Dance Company has made great progress in the last few years, despite significant uncertainty, and the future looks very bright indeed.

We recently announced Professor Larissa Behrendt AO will join the Board in 2023 and I know her impressive knowledge and wealth of experience across the arts sector will be invaluable. I would like to thank Pam Bartlett for her time on the Board and her unswerving commitment and drive as she chaired the Dance Noir Committee. I would also like to thank my fellow Board members for their diligence, commitment and enthusiasm; EmmaJane Newton (Deputy Chair), David Baxby, Jillian Broadbent AC, David Friedlander, Emma Gray, Alexa Haslingden, Mark Hassell, Catriona Mordant AM, Sandra McCullagh, and Paris Neilson.

My term on the Board will come to an end in 2023 and as I reflect on my eight years with Sydney Dance Company, I am incredibly proud of what has been achieved. There are many highlights, especially playing a leadership role in the refurbishment of our premises at the Walsh Bay Arts Precinct and navigating the uncertainty of the pandemic, but most of all knowing that I have been a part of this extraordinary organisation. It is a privilege that I will forever cherish.

Brett Clegg Chair