Philanthropy

With 25% of our income raised through philanthropic support from individuals and foundations, the generosity of Sydney Dance Company’s Partners has a huge impact on our capacity to deliver exceptional contemporary dance experiences. Donations through our annual Partner Program and other targeted funds enable us to create and commission new work - the very essence of the company – and share this work on tour across Australia and around the world and invest in the future of our artform through education, outreach, and training opportunities for young, aspiring dancers.

Although Omicron and public health orders limited face-to-face engagement at times, the philanthropy team focused on making the most of in-season opportunities to re-connect with our wonderful supporters as they once again began to attend live performances.

Every year, we are delighted to welcome our donor family and friends to view rehearsals at our Wharf Studios home in the lead up to our Sydney seasons. These visits provide a unique opportunity for donors to enter the studio space, experience the dancers in action and deepen their understanding of the choreographic process. In 2022 we were excited to host these special events in our Neilson Studio for the first time, giving our supporters a curated insight into ab [intra] and Resound. We were also able to connect with our supporters from further afield virtually via livestream.

A major highlight of the year for the philanthropy team, along with the Board, executive and staff, was the launch of the Carla Zampatti Commissioning Fund. Carla was passionate about the arts, and we are honoured to have enjoyed her support as a Board director, benefactor, and friend to the company. The Commissioning Fund was named in memory of her great commitment to nurturing the company’s creativity through fundraising to specifically support the commissioning of new choreography, music, costume, and design.

The Inaugural Carla Zampatti Commissioning Fund dinner was held at the Wharf on 24 May 2022, and the generous support of this group enabled us to commission and present new work by Rafael Bonachela (Summer) and multiaward-winning Australian choreographer Stephanie Lake (The Universe is Here). As is only fitting for a fund dedicated to a truly iconic Australian fashion designer, we were absolutely thrilled the Carla Zampatti Commissioning Fund also enabled Sydney Dance Company to collaborate with contemporary Australian fashion house, Romance

Was Born, on the costuming for Summer

Our Dancer’s Circle directly supports the growth and development of our ensemble dancers to perform at their peak through a framework of artistic, physical, and mental health support. As an example, this year, Sydney Dance Company was able to send our own physiotherapist to accompany the ensemble whilst on tour in France. This ensures continuity of care for the dancers with a health practitioner with whom they have an established relationship and can assess each dancer individually to provide on-the-spot treatment.

While on tour, we shared backstage tours, videos of curtain calls and other stories from the road. It is so important to us to connect with our donor family whilst we are away from home; international and national tours would not be possible without their support. In 2022 our Touring Fund donors helped us to reinvigorate our global presence with the French Tour and extend our reach to more audiences at home through the Impermanence national tour. Being on tour to 15 towns and cities in five States and Territories across Australia also enabled us to forge connections with the youngest members of our community through a series of education and outreach activities.

Our donors also partner with us to nurture and inspire the dancers and audiences of the future, including fee scholarships for our PreProfessional Year program. In 2022 we were able to offer four full-time scholarships across our first and second year cohorts, providing much needed support to help the students to cope with the pressures of living away from home, many of them for the first time. These life-changing opportunities not only support an aspiring professional dancer to take the next step, but also bring welcomed energy and enthusiasm into the dancers’ studio.

In 2022 the Sydney Dance Company’s Dance Noir fundraising extravaganza came out of hibernation with 410 guests at the Hordern Pavilion for a glamorous and fun night. Despite the challenges of putting on a major fundraising event with the pandemic still looming in the background, the event was a success and welcome opportunity to celebrate in glamourous style with our supporters and their guests.

The evening began with a performance by the Pre-Professional Year dancers followed by Sydney Dance Company dancers performing an exquisite extract of Impermanence. Later in the evening dancers Emily Seymour and Liam Green captivated the audience with their beautiful performance of the Cartier Duet. At the end of the evening the dance floor opened to all, with guests flooding the stage to party into the early hours.

The Dance Noir Committee was chaired by Creative Producer Peter Reeve and Mandy Foley, and the committee worked tirelessly to make the event a great success. We are grateful for all their hard work, dedication and commitment to support Sydney Dance Company.

We continued to raise support through our Take a Seat campaign, with supporters being acknowledged on a brass plaque on the back of their chosen seat in our Neilson Studio. With just 55 seats available for naming, this is a special opportunity for donors to take their place alongside our Take a Step Capital Campaign supporters and to know their contribution is helping to secure our Wharf Studios home for future generations to enjoy.