Funding to fast-track tours and employment across Queensland

Queensland Government investment of $1.165 million will support tours of visual arts, music, theatre and dance productions in 2023, along with full-time industry placements, announced Minister for the Arts Leeanne Enoch.

“The newly streamlined Touring Queensland Fund (TQF) is investing nearly $892,000 for 11 tours with performances from Mapoon and Normanton in the far north to Mount Isa, Thargomindah and Barcaldine in the outback and to the Sunshine, Central and Gold Coasts,” Minister Enoch said.

“In addition, five of the recipients will also be supported with a further $273,203 to secure full-time industry placements that will boost touring management and production capacity, grow skills and capacity, and create new employment opportunities for emerging arts workers.    

“Support for industry placements is a new feature integrated across arts funding programs to address skills gaps and grow the scale and capacity of the creative workforce ahead of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

“Through the Palaszczuk Government’s investment in arts touring, audiences will have the opportunity to see established productions such as Dead Puppet Society’s Ishmael, a modern take on the classic tale of Moby Dick which had its world premiere at Brisbane Festival 2021, and JUTE’s popular Dare to Dream program, which will tour to five Cape York schools as part of the company’s commitment to present new work.

“Camerata - Queensland's Chamber Orchestra will perform classical music performances to smaller communities in North Queensland and Sunshine Coast, while Flying Arts will tour its annual exhibition of award-winning regional art alongside music performances in a collaboration with QMF’s Queensland Music Trails, Opera Queensland, and Queensland Symphony Orchestra.

“Students in remote schools will experience the magic of theatre, many for the first time, while older audiences can enjoy a soulful journey of contemporary music from the last 50 years including country and jazz.”

Minister Enoch said many of the tours incorporated accompanying workshops and school programs focused on dance, drama, music, visual arts and theatre.

“Shake & Stir and Shock Therapy are both touring extensively, presenting multiple productions to Queensland schools,” Ms Enoch said.

“These are the first touring outcomes supported through Grow 2022-2026, the second action plan of Creative Together: A 10-Year Roadmap for arts, culture and creativity in Queensland, which is supported with an additional investment of $50 million in new money from the Palaszczuk Government.

“Touring Queensland Fund is also the first to be supported by a new approach to funding assessment with a peer assessment panel comprised of 50% First Nations panel members.”

Monica Stevens, First Nations Creative Producer, Dare to Dream Program said JUTE was thrilled to receive the funding.

“This fund is supporting an all-First Nations show and residency program to get to some of the most remote communities in Far North Queensland,” Ms Stevens said.

Additional single and multi-year applications to the Touring Queensland Fund are now open, and close 27 February 2023 for tours starting from May 2023. For more information, go to: https://www.arts.qld.gov.au

ENDS

MEDIA CONTACT: Pema Bastin 0422 655 582

Touring Queensland Fund – Round 1a

• *Camerata - Queensland's Chamber Orchestra - $87,000 plus $60,000 Industry Placement for Camerata Live, classical music performances to communities in North Queensland and Sunshine Coast with an education program delivered in partnership with multicultural events, local councils, schools, and aged care providers.
• *Dead Puppet Society Ltd - $76,288 plus $60,000 Industry Placement for tour of ISHMAEL, a critically acclaimed visual theatre production touring to Bundaberg, Cairns, Townsville.  
• Flying Art Alliance Inc - $74,521 for 'Reframe': Touring Exhibition of the 2022 Queensland Regional Art Awards collaborating with QMF’s Music Trials, Opera Queensland, QSO concerts and local arts organisations in Charleville, Longreach, Blackall, Moranbah, Cairns.
• JUTE Theatre Company – $72,137 for Dare to Dream Safer Communities Tour for First Nations people to five Cape York schools in Mossman, Mapoon, Lockhart, Normanton, Weipa.
• Ms. Melissa Western - $90,582 for 2023 touring program including the Western Queensland circuit of Dirty Fame Flash Candles Club, a North Queensland tour of The Roaring Twenties, ongoing touring of 1954: Ella, Etta, Eartha, and scoping of a multi-year project in Innisfail Tambo, Canungra, Magnetic Island, Innisfail, Proserpine, Roma, Charleville, Barcaldine, Longreach, Windorah, Quilpie and Thargomindah.
• *RAVA Productions - $100,000 plus $39,466 Industry Placement for The Wind in the Willows theatre production tour to 16 northern and western Queensland locations delivering school term performances, workshops and twilight community shows for children, their teachers and families in Townsville, Charters Towers, Mackay, Hughenden, Julia Creek, Mount Isa, Boulia, Winton, Longreach, Barcaldine, Aramac, Emerald, Capella, Proserpine, Wandoan, Dalby.
• Red Chair - $99,743 for The COMPASS Project of 10 micro-tours of mixed musical acts to venues in Brisbane, Cleveland, Coolum Beach, Ipswich, Kingston, Tugun, Eudlo, Eumundi, Pomona, Toowoomba, Gladstone, Beaudesert, Goondiwindi and Agnes Water.
• Ms Roz Pappalardo - $72,246 for All Fired Up - a Queensland-wide mainstage tour of the musical production, with community dance workshops in Surfers Paradise, Logan, Toowoomba, Redlands, Gladstone, Bundaberg, Mackay, Charters Towers, Port Douglas.
• *Shake & Stir Theatre Co - $100,000 plus $60,000 Industry Placement for regional schools tour of productions Terrortorial, Fractured Fables, Romeo & Juliet, Macbeth, Hamlet, Great Shakes, 1984 and Animal Farm with associated Q&A sessions and masterclasses in Aroona, Coomera, Elanora, Labrador, Nambour, Yaroomba, Yatala, Beerwah, Bundaberg, Cairns, Hervey Bay, Mackay, Noosa, Rockhampton, Toowoomba, Townsville, Gladstone, Maryborough, Yeppoon, Ayr, Mareeba, Roma, Childers, Chinchilla, Miles, Monto, Mossman, Nanango, Proserpine, Rosedale, Sarina, Tully, Cloncurry, St George, Augathella, Barcaldine, Blackall, Charleville, Mitchell, Morven, Mount Isa, Tambo, Winton.
• Shock Therapy Arts - $100,000 for touring costs related to in-school touring as well as venue tours in New Farm, West End, Spring Hill, Calamvale, Coorparoo, Spring Hill, Ashgrove, Cleveland, Yandina Creek, Wellington Point, West End, Holland Park, Kippa-Ring, Noosaville, Park Ridge, Beaudesert, Yeppoon, Alexandra Hills, Bahrs Scrub, Ferny Grove, Sunnybank, Redlynch, Mossman, Cairns, Rockhampton, Scarborough. 
• *The Little Red Company - $19,289 plus $53,737 Industry Placement for the Lovely Day Tour featuring new musical work regionally and catering for older audiences in Charters Towers, Cairns, Innisfail, Ayr, Collinsville, Mackay, Gladstone, Maryborough, Caloundra.

* Denotes artists and arts organisations who received both Touring Queensland Fund and Industry Placements funding.