Report on Oceania Region

                                                       
It has been a very interesting time for the YTP sector in Australia.  Announcements have just been made on the Artistic Directorship of two of Australia’s flagship youth festivals.  Mark Radvan’s contract at Out of the Box in Brisbane expired and with budget cuts to the program Queensland Performing Arts Centre has approached Rosemary Myers in her capacity of AD of Windmill Performing Arts to curate the program – essentially remotely from Adelaide.  Whilst in the lead up to the Come Out festival in May the Board have advertised the AD position and have informed current director Jason Cross that his contract will not be renewed – this is not uncommon.  This news has not been welcomed by Jason and his team who are just weeks out from the May festival and have several projects in the pipeline for 2011.  The job to recruit a replacement has been placed in the hands of a recruitment agency in Adelaide.

The economic crisis has begun to show its effect on ticket sales in Sydney and Melbourne at least.  Predictions are being made that we are on the tip of the iceberg and this may take at least a year for things to improve.  On a personal note Sydney Opera House is recording a difficult year but school bookings have increased on last year whilst family bookings and sales are well down.

Youth Performing Arts Australia have seen several movements occur at a board level, this will see Western Australia and Tasmania change its representatives – the ACT has just gone through one.  YPAA NSW staged a very successful state based showcase in November– the first in many years.  This resulted in a series of performance presentations, forums and discussions and was generously hosted by the Sydney Theatre Company.  The 2 day showcase galvanised the local state sector and was attended by interstate YPAA board members and staff from the Come Out Festival.  

New Zealand has just successfully staged its bi-annual Capital E Festival for Children in Wellington.  Performances were largely from New Zealand and Australia with one US juggler performing a solo show.  The Festival struggled to raise its normal funding base which may result in a reduced length in future years.  I took this opportunity to meet with local sector members to try to initiate greater connections between ASSITEJ Australia and New Zealand.  Whilst the sector there is strong it is also very small.  I did not manage to find a key individual interested in driving ASSITEJ NZ although there were discussions around New Zealand becoming a quasi ASSITEJ Australia member (which the YPAA Board were open to) but with no one on the ground in NZ to take the reins I cannot see things changing in the present time. Capital E are very keen to become regular contributors to the Australian touring circuit having dabbled in the past.  A children’s opera is under some current discussion.  Such a tour can only strengthen links between the two countries.

On a final positive note the Australian Federal Arts Minister has just announced that the Arts will now be included in the national curriculum currently under development and will sit alongside subjects such as English, Maths, History, Sciences and Geography.  Many educators, academics and artists around the country (including YPAA) have been lobbying government for this inclusion and is a major recognition of the value of arts eduction in our country. The Minister also announced that this inclusion would include teacher training in the arts.