Partners back Black Swan State Theatre Company

The Perth-based Black Swan State Theatre Company has announced the success of its partnership program in securing over $1 million in sponsorship for its 2015 Season from the business sector and government agencies.

This achievement is the largest sponsorship investment in Black Swan’s recent history and marks an increase of 23% on the 2014 Season.

The financial support received from Black Swan’s partners assists in keeping ticket prices to an affordable level, with each ticket sold in 2015 being subsidised to a figure of $26.

The Comapny views ticket affordability as an important way of encouraging attendance from as many people in the community as possible.

Partners will support a wide range of Black Swan programs and initiatives from main stage productions in the Heath Ledger Theatre to performances in regional communities.

In addition Black Swan has secured over $150,000 worth of discounted or gratis products and services from the business sector for next year’s season.

Black Swan welcomes the renewal of Rio Tinto as our Principal Partner for the 2015 to 2017 seasons with an investment of $1.277 million over the period.

Black Swan and Rio Tinto have partnered together for 17 years. Over the course of this partnership, Rio Tinto has provided support to Black Swan at critical points in our development. More recently, the partnership has focused on the growth of Black Swan and us developing a more sustainable business model. Renewing our partnership for another three years will make a direct contribution to the viability and longevity of Black Swan’s future.

Commenting on the success of its partnership program , Black Swan Chair Mark Barnaba stated “we are thrilled that Rio Tinto have renewed as Black Swan’s Principal Partner until 2017.

“The partnership has been absolutely central to Black Swan’s growth and achievements. It is rare in this day and age for such a long term partnership between arts and business to exist and, with their renewed support, by the 20 year mark, Rio Tinto will have invested over $3.2 million into Black Swan.

“(We express) our deepest gratitude to Rio Tinto for their commitment to Black Swan”.

For Rio Tinto the partnership with Black Swan is its our largest performing arts sponsorship in Western Australia and it has grown from strength to strength over the years.

Under the leadership of Artistic Director Kate Cherry, Black Swan has created the Rio Tinto Black Swan Commissions, a commissioning program of new Australian work from emerging and experienced playwrights. In 2015, as part of this program, Black Swan will stage the World Premiere of a new Australian work, The Red Balloon, adapted by Hilary Bell and presented as part of the 2015 AWESOME Festival. This production, designed for children between the ages of six and 12, will mark Black Swan’s inaugural foray into family theatre and will involve around 40 children.

The Rio Tinto partnership has enabled Black Swan to expand itsregional engagement program.

In 2015 this will include an extensive regional tour of Shadow Boxing, a new work developed especially for high school students.

The Companys also proposes to tour The House on the Lake by Aidan Fennessy and broadcast Noël Coward’s Blithe Spirit live from the State Theatre Centre to homes, theatres and community centres across Western Australia.

For more information go to www.bsstc.com.au

25th February 2014 - WESTERN AUSTRALIAN ENTERTAINMENT VENUES “IN LIMBO”