South Australian State Theatre Company looks for independence from Government

With the board of the South Australian State Theatre Company set to be abolished, the company is seeking to “move out from under the wing of government” by becoming a private not-for-profit company.

Named among 105 boards, committees and tribunals that the South Australian Government plans to abolish, the South Australian State Theatre Company had already been looking to change its status, with a study into the feasibility of it becoming a private not-for-profit company due to deliver its findings in November this year.

State Theatre Company Chief Executive Rob Brookman stressed that it was not seeking to be privatised in a commercial sense, but rather to adopt the same structure as most of Australia’s other major performing arts companies – including Sydney Theatre Company, Opera Australia and the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra.

Brookmand told InDaily “we feel that the time has come for State Theatre Company to move out from under the wing of Government.

“We should recognise that the current governance model is inappropriate at a time when arts companies have no choice but to be run as efficient and innovative businesses – while also pursuing their core purpose in delivering the highest quality in artistic results.”

 Brookman said a change in structure was not expected to affect government funding for the company, which is contracted on a triennial basis as part of an agreement with the Australia Council for the Arts.

 The State Theatre Company believes becoming a private not-for-profit company will create greater opportunities to develop private income streams, reduce some risk associated with government policy (such as workers’ compensation issues) and “free the company from a number of significant and often inappropriate bureaucratic requirements required of a government agency”.

Brookman added “moving to a private not-for-profit model will allow the company to be run in a more contemporary, business-focused and flexible manner.”

Click here for details of the Company’s 2015 season.

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