Theatre productions among projects to benefit from latest Queensland Government arts funding

A range of new theatre works are among the 28 projects to share in more than $2 million funding from the Queensland Government as it continues to champion the growth of the arts and cultural sector across the state.

These new outcomes through the streamlined First Nations Commissioning Fund and Queensland Arts Showcase Program (QASP) also support nine industry placements, and six projects received funding for the commissioning of new live or recorded music by local composers and musicians.

The 2023 Cairns Indigenous Art Fair received support for two projects: family friendly event Urban BLAKtivation will activate Cairns, while the Coconut Leaf Project will celebrate Torres Strait Islander craft and weaving.

The funding is also supporting a range of new theatre works including shake & stir’s world premiere of Tae Tae in the Land of Yaaas! at QPAC based on a true story of living with disability; Musical Theatre Australia’s new musical, A Girl’s Guide to World War, to be presented by a regionally-based creative team working with leading industry professionals; and Angela Murphy’s verbatim theatre production based on interviews with women in Far North Queensland.

President of Musical Theatre Australia, Kathy Forde shared “QASP opens up an exciting future for our award-winning Queensland musical, A Girl's Guide to World War.    

“I wrote this show with my partner. We're regional theatre makers, and we produced the show on a next-to-nothing budget. Now, with this funding, we can work with top Brisbane designers so the show will look stunning when we take it on its first major tour next year.” 

Wulgurukaba Walkabouts will create a new performance work with Dancenorth celebrating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander music, song, and dance, and featuring a composition by renowned Queensland musician William Barton.

Jessie Lloyd will continue her important work researching and composing cultural song traditions in contemporary music, creating new songs in the Kala Lagaw Ya language of the Western Torres Strait.

Visual arts organisation Outer Space will continue its innovative programming in 2023 at the Judith Wright Arts Centre, showcasing Queensland-based artists in a series of ten exhibitions.

A musical commission will be a feature of new play Capricorn, which tells a contemporary First Nations story, while Musical Broadcasting Society of Queensland Ltd will showcase new music as part of the 4MBS Festival of Classics.

QLD Minister for the Arts Leeanne Enoch notes “Funding outcomes will help to realise Grow 2022 – 2026, the latest action plan from Creative Together 2020-2030, the Queensland Government’s 10-Year roadmap for arts, culture and creativity, which is being supported with an additional $50 million over four years.

“Support for industry placements, a new feature integrated across these funding programs, will address skills gaps and expand the scale and capacity of the state’s creative workforce supporting diverse positions including producers, curators, exhibitions assistants and digital content producers.

“The further opportunity to access additional funding for the commissioning of new live or recorded music by local composers and musicians as part of a project has resulted in six funded projects celebrating and amplifying new Queensland music, with First Nations composers creating music for three of these projects.”

Co artistic Director Karul Projects Thomas E.S Kelly adds “Karul Projects envisions important stories of our past, present and future to amplify more First Nations voices.  

“The funding for Kuramanunya supports an untold story, a ceremony for those who aren’t with us and are waiting for their send off.  

“This story is one of many in the long line of truth tellings still waiting to surface and permeate Australian audiences and abroad.    

For more information, go to www.arts.qld.gov.au/news/queensland-arts-showcase-program-and-first-nations-commissioning-fund-round-1-recipients

Image: Musical Theatre Australia’s production of "A Girl's Guide to World War": ‘A Girl’s Guide to World War’ is a brilliant new Australian musical that brings to life an inspiring true story. In 1916, Australian lady doctors want to go to war. When the army turns them down – they go anyway. This smash-hit wowed audiences on the Sunshine Coast in 2018 and 2019, before winning the Lord Mayor’s Award for ‘Best New Australian Work’. Returning after sell-out shows at Brisbane Powerhouse, “A Girl’s Guide to World War” returns for two shows on 18th and 19th March in Maleny. Image Credit: Bulimba Studios (via Musical Theatre Australia facebook ) for shots of production at Brisbane Powerhouse.