A message from our Chair

Our Chair, Catherine Walter AM shares our highlights and milestones from the 2018-19 annual report

 

On behalf of the Board of Creative Partnerships Australia, it is my pleasure to present our 2018-19 Annual Report.

My sincere thanks go to my predecessor, Carol Schwartz AO, who was the inaugural Chair of Creative Partnerships Australia and was instrumental in establishing it as a valuable government agency, contributing to the sustainability of the Australian arts sector. Similarly, thanks go to Board members Michael Smith and Brett Torossi, whose terms finished during this year, each of whom made a significant contribution to the development of the agency. We have welcomed new members Leonard Vary, Adjunct Professor the Hon Chris Pearce and John Barrington AM to the Board, which dedicates itself anew to the important mission of Creative Partnerships Australia and the arts sector.

In 2018-19 Creative Partnerships Australia has again delivered a range of programs and services to the arts sector including workshops, webinars and masterclasses, coaching and mentoring, and matched funding through the Plus1 and MATCH Lab programs. These matched funding programs have delivered more than $3.53 million to the sector, in addition to the $6.47 million that is being channelled to artists and arts projects through the Australian Cultural Fund. The Australian Cultural Fund continues to grow, providing an easy to use platform for artists seeking support for their work.

Many of these projects are the subject of case studies on Creative Partnerships Australia’s website, showcasing the range of work created throughout Australia with the support of generous donors and business partners.

I would like to thank former Minister for Communications and the Arts, Senator the Hon Mitch Fifield, for the support he gave Creative Partnerships Australia, especially in ensuring that Government funding for the organisation is secure into the future. Creative Partnerships Australia welcomes new Minister for Communications, Cyber Safety and the Arts, the Hon Paul Fletcher MP, and looks forward to a cooperative and productive relationship with him and the Government in coming years. We are grateful also to officers from the Department of Communications and the Arts who provide valuable support.

Thank you also to Creative Partnerships Australia’s CEO, Fiona Menzies, and her team for delivering a high level of service to the arts sector and continuing to prosecute the case in the broader community for support for the arts. Creative Partnerships Australia’s team is represented around the country and regularly travels to regional Australia to provide its services and programs.

Each year, Creative Partnerships Australia recognises and celebrates the role played by donors and businesses in supporting the arts and I thank them for their continued support. In 2018 we recognised the contribution of six people and I would like to again acknowledge and congratulate our 2018 award winners: Tim Fairfax AC and Gina Fairfax, Adrian Fini, the late Richard Gill AO, Mark Rubbo OAM and Beau Neilson.

Finally, our thanks must go to all the dedicated artists and arts workers who produce the wonderful and thought-provoking art that all Australians are able to enjoy.

Catherine Walter AM

 

Read our annual report 2018-19 (PDF)  or read a summary of our achievements.