Annual Report - QPAC

Director’s Report
I am delighted to present my first report as the Director of the
Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC).
It has been a particularly significant and exciting year to take
on this position. 2008-09 has been a year of change, reflection
and of growth. There are dozens of metaphors about tearing
down walls and looking under floorboards and most of them
apply to our past year here at QPAC. We literally crashed
through concrete and tore up the carpet during our major
refurbishment – the first in the history of the building. The
project meant our two major theatres were closed for four
months, staff were relocated to various corners of the building
and more than 300 builders were onsite. An enormous amount
of work was achieved in very short space of time.
We wanted to go further; we wanted to match our physical
change with conceptual and operational change. So, we took
the opportunity to shake out the carpet, refresh our thinking
and set in train changes that have taken us closer to the vision
we have for QPAC. With the Government’s major investment in
our facilities, a new strategic plan and a new Director, the time
was ripe to do so.
At the core of these conversations are issues of access. One
of the key drivers of the refurbishment was to improve access
to our theatres and public spaces, particularly for our patrons
experiencing disabilities. The refurbishment included new
seating, additional wheelchair locations, new stages, upgraded
lighting, acoustics and design in the Lyric Theatre and Concert
Hall and foyers – all of which have greatly enhanced the
experience of a visit to QPAC. The environment in which we
interact with art, especially live performance, is enormously
relevant to our enjoyment and engagement with it. We have
made great progress this year and will continue to pursue
projects that enhance our spaces.
Access is about more than making your way into the theatre.
One of the key priorities this year was to provide a wide range
of performing arts and entertainment options. The 2008-09
program was made up of 895 performances that spanned
genres as diverse as dance, circus, theatre, comedy, opera,
children’s works, classical and contemporary music. The
program encompassed free and paid events and profiled
artists and companies from Queensland, other states and
around the world.
It would be impossible not to make specific mention of the
exclusive season of The Paris Opera Ballet. The extent to
which this city embraced the company and the production
of La Bayadère was staggering. In addition to a critically
acclaimed, sell out season, The Paris Opera Ballet delivered
numerous opportunities for professional development and
exchange for QPAC and the broader industry. Over the course
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Clairemarie Osta in Suite en Blanc, The Paris Opera Ballet.
Photography Sébastien Mathé