QUEENSLAND PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE ANNUAL REPORT ...

QUEENSLAND PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE
Chair’s overview
The 2011-12 year for QPAC was both extremely challenging and extremely rewarding. It tested the resilience of our staff to
put aside the adversity and impacts of the January 2011 fl oods on our business and strive even harder to meet the aspirations
and expectations of our patrons and other stakeholders.
It is testament to what a fabulous team we have at QPAC - my fellow board members, the CEO and his executive team and
staff generally – and it is with great pride that I can say QPAC has had one of its best years ever. Financially, artistically,
technically and in the important servicing of our many patrons and users of our facilities, we have excelled.
It has been a huge challenge to have four major musicals in the Lyric Theatre – Dr Zhivago, Rock of Ages, Mary Poppins and
Annie. The Disney Production of Mary Poppins was a huge success for QPAC and was our highest selling musical in over a
decade.
Overall we had in excess of one million patrons visit with us across 1 427 performances in the four theatres and ancillary
spaces.
Financially, our operating surplus for the 2011-12 year was $114 000 as against an operating surplus of $882 000 in the
previous year. The surplus recorded in 2011-12 is after providing for two extraordinary items, namely approximately $446
000 one-off payment for six staff who took advantage of a Voluntary Separation Scheme available to Government employees
and a one off write down of investments of around $385 000. Adjusting for these two extraordinary items shows that the
underlying surplus is approaching $1.1 million.
As a Government statutory body, we believe we have a responsibility to maximise the public value of all that we do by
delivering great outcomes for all our stakeholders. We have identifi ed and grown income sources that underpin a diverse
range of product to support our legislative mandate to contribute to the social, intellectual and cultural development of all
Queenslanders. We can do this because we successfully balance the public good with the required commercial imperatives.
We are particularly pleased with the success of our qtix ticketing operation. It has been a signifi cant revenue generator in its
own right as well as underpinning our marketing strategies with the quality and depth of its data base. It has also helped our
major home companies with their own customer relationship management strategies.
Our offerings during the year in our major theatre spaces are outlined in more detail in other areas of the report. However I
want to highlight three areas that I and the team are particularly proud of:
• Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra: In October 2011 this wonderful Orchestra gave two unforgettable performances in
the Concert Hall as part of QPAC’s commitment to bring the best of the best to Brisbane. One of those performances
was simulcast live to six major centres throughout the State with a total audience of almost 3 500 in Mt Isa, Cairns,
Townsville, Rockhampton, Gladstone and Mackay enjoying the performance in real time. We expect to do more of these
broadcasts in the coming years
• QPAC International Series: During the latter part of the year, we launched our QPAC International Series. The QPAC
International Series will bring internationally renowned companies to perform exclusively in Brisbane in coming years.
The fi rst in the International Series is a two week residency by the Hamburg Ballet, Hamburg Philharmonic Orchestra
and Hamburg State Opera. The QPAC International Series will give our patrons the opportunity to experience the world’s
best performing arts companies right here in Brisbane. Also we anticipate it will entice visitors not just from the South
East corner of the state but from across Queensland and the rest of Australia contributing to building cultural tourism in
Queensland. The list of companies planned to visit in the next fi ve years reads like the “who’s who” of world performing
arts.
• The Out of the Box Festival: This outstanding and much loved biennial Festival for young children exceeded all our
expectations with over 91 000 patron admissions recorded over the 6 days of the Festival. By any measure it was an
outstanding success and continues to grow in stature and appeal in its important demographic.
2011-12 was a great year for QPAC and I want to thank all who have contributed to making it a year to remember. There are
challenges ahead as increasing demands put stress on our facilities. Our audience is also expanding with greater aspirations
and a need for diversity of experience which will continually test our capacity to deliver and meet expectations. Further
developing our cultural tourism strategy will also be important. We believe we have the team, the commitment and the
passion to make Brisbane a culturally vibrant city of which we can all be proud.
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