A reflection on 2022
We are so grateful our Ausdance community in QLD has supported us so fully in 2022. We are grateful to Traditional Owners of all Countries on this land and these islands for safeguarding dance in Culture and for dancing here continuously for over 60,000 years.
You might not realise you’ve been supportive, but by being members, using our services, inviting us to performances, contributing to conversation, connecting with other members, and even simply knowing who we are – you are supporting us.
Our highlights have included building strong connections with the national Ausdance network, growing our national contacts and colleague groups and continuing to strengthen our relationships with and understanding of First Nations Peoples. We’ve progressed some improvements to the music licensing system (slow, but progress nonetheless) and solved hundreds of small business & employment problems for our members. Ausdance QLD is growing partnerships with dance companies and organisations, so these groups know we’re an additional resource when they’re facing challenges.
The Queensland Dance Education Conference 2022 was a fabulous learning experience and our business skills program provided training and resources for business & organisation management to strengthen our members’ dance activities. We’re continuing to increase knowledge about employment obligations and rights – as well as considering new ways to structure payments for dance professionals with the long-term sustainability of performing arts organisations and dance careers at heart.
What’s our greatest achievement of 2022? Connections.
We’ve seen inspiration sparked through connections; projects created, light-bulb-moments, venues secured, problems sorted out and disputes resolved. We’ve noticed our members acknowledging Traditional Owners for the very first time and considering the Cultural safety in their studios and dance activities. We have listened to your stories, heard your challenges, and felt your pain. Equally, we’ve shared your successes, extraordinary achievements, and your joys.
We are a team of three paid staff, nine voluntary management committee members, one First Nations Cultural Guide and 1600 members. We see you, we hear you, and we thank you all.
About the author
Julie Englefield
Executive Director, Ausdance QLD
Julie has worked across the disciplines of music, theatre, visual and performing arts in general management, fundraising, sales and marketing for over 25 years.
Her experience in both the commercial (Steinway & Sons) and non-profit (arts and health sectors) provide her with unique insight into what is required for successful and sustainable partnerships. Julie has a solid background in non-profit governance, having also been part of the Singapore Government’s workgroup to develop a national Code of Governance for non-profits. In particular, Julie’s belief in and understanding of the Arts has enabled her to walk the fine line of building commercially robust organisations whilst retaining absolute integrity of artistic purpose.