Senator the Hon. George Brandis S.C.

Minister for the Arts and Sport

8 May 2007

The Australian Government will provide the Australian Ballet School with $4.6 million in the next financial year in order to refurbish its facilities and plan the future expansion of its programme to deliver full-time world class classical dance training, the Minister for Arts and Sport, Senator George Brandis announced today.

“The Australian Ballet School is an elite national performing arts training institution. It prepares the next generation of principal ballet dancers and stars for the Australian Ballet and other international companies, and for other renowned Australian companies including the West Australian Ballet, the Queensland Ballet and the Sydney Dance Company,” Senator Brandis said.

“To maintain its high standing, the Australian Ballet School must continue to attract the most talented students from around the country and provide them with training, facilities and support of an international standard.”

The Australian Ballet School was established in 1964 and has been directly funded by the Australian Government since 1989. This year, the school received Government funding of $1.1 million for its training programme.

Next financial year, the Government will provide the Australian Ballet School with:

• $2.9 million in new funding to reconfigure its current facilities in the Australian Ballet Centre, Southbank, Melbourne;
• $1.7 million in new funding to scope an expanded training programme including a full-time training curriculum, investigation of site options, and undertaking preliminary design for new training facilities and residential accommodation to meet the future needs of a world-class ballet school; and
• $1.1 million to support the delivery of its training programme.

“The refurbishment of existing facilities and planning for future expansion will prepare the Ballet School to provide full-time training and student accommodation equal to the world’s leading ballet schools,” Senator Brandis said.

Media contact: Travis Bell 0448 950 248

Supporting information

Securing the future of the Australian Ballet School

Why is this important?

The Australian Ballet School (ABS) is an elite national training institution that prepares principal dancers and stars for the Australian Ballet and other international companies.

It is headquartered in the Australian Ballet Centre, Southbank, Melbourne.

To maintain its high standing, the ABS must continue to attract talented students, and offer them an international standard of training, facilities and support.

The refurbishment of existing facilities in the Australian Ballet Centre, Southbank, Melbourne and planning for future expansion will prepare the organisation to provide full-time training and student residential accommodation of an international standard.

Who will benefit?

• The Australian Ballet School.
• The performing arts sector and, in particular, the Australian Ballet Company, which draws 95 per cent of its dancers from the ABS.
• Classical ballet students and their families.

What funding is the Government committing to the initiative?

• In 2007–08, the Australian Government will provide $4.6 million, including:
• $2.9 million to reconfigure the ABS’ current facilities to comply with occupational health and safety requirements; and
• $1.7 million to scope an expanded training program including a
  full-time training curriculum, investigation of site options, and undertaking preliminary design for new training facilities and residential accommodation to meet the future needs of this world class ballet school.

What have we done in the past?

• The ABS has been funded by the Australian Government since 1989.
• In 2006–07, the organisation received $1.1 million from the Government to support the delivery of its training program.

When will the initiative conclude?

• It is anticipated that:
• • The proposed expansion will be fully scoped in 2007 to enable the proposal to be considered in more detail in a future budget context; and
  • Re-configuration of the existing facilities will conclude by the end of June 2008.