By Sally Pryor and Dana Daniel
May 12 2024
It's one of Australia's oldest orchestras, and has always received a fraction of the funding of its state siblings.
Now, on the eve of its 75th birthday, the Canberra Symphony Orchestra is getting a much-needed funding boost as part of the 2024-25 federal budget.
The orchestra will receive an additional $4.1 million of funding over four years from 2024-25, and $1.1 million per year ongoing and indexed.
It's a shot in the arm for a much-loved institution that has been teetering on the brink since COVID cancelled concerts, shut down stages and forced musicians to find other creative outlets.
But now, says chief executive Rachel Thomas, the orchestra can finally shake off the trials of the past few years and perform its heart out.
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| Canberra Symphony Orchestra chief executive Rachel Thomas is thrilled about the boost in funding. Picture by Karleen Minney |
"We'll be looking to build our reserves up again ... we're in COVID recovery, which has been tough," she said.
"That's been tough, not just for us, but for all performing arts. So I think this is a really good news story in that the injection of funding puts us on an equal footing to what other orchestras are able to achieve."
Like so many Canberra anomalies, the orchestra's relative lack of funding has been the result of a historical quirk, from when the ABC used to fund state orchestras.
The ACT wasn't included in this arrangement, a situation that continued when funding arrangements changed.
As a result, the CSO is a professional part-time orchestra, which engages casual musicians.
"Obviously, we've been recognised generously by the ACT government, and federally as well, but it's always been so much less than what the states received," Ms Thomas said.
"It's meant that we just were not able to do as much, essentially."
But now, as well as being able to usher in its 75th year with confidence, it can also create new programs with more certainty.
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| Chief conductor and artistic director Jessica Cottis and the Canberra Symphony Orchestra at Llewellyn Hall. Picture by Thomas Lucraft |
"It's great for us, but it's great for Canberra, mainly because it allows us to continue to do the performances and the activity that we do within the community," Ms Thomas said.
"We can build on the foundations that we have and continue to grow, which is something that we're poised to do."
The orchestra is one of the country's most diverse in terms of its programming and performers, and employs the ACT's largest arts workforce, with more than 130 casual, full-time and part-time staff and contractors.
It was the first Australian orchestra to appoint a female chief conductor and artistic director, London-based Jessica Cottis.
The orchestra's long-time chair, retired Air Chief Marshal Sir Angus Houston, said the funding came at a crucial time for the orchestra.
"It will ensure the orchestra can remain a vibrant part of the ACT community, supporting a large arts workforce and delivering educational and outreach initiatives," he said.
"This funding will provide critical support for our flagship Llewellyn and Australian Series which lead the nation in championing Australian voices, generating pathways for emerging artists and bringing diversity to the stage."
Federal Finance Minister and senator for the ACT Katy Gallagher said the CSO had been running "on the smell of an oily rag" for too long, and the funding decision was "great news ... for the cultural fabric of our city".
She said Canberra had untapped potential in the arts, both as a tourism drawcard and to service its "arts loving community" locally, as the nation's largest inland city and "part of a broader region that comes to Canberra frequently".
"The arts precinct is an important part of that," she said.
The timing and prioritisation of Commonwealth funding for other arts projects was part of ongoing negotiations with the territory.
"That's the discussion we have to really lock down with the ACT government," Senator Gallagher said.
Meanwhile, Ms Thomas said the orchestra would make careful plans to maximise the funding boost.
"We plan everything to a dime, and we really just have to be so careful with every cost we have," she said.
"In the scheme of things, this will allow us ... to be able to grow our presence in Canberra. What we really want to be able to do is to provide opportunities, and access for everyone in Canberra to experience CSO in some way.”
Sally Pryor
Features Editor
As features editor at The Canberra Times, I love telling people things they didn't know - or even things they've always known - about the city we live in.
Dana Daniel
Senior Political Reporter
Dana Daniel is Senior Political Reporter for The Canberra Times. She investigates and writes about federal politics and government from the Federal Parliamentary Press Gallery. Dana was previously a Federal Health Reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age and has also been a Media Reporter at The Australian and Finance Editor at news.com.au. Contact her on dana.daniel@canberratimes.com.au
Article first published at The Canberra Times, May 12 2024
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