here

ANNUAL
REPORT
2010
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
STAFF
Kirsty Ellem, Chair
Andrew Gun, General Secretary
Tom Gutteridge
David Hanrahan
Johanna Platt, Treasurer
Richard Roberts
Julia White, Deputy Chair
Simon Abrahams
Executive Producer/co-CEO
Sue Giles
Artistic Director/co-CEO
Fleur Brett
Finance Officer
Adi Diner
Program Manager (from July)
Catrionadh Dobson
Development Manager (until July)
Scott Dunsdon
Administration Assistant (casual)
Mandy Field
Program Manager (to July)
Bindi Green
Venue and Production Manager (to July)
Debby Maziarz
De
Development Manager (from July)
Shalini Nair
Na
Administration and
a Marketing Manager
Erena Norgard
Program Assistant (from June)
Polyglot Theatre’s Public Relations
is provided by Tatia Slolely, TS Publicity
Publici
Website design and development
sponsored by webprophets.net.au
Polyglot Theatre is represented
in North America by Laura Colby,
Colby
Elsie Management, New York
Polyglot ignites children’s imaginations,
everywhere from tiny Australian country towns
to the world’s leading centres for the arts.
OUR MISSION
FEED THE ART
Placing kids at the heart of our art, Polyglot
creates interactive works which explore the
relationship between children’s play and
theatrical experience.
Feed The Art is Polyglot’s model for
appraising, critiquing and valuing our work,
creating and fostering a holistic culture
of outstanding theatre making. In 2010,
Feed The Art again included the following
five steps:
POLYGLOT’S VALUES
• Accessibility to our audiences in price,
• Children’s input engaged throughout
•
• Connection with peers through
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
place and process
Collaboration with children and peers
in our creative processes, encouraging
partnerships
Diversity of audiences and participants,
activity and income
Excellence in process, production,
performance and operations
Innovation in our work to enable discovery
of new theatrical forms
Playfulness in artistic discovery and in
operations, having as much fun as possible
in the process
Resourcefulness in order to make
seemingly impossible things happen
Respect for our artists, audiences,
colleagues, and for the insights of children
Sustainability of operations, of artistic work
and of the planet
the creative process
•
•
•
conversation, seeing work, and artistic
exchange.
Catalyst artists who contribute new ideas
to provide provocation and push the artform
development throughout the creation process
Criticism through invited external
responses from experts who look at our work
with a specialised lens
Continual improvement is sought
through ongoing skills development
and a commitment to excellence,
so we never stop learning.
Feed The Art is a major component of
Polyglot’s Artistic Vibrancy model, designed
to assess the quality, relevance and success
of our artistic program.
“
The veteran children’s
troupe are masters
of interactive play.
Paola Totaro, The Age,
7 July 2010
”
ANNUAL REPORT 2010
1
ABOUT POLYGLOT
Polyglot is an internationally renowned
and award winning company which makes
experiential, interactive and installation
theatre where children take an active part in
the creation of imagined worlds.
This vision is a long way from Polyglot’s
inception 33 years ago. Polyglot was
founded in Victoria in 1978, with a puppetry
performance touring to primary schools
with the aim of promoting respect for other
cultures.
Now, our artists explore children’s play as
the central tenet of theatrical and multidisciplinary artistic works. Inspired by the
artistry of children, and viewing them as
collaborators, we facilitate a professionally
led artistic process to create interactive
works for children aged under 12 and their
families where audiences actively participate
in performance through touch, play and
encounter. At Polyglot, theatre is child’s play.
Our program of works combines visual arts
and performance experiences to create
physical environments which invite the
audience’s active involvement: a miniature
town of houses open for inspection, an
enormous interactive game, a compound
of cardboard boxes where children can
construct their ideal city. Moving beyond
audience participation, our works are
experiential, tangible and wholly immersive.
We seek to challenge, to foster curiosity,
to inspire, and to encourage children to
take responsibility for themselves in the
imagined worlds that are created through
the theatrical experiences presented.
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ANNUAL REPORT 2010
From its fledging and formative years in the
late 1970’s, Polyglot is now one of Australia’s
leading children’s theatre companies.
Our performances have toured the
United States, England, Ireland, Scotland,
Singapore, China, Hong Kong and Korea,
all the while igniting children’s imaginations
everywhere from tiny Australian country
towns to the world’s leading arts centres.
Under the artistic direction of Sue Giles
and with the entrepreneurial leadership
provided by co-CEO Simon Abrahams,
2010 saw Polyglot’s most ambitious and farreaching program to date. We created two
new works and toured to seven countries
with seven different works.
With the retirement of our hardworking and
inspirational chair Kirsty Ellem scheduled for
early 2011, the next stage of the Polyglot
journey begins.
POLYGLOT THEATRE
INCOME 2010
BUSINESS
RELATED INCOME
PROJECT
GRANTS
CORE
GRANTS
5%
24%
20%
23%
21%
7%
SPONSORSHIP
AND FUNDRAISING
EARNED INCOME
(AUSTRALIA)
EARNED INCOME
(INTERNATIONAL)
CHAIR’S REPORT
In this my final report as Polyglot Chair
I would like to look not just at the year
just passed but also at the significant
transformation that the company has
undertaken since I joined the Board.
the greatest of thanks to the partners
who support Polyglot as individuals or
organisations that share our view of the
importance of children’s creativity and work
with us to achieve it.
Polyglot has honed its entrepreneurial nous,
has become a company that takes risks and
is growing; it has built partners, advocates
and has taken a new and fresh look at what
art it makes, how it makes it, who it’s for and
why it’s engaged in creativity. Polyglot has
firmly staked its leading place in making
interactive work for and with children that
fosters creativity.
I hope to see you tangled in a web, building
a city, puzzling something out or pondering
the sky as you engage in the new projects that
Polyglot will bring to you in coming years.
I continue to be inspired by all the people
who make up Polyglot, from the leadership
of Sue Giles and Simon Abrahams, the
creative and operational teams and the
Board whom have all been part of a
transformation of the company. The artists
of Polyglot are the centre of the company
and make the extraordinary and wonderful
experiences which transform, without you
there is no Polyglot – thank-you!
Kirsty Ellem
Chair, Polyglot
Polyglot influences the lives of thousands
of children and their families every year.
From relationships that over a long period
foster individual children’s and communities’
creativity to participative experiences
that invite children into a new world or
experience. Polyglot now reaches children
close to home and all over the world.
The company continues to be recognised
for its innovation, most recently by the
Australian Business Arts Foundation in
winning the National AbaF Giving Award.
Congratulations to the Polyglot team,
ANNUAL REPORT 2010
3
CEOS’ REPORT
The year 2010 saw Polyglot really take flight –
both figuratively and literally – with the most ambitious
and far-reaching program to date.
We created two new professional works,
undertook a major community residency,
and toured to seven countries with seven
different repertoire works. Our new works,
City of Riddles, Wild Things: Outback and
Our Place each took the company’s motto
that theatre is child’s play to their very core.
Our artistic vision was played out with
considerable success with our artists and
audiences embracing the company’s move
to interactive and experiential performance
across our tours to regional and
metropolitan Victoria, throughout Australia
and in China, Korea, Taiwan, England,
Ireland, Scotland and America. Continuing
our rigorous commitment to developing
new work, we continued to explore new
territory with creative developments of
two ambitious new works, Tangled Web
(to premiere in 2011) and How High The Sky
(to premiere in 2012).
Our commitment to sharing our work with
children everywhere from tiny Victorian
country towns to the world’s leading arts
centres was certainly played out to dramatic
effect in 2010. We developed a beautiful
installation in collaboration with the
bushfire-affected Healesville community.
Our new work City of Riddles premiered
at Wycheproof Primary School in Victoria’s
North West, while our worldwide smash
hit We Built This City toured to the Royal
National Theatre as part of London’s
International Festival of Theatre in what was
the most significant tour in the company’s
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ANNUAL REPORT 2010
33 year history. In recognition of the
overwhelming demand for Polyglot’s work
in North Asia – where Check Out! toured
to the most prestigious theatres and
festivals in Korea and Hong Kong –
we developed a new roving act especially
for this market, which premiered at the
World Expo in Shanghai. Polyglot is well
and truly on the map.
We continue to grow in size and reputation
and we are proud to be recognised for
our recent achievements, particularly
through our wins at the Australian Business
Arts Foundation Awards at both state-level
and nationally. We recognise Web Prophets
with whom we shared the Victorian Award
for our arts-business partnerships, as well
as Miss Betty Amsden OAM, Patron of our
Ambassadors’ Circle which was recognised
nationally, for their extraordinary
commitment to Polyglot.
Another highlight of the year was the
announcement of Polyglot being listed
amongst Arts Hub’s Top Ten Australian Arts
Leaders of 2010. This was even a significant
achievement as we were the only inclusions
from the theatre industry.
Our thanks as always are due to our tireless
staff and Board for their hard work,
dedication and passion. We want to pay
particular tribute to Kirsty Ellem who leaves
the Polyglot Board after four years, threeand-a-half as Chair. Kirsty has seen the
company through some of the most
challenging and exciting years in its history
with humour, care and strong vision –
we will miss her greatly, but know that she
will stay close to the company. This year
Mandy Field and Bindi Green moved
on from Polyglot after several years
of dedicated work – we know that they,
too, will not stray too far.
In conclusion, we would like to take this
opportunity to express our sincere thanks
to all our patrons, donors, supporters,
funders, artists, crew, volunteers, presenters,
audiences, partners and friends. Mostly,
we would like to thank the children all over
the world who we worked with throughout
2010, for continuing to inspire us with the
simplicity of their play and the complexity
of their ideas and for reminding us –
despite the rigours of artistic process
and struggles of fundraising – that theatre
is indeed child’s play.
Simon Abrahams,
Executive Producer/
co-CEO
Sue Giles,
Artistic Director/
co-CEO
ANNUAL REPORT 2010
5
YEAR IN REVIEW
In 2010, Polyglot performed 157 performances
of seven works, created two new works, facilitated
one community engagement project, undertook
three creative developments and led 133 workshops,
reaching a total of 105,872 people in seven countries.
Polyglot went from strength to strength
SOME OTHER 2010
in 2010, highlighted by the naming of
HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDED
Simon Abrahams and Sue Giles amongst
•
We Built This City performed at Royal
Arts Hub’s Top Ten Arts Leaders of 2010.
National Theatre as part of London’s
We were the only inclusion nationally from
International Festival of Theatre, UK
a theatre company. We also celebrated our
and at Macrobert Centre, Scotland, UK
great success at the AbaF Awards, where
we were recognised as both the Victorian • We Built This City selected for International
State Winner and then the National Winner Performing Arts for Youth Showcase,
Pittsburgh, USA
of the Australian Business Arts Foundation
(AbaF) Giving Award for the success
• Check Out! performed at Hong Kong
of the Polyglot Ambassadors’ Circle.
International Arts Carnival, China
• Tooth & Claw and Check Out performed
Polyglot also took out the AbaF SME
at National Theatre of Korea
Award for our partnership with Web
Prophets as Victorian State Winner
• New work Wild Things: Outback
and National Finalist.
commissioned for the World Expo,
Shanghai, China
We are also proud to have delivered
• New work City of Riddles premieres
such an ambitious artistic national
in Regional Victoria
and international program in 2010.
• Executive Producer Simon Abrahams
invited as a special guest panellist as part
of the LIFT Festival at the Institute
for Contemporary Art, London.
“
6
Polyglot demonstrates that even small organisations
in a niche market can, with strong leadership
and a strategic approach, achieve great success
Jane Haley, CEO, Australian Business Arts Foundation
from the Weekend Australian Review, 23–24 October 2010
ANNUAL REPORT 2010
”
ANNUAL REPORT 2010
7
CITY OF RIDDLES
DLES
City of Riddles is a 360-degree interactive theatre
experience requiring hands-on participation
from its audience, who are surrounded by puzzles
to be solved and instructions to follow.
City of Riddles is above, below and all
around you! Upon entry, the audience
explores a mysterious and atmospheric
landscape of little buildings, peering inside
each one like giants in a miniature world.
From there, the landscape changes and
changes again, until everyone is drawn
into the story of a girl whose voice is stolen
and buried deep under the City of Riddles.
Deeply involving and heaps of fun, City of
Riddles explores the preoccupation with our
own space, the concepts of freedom and
control and the joyous power of children.
Throughout 2010, we worked with children
from Dinjerra Primary School in Braybrook
on character and story structures and
their artwork features in the final project,
including an animation piece made from
their drawings. Our artists worked continually
to develop the project through a series of
creative developments, which have included
consulting with children from Dinjerra,
Whittingon Primary School, Healesville
Primary School and Badger Creek Primary
School alongside local partners Stonnington
Primary School, Malvern Central Primary
School, our own Kids Creative Committee
and four local Frankston schools.
Regional Arts Victoria was our touring partner
for the schools tour and Frankston Arts Centre
hosted the theatre rehearsal at the Cube,
where we invited local schools to test run
the show and help us solve the final moment.
8
ANNUAL REPORT 2010
KEY ARTISTS
Creative Collaborators: Children
from Whittington, Dinjerra, Healesville
and Badger Creek Primary Schools
Director: Sue Giles
Designer: Daniele Poidomani
Sound Designer: James Wilkinson
Lighting Designer: Richard Vabre
Performers/Co-Devisors: Tamara Rewse,
Jacob Williams, Hung Le, Christian Bagin
Production Manager: Amy Bagshaw
Dramaturgy: Kate Denborough,
Julianne O’Brien
This project was independently evaluated
by Dr Ricci Jane Adams from the University
of Melbourne, who noted a number of very
positive outcomes on the children involved
in the project.
Workshops: 9
Performances: 17
Total Participants: 440
Total Audiences: 2,141
“
Collaboration with (Polyglot’s)
professional artists gave the
students a sense of esteem
and individual worth.
Dr Ricci Jane Adams
”
“
“
If there was 10 out of 10,
I would give it 10
Student
As teachers, we enjoyed the unique
interactive quality of the play and found it
fascinating to watch the students’ reactions
to the lack of instruction and the different
way of communicating. Teacher
”
”
ANNUAL REPORT 2010
9
10
ANNUAL REPORT 2010
WILD THINGS: OUTBACK
Polyglot was commissioned by the Australian Pavilion
at the World Expo in Shanghai, China, to develop
a new roving act based on Polyglot’s successful
Wild Things series.
Three new characters were created:
Precious, an inquisitive Emu; Rocky, a sleepy
Koala; and Ned a friendly Pelican. The work
was created especially for the Asian market
and following their premiere at the World
Expo, the new Wild Things toured to Taiwan
for a successful appearance.
PERFORMANCE DETAILS
China – Shanghai World Expo
27 Sep – 9 Oct
Performances: 36
Total Audience: approx. 76,200
Taiwan – Khaosiung International Puppet
Festival 11 – 15 Nov
Performances: 8
Total Audience: approx. 2,750
KEY ARTISTS
Director: Sue Giles
W
Puppet Makers: Graeme Davis, Tim Wells
an Goronzsy, Mischa Long
Performers: Dan
(Shanghai only), Keira Lyons (Taiwan only),
Lachlan MacLeod
ANNUAL REPO
REPORT 2010
11
OUR PLACE – THROUGH
THE EYES OF A CHILD
In 2010, Polyglot and the Shire of Yarra Ranges
teamed up again after 2009’s successful Wish Street
installation to create Our Place – Through the Eyes
of a Child, a bushfire recovery project in Healesville.
The Shire of Yarra Ranges had identified
this community bushfire program as one
that would build connection and focus
on the idea of families and belonging
in their region for people affected by
the February 2009 fires.
KEY ARTISTS
Our Place was a 10-week workshop process
from 17 July to 18 September 2010, where
parent/child couples met every Saturday
morning for a session together with the
Polyglot artists to generate visual ideas
of people in different environments, ideas
of identity and connection. True to the
Polyglot artistic rationale, the work followed
the child’s view of things, allowing space
for the children to lead the parent in this
exploration and for both to be valued
as equal members of the creative team.
Number of Workshops: 10
Number of Exhibitions: 1
Total Participants: 159
Total Audience: 62
This cross-generational project resulted
in the creation of a beautiful installation
in the Memorial Hall in Healesville,
transforming this utilitarian space into
something that the community could
explore and walk through. The installation
fe
featured the creations of 10 pairs of child
and parent p
participants.
12
ANNUAL REPORT
T 2010
Concept Director: Jessica Wilson
Visual Artist: Lisa Frankland
Sound Designers: Madeleine Flynn
and Tim Humphreys
Project Manager: Dan Goronszy
“
…a unique creative process
resulting in the beautiful
exhibition of installations.
”
Kath Gannaway, Mountain Views Mail,
14 Sept 2010
“
The workshop was successful in providing a childled creative process that impacted positively on the
creative confidence of the child (and adult) participants.
This was achieved by allowing the child to feel
empowered in both structured and free engagement
with their individual creative expression.
Dr Ricci-Jane Adams – Independent Evaluation Report
”
ANNUAL REPORT 2010
13
HOW HIGH THE SKY –
CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT
How High The Sky is an immersive interactive theatrical
experience which aims to re-frame the unique
relationship between a parent and their new child.
This creative development between the
artists was intense and productive, with
the concepts of separation and respect
being explored in a playful environment.
Theatre for the Very Young is a fascinating
area which not only challenges theatre
itself but the very idea of being human.
This is a delightful and fascinating project
that has benefitted from a creative team
who could conceptually and intellectually
delve deep to create something new
for this age group (0 –12 months).
Funding support for this project was
gratefully received from The Arts Centre
and a private donation from Daniel
and Danielle Besen through Polyglot’s
Ambassadors’ Circle
How High The Sky moves into the next
stages of creative development in 2011.
14
ANNUAL REPORT 2010
KEY ARTISTS
Co-Directors: Sue Giles and Jessica Wilson
Designer: Anna Tregloan
Sound Designers: David Franzke
and Russell Goldsmith
Lighting Designer: Andrew Livingstone
Performers /Tutors: Emily Tomlins,
Nick Barlow, Sarah Kriegler
Number of Workshops: 5
Total Participants: 184
ANNUAL REPORT 2010
15
TANGLED WEB
We undertook further design and testing behind
our Tangled Web concept, settling on a design
featuring 24 golden poles set into six bases.
Tangled Web is a huge, messy, fun,
interactive elastic weaving event created live
by children and their families. It’s part mass
visual arts installation, part performance,
part play ground, part dance party and all
chaos. The children of Stonnington Primary
School tested the concepts when we set up
a version of the work in their playground,
brainstormed ideas and possibilities with
the creative team, and designed sculptures
out of twisted wire, for Polyglot’s artists
to build as part of the final presentation.
The art and visual design of the piece
has come from the simple sculptures
the children created, made large by our
professional team; a satisfying result of
the process we undertook. Tangled Web
premieres at Artplay in Federation Square
as part of the 2011 Moomba Festival.
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ANNUAL REPORT 2010
KEY ARTISTS
Concept and Director: Sue Giles
Sound Design: Ania Reynolds
Construction Design: Michael Baxter
Number of workshops: 2
Number of participants: 51
2010
REPERTOIRE
TOURS
ANNUAL REPORT 2010
17
CHECK OUT!
Check Out! performed two significant international
tours, at the National Theatre of Korea and
Nowon Theatre in Seoul, and at the Hong Kong
International Arts Carnival.
Check Out! is a wickedly funny work
of theatre about the consumer culture
bonanza. Set in a supermarket, Check
Out! is fast paced and physical, with a very
funny and ever-so-scathing take on parent /
child relationships and the market power
invested in children. A return Melbourne
season at Monash University celebrated our
international success.
“
Their message on the perils
of overconsumption couldn’t
be more relevant than in
present-day Hong Kong.
Leeza Mangaldas, Time Out HK,
4 Aug 2010
”
KEY PERFORMERS
Korea performers: Mischa Long,
Bruce Paterson, Beth McMahon
Hong Kong & Melbourne performers:
Christian Bagin, Bruce Paterson,
Justine Warner
Stage Managers: Bindi Green (Korea,
Hong Kong), Michael Carr (Melbourne)
Production Managers: Michael Carr
(Hong Kong), Michael Jankie (Korea)
KOREA
Performances: 9
Audience numbers: 2,812
HONG KONG
Performances: 7
Audience numbers: 1,735
MELBOURNE
Performances: 6
Audience numbers: 1,103
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ANNUAL REPORT 2010
WE BUILT THIS CITY
“
Happiness can be found in the simple things.
Bruna Tapper, UK
”
We Built This City is an interactive play
KEY ARTISTS
space for families made entirely out of
2010 Performers: Simon Abrahams, Megan
cardboard boxes which celebrates absolute Cameron, Dan Goronszy, Mischa Long, Lachlan
simplicity and the power of children’s
MacLeod, Keira Lyons, Heath McIyvor, Jodee
imaginations. As extraordinary as ever,
Mundy, David Pidd, Glen Walton, Justine Warner
We Built This City continued to be
Production Managers: Paul Lim, Bindi Green
Polyglot’s showcase piece in Australia and
around the world. In January, we took We
UK TOUR
Built This City to the Pittsburgh Children’s
• Stirling – Macrobert Arts Centre
Theatre as part of the International
Performing Arts For Youth Showcase, USA. • Carlisle Cumbria – Lakes Alive! Festival
As part of our season in Pittsburgh, we ran • London – National Theatre
(Part of LIFT, London Festival of Architecture
a series of workshops with children from
and Watch This Space festivals)
the CAPA Performing Arts School.
• Dublin, Ireland – Draiocht Theatre
A highlight of the year came with the
Performances: 28
announcement of our inclusion in a UK and
Audience numbers: 4,053
Ireland tour, including the most prestigious
tour in Polyglot’s 32 year history: inclusion
in the program at the Royal National
CITY OF KNOX
Theatre as part of the London International
Ferntree Gully Reserve
Festival of Theatre, Watch This Space
Performances: 4
Festival and the London Festival of
Audience numbers: 1,440
Architecture. The tour also included
performances at the Macrobert Centre in
BENDIGO EASTER FESTIVAL
Stirling, Scotland (a specialised children’s
Performances: 4
performance centre), at the Lakes Alive
Audience numbers: 1,221
festival in Carlisle Cumbria (northern
England) as part of the Cultural Olympiad,
and a season at the Draiocht Theatre in
Dublin, Ireland.
Seasons in Victoria were also held at the
rntree Gully and at the
Knox Festival in Ferntree
stival.
Bendigo Easter Festival.
ANNUAL REPORT 2010
19
MUCKHEAP
THE BIG GAME
Funny, fast and fantastically messy,
Muckheap is a tale of two people trying to
clean out their shed. In the process, they
find everything they thought was junk is too
interesting, useful or too full of memories
to throw away. Now in its tenth year of
continuous touring, this tour featured cast
members who have toured the show many
times before. Preparations began for the
2011 plan to celebrate the tenth anniversary
of Muckheap with new productions in
Chinese and in Auslan.
G
i a gigantic,
gigantic fun interactive
The Big Game
is
performance and play space for families. A
live excerpt was presented at the Australian
Performing Arts Market in Adelaide for
national and international delegates.
KEY ARTISTS
2010 Performers: Keira Lyons,
Justine Warner
Production Manager: Bindi Green
Chapel off Chapel Theatre
Federation Square – BMW Edge Theatre
Performances: 15
Audience numbers: 4,682
“
20
Very good, exactly what the
kids can relate to without
turning on the TV and games.
Joseph Dinh
ANNUAL REPORT 2010
”
KEY ARTISTS
Director: Sue Giles
Performers: Jacob Williams, Sarah Kriegler,
Mandy Field
Performances: 1
Audience numbers: 150
ROVING
RO
ACTS
PUPPETRY
WORKSHOPS
Polyg
Polyglot’s
roving performances brings
iinteractive
t ra
puppetry up close to huge
audiences, displaying the engaging nature
of the artform and the power of intriguing
images in public spaces. The roving shows
feature dinosaurs and animals from Australia
and the world that engage with the general
public through a combination of actor and
puppetry performance.
Polyglot runs puppetry workshops in schools
and at community events and festivals,
encouraging creativity through hands-on
experiences. In 2010, we developed two
new workshops: a teacher professional
development workshop called Unleash
The Beast: Uncovering Building Blocks to
the Imagination, and an installation-based
workshop called Classroom Blitz.
KEY ARTISTS
KEY ARTISTS
Puppet Designers: Graeme Davis,
Katrina Gaskell, Philip Millar
2010 Tutors: Christian Bagin, Nick Barlow,
Penelope Bartlau, Michael Bevitt, Megan
Cameron, Merophie Carr, Conor Fox,
Roland Fraval, Sue Giles, Dan Goronszy,
Sarah Kriegler, Mischa Long, Keira Lyons,
Lachlan MacLeod, Jodee Mundy, Tamara
Rewse, Kirsty Russell, Emily Tomlins, Glen
Walton, Justine Warner, Jacob Williams.
2010 Performers: Nick Barlow, Penelope
Bartlau, Megan Cameron, Dan Goronszy,
Sarah Kriegler, Keira Lyons, Mischa Long,
Lachlan MacLeod, Bruce Paterson, Justine
Warner, Jacob Williams.
Performance Outcomes: Albury Botanical
Gardens, Kingswood College, Shepparton
Maude Street Mall, Waverley Gardens
Secondary College, Williamstown Botanic
Gardens.
Puppetry Workshops: 133
Participation numbers: 4,022
Performances: 17
Audience numbers: approx 2,010
ANNUAL REPORT 2010
21
AMBASSADORS
Polyglot’s Ambassadors’ Circle is an annual giving
program supporting Polyglot’s artistic works.
The program was launched on 12 December
2009. Donations support Polyglot’s artistic
projects and are fully tax deductible.
Miss Betty Amsden OAM is Patron
of Polyglot’s Ambassadors’ Circle.
POLYGLOT’S AMBASSADORS’
CIRCLE
City Benefactor $10,000+
Betty Amsden OAM
Daniel and Danielle Besen
Town Ambassador $5,000 – $9,999
David Hanrahan, Anonymous (1)
House Ambassador $1,000 – $2,499
Kirsty Ellem, Greg Shalit and Miriam Faine
Box Ambassador $200 – $999
Anonymous (1), Robina Burton,
Tom Gutteridge, Damien Hodgkinson,
Joan Morgan and Richard Roberts,
Fairlie Nassau, Johanna Platt, Naomi Tippett,
Fiona Wahr and Julian Pocock, Julia White
SUPPORTING DONORS
Simon Abrahams, Jane Haley, Miss Betty Amsden OAM
and Sue Giles
Special thanks to our supporting donors
in 2010 for their kind and valued gifts:
Polyglot’s Ambassadors’ Cricle won
the AbaF Giving Award 2010
Barbara Allen, Celine Bowler, Claire Issacs,
Rod Oaten, Naomi Nicholson, Ann Tonks
“
My role as Patron of Polyglot’s Ambassador
Circle is very important to me. I passionately
believe all children deserve an opportunity
to develop their creative sides and Polyglot
fulfils that need through the integrity of their
artistic programs. I am personally pleased
to support Polyglot Theatre and I urge you
to join me. Miss Betty Amsden, OAM
”
22
ANNUAL REPORT 2010
THANK YOU
Fenn Gordon,
Ellen Dwyer and Lyn Wallis
at the Australia Council
Julia Topliss, Ivan Grynenko,
Jim Koutsouris and Amber
Henry at Web Prophets
Vivien Allimonos and
Rita Fitzpatrick at Australia
House, London
Damien Hodgkinson
Tim van Nooten
Bo-Young Lim and
the staff at the Australian
Embassy, Korea
Jessica Wilson
Ricci-Jane Adams
Gavin D Andrew
Joseph Alessi, Katherine
Tsai and Juliet Woo
at Austrade
James O Lucas
Michelle Armstrong,
Amanda Browne,
Fay Chomley, Julie Cotter
and all at Arts Victoria
Amy McCallum and all
at the Macrobert Centre,
Scotland
Betty Amsden OAM
Emer McGowan and all
at Draiocht, Dublin
Emily Atkins and Lindy Allen
at Regional Arts Victoria
Halcyon Macleod
Paul McGill and Jane McGill
Carol Gafen
Mark Ball, Erica Campayne,
Emilie Gale, Pete Staves
and all at LIFT Festival,
London
Vicky Guglielmo
Robin Batt and Merryn
Tinkler at the Frankston
Arts Centre
Tony Ovadia
Hannes Berger, Emer
Harrington, Robin Penty
at the Arts Centre
Daniel and Danielle Besen
Nicole Beyer at Theatre
Network Victoria
Merophie Carr
Michael Carr
Laura Colby, Sabine
Dabady and all at Elsie
Management in New York
Jodee Mundy
Julieanne O’Brien
Jonothon Oxlade
Jan Panettieri
Peter Redden
Tony Reekie and Rhona
Matheson at Imaginate,
Scotland
Kate Denborough
Anna Schoo
Mania Diner
Jeremy Shine, Jenny
Graham and Jan Shorrock
in Manchester, Kendall
and Carlisle, UK
Jane Gronow
Karl Hatton
at the Portland Arts Centre
Ann Henshall
at the Capital, Bendigo
Michael Jankie
at Trafficlight
Thank you everyone!
The staff of Pink Ginger
for delicious sushi, except
for the weird tandoori
chicken ones
Jason Cross
Samantha Fredericks
at Blaze Solutions Group
Thanks to all of our nonPolyglot family and friends
for supporting us, forgiving
our absences and helping
us find the playfulness in
the rest of our lives. We
would also like to sincerely
thank and acknowledge
the support our many
volunteers who generously
give their time to support
the company and Teachers
from Whittington, Dinjerra,
Healesville and Badger
Creek, Currajong and
Stonnington Schools.
Ian, Rosie and Zak Pidd
Adam Seaman and Jim
Hosfield at As Described,
London
Alex Desebrock
Trevor Wight and Michelle
Wild at Strange Fruit
Tatia Sloley, Mary
Thompson, Lucy WaldronBrown at TS Publicity
Simon Spain
Boomer Stacey and all
at International Performing
Arts For Youth
Ann Tonks
ANNUAL REPORT 2010
23
DIRECTORS’ DECLARATION
AND AUDITOR’S REPORT
Polyglot Puppet Theatre Ltd.
ACN: 005 118 052
Directors’ declaration
The directors have determined that the company
is not a reporting entity.
The directors have determined that this special
purpose financial report should be prepared in
accordance with the accounting policies outlined
in Note 1 to the financial statements.
The directors of the company declare that:
1. the financial statements and notes, presents
fairly the company’s financial position as at
31st December 2010 and its performance
for the year ended on that date in accordance
with the accounting policies described in Note 1
to the financial statements.
2. in the directors’ opinion there are reasonable
grounds to believe that the company will be able
to pay it’s debts as and when they become due
and payable.
This declaration is made in accordance
with a resolution of the Board of Directors.
Kirsty Ellem
Dated 16th March 2011
Johanna Platt
Independent audit report to the members
of Polyglot Puppet Theatre Ltd.
Scope
We have audited the attached financial statements and
the Statement by Directors for the financial year ended.
The company’s directors are responsible for the
preparation and presentation of the financial
statements and the information they contain. We have
conducted an independent audit of these financial
statements in order to express an opinion on them
to the members of the company.
Our audit has been conducted in accordance with
Australian Auditing Standards to provide reasonable
assurance as to whether the financial statements
are free of material misstatement. Our procedures
included examination, on a test basis, of evidence
supporting the amounts and other disclosures in the
financial statements, and the evaluation of accounting
policies and significant accounting estimates. These
procedures have been undertaken to form an opinion
as to whether, in all material respects, the financial
statements are presented fairly in accordance with
Australian accounting concepts and standards and
statutory requirements, so as to present a view which
is consistent with our understanding of the company’s
financial position and the results of their operations.
The audit opinion expressed in this report has been
formed on the above basis.
Audit opinion
In our opinion, the financial statements
of Polyglot Puppet Theatre Ltd. are properly drawn up:
(a) so as to give a true and fair view of:
(i) the state of affairs and the profit of the company
for the financial year ended 31st December 2010
(ii) the other matters required by Divisions 4,4A,
and 4B of Part 3.6 of the Corporations Law to be
dealt with in the financial accounts
(b) in accordance with the provisions
of the Corporations Law; and
(c) in accordance with the Statements of Accounting
Concepts and applicable Accounting Standards.
Ivan Clyne
BCom(Hons), GDip(Sec), MTax, FCa, ACis.
Chartered Accountant
99 Canterbury Road, Blackburn
Dated 16th March 2011
24
ANNUAL REPORT 2010
INCOME STATEMENT
FOR THE YEAR ENDED
Polyglot Puppet Theatre Ltd.
ACN: 005 118 052
31st December 2010
2010
2009
Income
Earned Income
Box Office
Contract Fees
Theatre Hire Income
International Contract Fees
Reimbursements
Sundry Income
Workshop Fees
Royalties
Grants
Australia Council
Arts Victoria
Local Government Grants
Philanthropic Trusts
Other Grants
Other Income
Donations
Interest Earned
Corporate Sponsorship
Auspice
0
147,916
15,282
192,566
12,358
2,145
54,937
471
36,650
163,975
46,820
75,000
30,867
44,495
13,861
10,000
0
425,675
1,481
256,120
60,273
53,874
22,027
5,420
68,450
3,400
471,045
353,312
32,437
165,816
52,800
0
9,120
260,173
68,356
80,226
4,032
9,091
4,337
847,343
Total Income
97,686
828,904
Less expenses
Administration
Administrative Overheads
Salaries, Fees and On costs
Auspice
Marketing & Promotion
Marketing Costs
Production Costs
Production Costs
Salaries, Fees and On costs
Total expenses
Operating surplus for the year
63,938
352,371
0
416,309
80,987
248,289
4,508
33,509
169,550
227,246
396,796
846,614
$729
333,784
39,672
137,556
234,041
371,597
745,053
$83,851
The accompanying notes form part of these financial statements
ANNUAL REPORT 2010
25
NOTES TO AND FORMING PART
OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Polyglot Puppet Theatre Ltd.
ACN: 005 118 052
1. Statement of accounting policies
2. Principal activities
Special purpose financial report
The financial statements being a special purpose
financial report, have been prepared to meet the
information need of the directors and other closely
associated interested parties.
The company provides a children’s educational theatre.
The company has applied Accounting Standard AASB
1025 “Application of the Reporting Entity Concept and
Other Amendments”. Since the directors consider the
company is not a reporting entity as defined in AASB
1025, the company is not required to comply with other
Accounting Standards.
The financial statements have been prepared in
accordance with the accrual basis of accounting
as defined in AASB 1001, applicable Accounting
Standards and Urgent Issues Group Consensus View,
except for:
AASB 1005 “Financial Reporting by Segments”.
AASB 1010 “Accounting for the revaluation
of Non-Current Assets”.
AASB 1017 “Related Party Disclosures”.
AASB 1026 “Statement of Cash Flows”.
AASB 1028 “Accounting for Employee Entitlements”.
The above Accounting Standards have not been
complied with since the directors consider the cost
of compliance would outweigh the benefits to
members of the resulting information and that
non-compliance with those standards does not affect
the truth and fairness of the financial statements.
The financial statements have been prepared on the
basis of historical costs and do not take into account
changing money values or, except where state, current
valuations of non-current assets. The accounting policies
have been consistently applied, unless stated otherwise.
Summarised below are the significant accounting
policies and methods adopted which have been
consistently applied by the company, unless
otherwise stated.
3.
A) Capital grants
The treatment of capital grants is to reflect the capital
grant and the related assets that were acquired by
the grant. The receipt of the grant has been treated
as a capital receipt and has been brought to account
as part of the Members Funds. The purchase of the
related assets has been provided separate treatment in
the balance sheet so that the total grants and the total
assets will equate with each other. As the grant was of
a capital nature, and did not form part of the general
income, the amortisation write off of the capital grant
assets will be offset against the grant rather than be
accounted for in the profit and loss account.
B) Plant & equipment
Fixed assets are included at cost. All fixed assets
are depreciated over their estimated useful lives
commencing from the time the assets were held ready
for use.
C) Plant & equipment: capital grants
Leasehold Improvements
These assets relate to general assets that were
acquired by the means of capital grants provided
for the purpose of improving the premises which
are currently leased. The Leasehold Assets are to be
written off over the term of the lease plus the option of
renewal of the lease. These assets have been included
at cost.
Plant & equipment
Theses assets relate to general assets that were
aquired by the means of capital grants provided for
the purpose of purchasing plant and equipment.
These assets have been included at cost. As the assets
are considered to be of a long wearing nature they are
to be written off over the period of the lease of the
premises.
Vehicles
These assets relate to general assets that were
acquired by the means of capital grants provided for
the purpose of purchasing motor vehicles. Vehicles
have been included at cost and are to be written off
over the useful life of the motor vehicles.
The accompanying notes form part of these financial
statements
26
ANNUAL REPORT 2010
BALANCE SHEET
Polyglot Puppet Theatre Ltd.
ACN: 005 118 052
31st December 2010
2010
$223,887
Equity funds as at the 31st December 2010
2009
$223,158
Assets
Current assets
Cash
Cash at Bank
Cash Management Fund
Advance: Petty Cash
Prepayments and Short Term Loans
Receivables
Prepayments
98,356
272,037
1,283
371,676
18,183
320,000
178
58,825
19,736
78,561
40,052
29,506
450,237
Total current assets
Non current assets
Plant & Equipment – Note 3b
Plant & Equipment: Cost
Accumulated Depreciation
Plant & Equipment: Capital Grants – Note 3c
Leasehold Improvements
Accumulated Depreciation: Leasehold Improvements
Plant & Equipment: Cost
Accumulated Depreciation: Cost
Plant & Equipment: Motor Vehicles
Accumulated Amortisation: Motor Vehicles
54,338
(45,647)
108,690
(108,690)
0
33,830
(33,830)
0
63,732
(63,732)
0
69,558
407,919
8,691
47,874
(45,647)
0
108,690
(108,690)
0
33,830
(33,830)
0
63,732
(56,264)
7,468
8,691
458,928
Total non current assets
Total assets
338,361
2,227
7,468
9,695
417,614
Liabilities
Current liabilities
Short Term Creditors and Borrowings
Accounts Payable
Sundry Creditors & Accruals
Security Bond
Income in Advance
Grants in Advance
Goods and Service Tax Payable
Pay as You Go Withholding Tax Payable
Provisions
Audit Fees
Provision for Bad Debts
Superannuation
Long Service Leave
Holiday Pay
Total current liabilities
Net assets
4,376
2,467
500
42,030
138,100
6,601
4,798
975
9,430
2,320
11,158
12,286
198,872
38,455
263
0
12,000
100,350
4,802
5,982
36,169
975
10,930
2,742
10,196
7,761
235,041
$223,887
161,852
32,604
194,456
$223,158
ANNUAL REPORT 2010
27
STATEMENTS OF CHANGES
TO EQUITY AND CASH FLOWS
Polyglot Puppet Theatre Ltd.
ACN: 005 118 052
31st December 2010
2010
2009
223,158
729
129,671
83,851
223,887
213,522
As at the 31st December 2010
Statement of changes to equity
Operating surplus carried forward
Operating surplus for the year
Carried forward operating surplus as at the 31st December
Plus Capital Grants less Amortisation of Relating to Capital Grants (Note 3a)
Grants received
Capital Grant: Community Support Fund 1997
144,000
Capital Grant: Arts Victoria Housing the Arts
30,000
Arts Victoria: Van Grant
26,582
Capital Grant: Computer Equipment
8,180
208,762
Amortisation Current Year
Leasehold Improvements
Plant & Equipment: Cost
Plant & Equipment: Motor Vehicles
Equity funds as at the 31st December 2010
108,690
36,340
63,732
208,762
144,000
30,000
26,582
8,180
208,762
0
108,690
36,340
54,096
199,126
9,636
$223,887
$223,158
2010
2009
391,062
75,000
377,144
44,495
10,000
(579,617)
(305,094)
364,861
0
433,744
80,226
9,091
(482,330)
(240,397)
12,990
165,195
13,861
6,464
6,563
0
20,325
33,315
338,361
6,563
171,758
166,603
$371,676
$338,361
As at the 31st December 2010
Statement of cash flows for the year ended
Cash Flows from Operating Activities
Cash receipts from Grants
Cash receipts from Philanthropic Trusts
Cash receipts from User Charges
Cash from Donations
Cash from Corporate Sponsorship
Cash payments: Salaries and Salary On Costs
Cash payments: Administration and other overhead costs
Net cash provided by operating activities
Cash flows from Investing Activities
Interest received
Purchase of plant and equipment
Net cash used in investing activities
Net increase / (decrease) in cash held
Cash at beginning of the financial year
Cash at the end of the financial year – 31st December 2010
28
ANNUAL REPORT 2010
PARTNERS
AND SUPPORTERS
Polyglot Theatre is proudly supported by the Polyglot Ambassadors’
Circle and is assisted by the Victorian Government through Arts Victoria,
the City of Melbourne and the City of Stonnington.
Miss Betty Amsden, OAM is Patron of the Ambassadors’ Circle
Triennial Funders
Polyglot is assisted
by the Victorian Government
through Arts Victoria.
Project Partners
The Big Game
City of Riddles
Check out!
Touring Partner:
Presenting Partners:
Hong Kong International
Arts Carnival, National
Theatre of Korea, Nowon
Theatre, Monash University
How High The Sky
Muckheap
Daniel and
Danielle Besen
We Built This City
IPAY
Draiocht Theatre, Manchester Arts
International, Lakes Alive, Kendall Arts
Wild Things Outback
Presenting Partner:
World Expo
International Market Development Strategy
Corporate Partners
Corporate Sponsors
Our Place
MORE INFORMATION
INFORMATI
Polyglot Theatre
27a Cromwell Rd, South Yarra,
Victoria 3141 Australia
T+61 (03) 9827 9667
[email protected]
polyglottheatre.com
30
ANNUAL REPORT 2010