BLACK SWAN THEATRE

About This Project

About Black Swan

The year after successfully staging Jimmy Chi and Kuckles’ Broome-set classic Bran Nue Dae for the 1990 Perth Festival, Andrew Ross founded Black Swan Theatre with chair Janet Holmes a Court, along with then theatre manager Duncan Ord and arts administrator Will Quekett. Since 1991, Black Swan has created theatre, that speaks with a quintessentially Western Australian voice, and taken their work to the world. Stories like Bran Nue Dae, Cloudstreet, Red Dog, Last Cab to Darwin and The Sapphires, all began with Black Swan.

About the Project

‘The First Nations Community Access Program’ will increase accessibility to the arts for Aboriginal audiences of greatest need, primarily by providing free tickets to shows by Black Swan State Theatre Company of WA. The program will also offer free transportation to groups requiring assistance to travel to and from the theatre.

The funding applied for from the Aboriginal Benefits Foundation will support the program from 01 July 2023 – 30 June 2024, with the view to seek additional funding so as to establish the program in perpetuity in future years.

The ABF is supportive of this program continuing into 2024/2025 and allowing further access for remote communities.

Collaborators

Elizabeth Narkle- is a Noongar woman and graduate of Aboriginal performance at WAAPA.
Zac James- is a TO Wongi, Yamatji man studied at WAAPA and has experience as Artistic Director of Desert Wirla Theatre Company.

Irma Woods -has had a long career spanning the arts and Aboriginal leadership as an artist, dramaturg and cultural consultant. She has worked with Yirra Yaakin, Black Swan State Theatre Company and Perth Festival, and as the Program Administrator for the Yorga Djenna Bidi Aboriginal Women’s Leadership Program.

How we helped

We provided $3,000 for theatre seats to be freely provided to local and regional Indigenous peoples, their transport to and from the venue and other additional assistance.