Chair’s report What an honour it was to be a part of Bangarra’s 25th anniversary. It was a prolific year where we performed everywhere from ornate European theatres to local ovals on the mesmerising Thursday Island in the Torres Strait. I’m proud to report that 2014 was our best box office result ever – with ticket sales of $1.3 million – as the wonderful brand-new Australian work Patyegarang enchanted audiences across the country. We performed 102 shows to 51,363 people nationally and internationally, and happily extended our Sydney season to a record-breaking 35 performances due to audience demand. But this year wasn’t just about performing. It was a timely reminder that Bangarra Dance Theatre was created back in 1989 for all Australians. Even though you can find us in all the major venues in capital cities, we also dance on regional stages and without charge for many remote communities. This milestone is a reminder that the company is a foundation; a foundation for cultural inheritance and the sharing of knowledge through the contemporary medium of dance. Bangarra’s impact over a quarter of a century cannot be understated. The company has majorly influenced Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander performing arts and contemporary dance theatre in this country. It’s also placed our culture in the global spotlight, having performed in 66 cities in 25 countries since its inception. We’ve continued to expand beyond the main stage into education, and in 2014 our Rekindling Youth program was shared with more students than ever before. After a two-year pilot that began in 2012, we’ve now refined and reshaped this important offering to secondary school students and are seeing incredible results. Of the 300 Rekindling participants to date, nine have been accepted into NAISDA in 2015, which proves its worth as a training ground for emerging young talent and its namesake as a rekindling of passion for culture.
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On the financial front, we’re in robust shape, thanks to a number of initiatives designed to create a sustainable platform for Bangarra’s future. We continue to expand our earned revenue