Critical Path respectfully acknowledges the Birrabirragal and Gadigal people as the traditional custodians of the land where the organisation is based. We recognise Australia’s First Peoples continuing connection to these lands and acknowledge the elders past and present.
Cover: BODY DATA LOOP, at U108, National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, 2024. Photo by David CHEN, Hank TSAI, Anpis WANG.
As Chair of Critical Path, I am delighted to present our 2024 Annual Report. This year marks a significant period of growth and renewal for our organisation as we continue to build upon our legacy while embracing exciting new directions.
In 2024, we welcomed three exceptional new Board members: Jill Brown as Secretary, who brings her extensive publishing expertise and dance scholarship; Serena Chalker, who offers valuable insights as an experienced arts leader and choreographer; and Georgia Shepherd, whose background as a former professional dancer combined with her business acumen strengthens our governance team immensely.
We took positive steps towards securing our future at the Drill Hall, which was supported by the passionate advocacy of artists contributing to Woollahra Arts and Culture’s new draft strategy. Artists truly “occupied” the Drill Hall as never before, with over three thousand hours offered to benefit the sector – a testament to our commitment to providing vital space for dance research and development.
Hosting the Keir Choreographic Award’s 10th anniversary and working with the Foundation Trust to deliver “Competing Choreographies: 10 Years of the Keir Choreographic Award” events in Sydney and Melbourne was an honour. The publication, edited by Angela Conquet and Philipa Rothfield, maps the award’s history and impact. We particularly thank Phillip Keir and Sarah Benjamin for their vision and generosity.
A milestone achievement was the international tour of Body Data Loop, our first research exchange project produced by Critical Path, curated by Matt Cornell, in partnership with the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office, Sydney, and supported by Creative Australia. This project exemplifies our dedication to fostering cross-cultural dialogue through movement research.
Our comprehensive First Nations program, expertly curated by Jasmin Sheppard and supported by Create NSW, continued to amplify Indigenous voices and perspectives, creating space for vital cultural expression and knowledge sharing.
Community engagement flourished through new initiatives, including open classes, Critical Practice sessions, and co-presentations, extending our reach and impact within the broader dance ecosystem.
We strengthened our ongoing partnership with Performance Space through an expanded Experimental Choreographic Program. We established exciting new collaborations with FORM Dance Projects (IDEA) and Sydney Opera House (Create Space for inclusive dance practice), expanding opportunities for diverse choreographic explorations.
Significantly, 2024 saw the delivery of our new strategic plan, which provides a robust framework to guide Critical Path’s evolution in the coming years and ensures we remain at the forefront of choreographic development and research. We’re pleased to acknowledge our successful multi-year funding application with Create NSW, which will support our continued growth in the coming years.
I extend my deepest gratitude to our Artistic Director, Agnès Michelet,
for her visionary leadership, dedicated staff, Board members, funding partners, and especially to the artists whose creativity, courage, and commitment drive our work. Together, we continue pushing boundaries, challenging norms, and shaping contemporary dance’s future.
Adrian Burnett - Chair
ABN AND INCORPORATION NUMBER
ABN: 12 049 903 261
Critical Path Incorporated is an Incorporated Association (NSW)
Incorporation Number: INC9881671
REGISTERED OFFICE & PRINCIPAL PLACE OF BUSINESS
The Drill
1C New Beach Road
Darling Point (Rushcutters Bay) NSW 2027
RESPONSIBLE ENTITIES
Auditors
DM Advisory Services, Chartered Accountants
Public Officer
Agnès Michelet
The Committee members of Critical Path Incorporated present their reports together with the financial statements for the year ending 31 December 2024 and the Independent Audit Report, covering those financial statements.
The following people were committee members of Critical Path Incorporated during or since the end of the financial year.
There were four general meetings during the year plus the AGM held on 29 April 2024. In addition, there was a Committee & Team Strategic Planning session on 6 July 2024 taking from the Planning meeting held in October 2023 facilitated by Karilyn Brown. The Planning Session supported the writing of the 2025-2028 new Strategic Plan submitted to Create NSW early December 2024 for four-year Multiyear funding. Meetings during the year and the number of meetings attended by each member are as follows:
ADRIAN BURNETT
Chair (from August 2023)
Adrian is an Arts Leader with extensive national and international experience, currently serving as Head of Programming at Carriageworks—one of Australia’s leading multi-arts centres in Sydney— since August 2024. He is an awardwinning choreographer and leading Dance Artist with a distinguished career spanning performance, choreography, curation, and arts leadership.
From 2021-2024, Adrian served as Senior Curator of ‘New Annual’, City of Newcastle’s premiere arts and cultural festival, where he delivered three successful festivals, developed strategic direction, and attracted significant box office success and government funding. Under his curation, the festival gained national recognition through its diverse programming that showcased both emerging local talent and established national artists across multiple artforms.
Prior to this, Adrian joined Creative Australia in 2011 and was appointed Director of Dance in 2015. His art-form expertise and national overview informed
grant programs, strategic initiatives, and policy outcomes at the Council for over a decade.
After graduating from The Australian Ballet School, Adrian joined The Australian Ballet where he held prominent artistic roles including Senior Artist, Resident Choreographer, Guest Teacher, and Executive Producer. During this time, he was Guest Artist with Basel Ballet in Switzerland, The National Ballet of Canada, and Scottish Ballet.
As a choreographer, Adrian has been commissioned to create over twenty new ballets for companies including Dutch National Ballet, Houston Ballet, Singapore Dance Theatre, New York City Ballet’s Choreographic Institute, The Australian Ballet, West Australian Ballet, and Royal New Zealand Ballet. He has worked extensively as a guest ballet master with international companies, including staging seminal works by Glen Tetley and Twyla Tharp for the Scottish Ballet’s season at the Edinburgh International Arts Festival.
BRENDAN O’CONNELL
Acting Chair (until August 2023, then standing ordinary member until February 2024)
Brendan has held senior management, programming and producing roles at Sydney Opera House, City of Sydney, Performance Space, Sydney Festival, Adelaide Fringe, and the Australian Consulate-General in New York working across artforms and genres on a suite of large-scale projects and festivals. Brendan was the Executive Producer at Lucy Guerin Inc. prior to being appointed Director of Programming at Sydney Dance Company.
JILL BROWN
Secretary (from April 2024)
Jill Brown is an independent communications specialist and editor, and a writer who specialises in dance. She has an MPhil in Creative Writing (UQ). For her thesis she wrote a relational biography of Margot Fonteyn, Sylvie Guillem and Misty Copeland. She has served in leadership positions in trade and educational publishing and digital media. As well as serving on the board of Critical Path as Secretary, she is a member of the board of Writers Victoria.
ALEXIO CHIBIKA Treasurer
Alexio is a Chartered Accountant with extensive audit experience in an international audit firm across five countries. He is currently a Senior Audit Manager and is responsible for the audits of large-listed and multinational organisations. He has experience in Audit, Financial Management, Corporate Governance, Internal controls and Financial Reporting. He has also volunteered as Treasurer for various Not-for-profit entities.
VICTORIA HOUSTON Member
Victoria Houston is a lawyer and a Business Affairs Lead at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation where she negotiates television and audio production deals. Previously Victoria was the National Industrial Officer for Actors Equity (MEAA) for many years where she worked closely with dancers from Sydney Dance Company, The Australian Ballet and Opera Australia negotiating their collective bargaining agreements and recording and broadcasting deals. She has also worked at the Arts Law Centre of Australia advising artists and for 21 years has had a side hustle ushering at the Sydney Opera House. Victoria is passionate about the Arts, especially dance in all its forms.
LEE-ANNE LITTON
Artist Representative
Lee-Anne Litton is a New South Walesbased multidisciplinary artist working across performance, choreography, aerial practice, and physical theatre. Originally from Perth, Western Australia, her creative practice is deeply informed by Contact Improvisation and the intelligence of the moving body. LeeAnne is known for her expertise in aerial performance, with a focus on elastic rope, harness-based flight, and static apparatuses. Her choreographic work and performances have featured in large-scale productions across Australia and internationally, in collaboration with acclaimed companies including Stalker Theatre, Legs on the Wall, and her own ensemble, Strings Attached.
Improvisation is central to her artistic approach—whether grounded in Contact Improvisation or airborne in aerial forms— guiding both her creative processes and performance-making. Passionate about nurturing emerging talent, Lee-Anne is an experienced educator, regularly teaching at institutions such as NAISDA Dance College, Sydney Dance Company’s Pre-Professional Year (SDC-PPY), AMPA, high schools, and through professional company classes.
AZZAM MOHAMED
Artist Representative
Azzam, also known as Shazam, is a dancer, performer, and educator from Sudan. Azzam’s dance practice encompasses a range of styles, from traditional cultural dance through to hip hop styles, he brings these forms together to create a breathtaking original dance fusion that echoes his history and at the same time showcases his incredible ability as a dancer. Azzam’s dance practice involves teaching at studios and festivals, performing and touring in stage shows, competing in dance competitions and judging, organizing events, facilitating workshops, and mentoring and coaching young and emerging Australian dancers.
TAMMI GISSELL
First Nations Artist Representative
Tammi is the Collections Access Coordinator, First Nations at The Powerhouse Museum in Sydney, NSW. She is a Muruwarri-Wiradjuri woman born in North-West NSW. Tammi is also a performer, poet, performance theorist, choreographer, researcher and writer; having performed, lectured and consulted regionally, nationally and internationally across the spectrum of contemporary & contemporary-Indigenous performance since 1996.
GEORGIA SHEPERD
Member (from April 2024)
Georgia Shepherd is a former professional dancer with The Queensland Ballet and Graeme Murphy’s Sydney Dance Company. She has produced and directed dance shows for children, and supported choreographers and independent artists as rehearsal director, collaborator, teacher, advisor and mentor. Georgia also has extensive business experience. After running her own family-owned and hatted restaurant for 11 years, she now works as a business development and fundraising executive, helping arts organisations to diversify their income streams and build engaged and effective support networks to enable their mission.
SERENA CHALKER
Member (from April 2024)
Serena Chalker is an experienced arts leader, choreographer and live performance producer with expertise in live music, dance and interdisciplinary performance. She is the Executive Producer, Creative Activations and creative programming lead for Inner West Council’s major festivals, including transforming Marrickville Music Festival into a destination event for live music and developing new funding and strategic partnerships to increase the quality and scope of artistic programming for the community. She has a 15-year career
as an award-winning and critically acclaimed independent artist and co-director of Anything Is Valid Dance Theatre, producing and presenting work across Australia and internationally including Korea, Finland, Germany, United Kingdom, Bulgaria, Croatia, and Canada. As Interim Artistic Director/ Creative Producer at STRUT Dance she pioneered the inaugural mid-career artist development program, introduced Practice Sharing for the independent sector and secured RISE funding for the presentation of SITU-8: City at Liberty Theatre. She also co-curated site-specific season SITU-8 from 2019-2021 with theatre-maker Geordie Crawley.
CHANGES TO THE GOVERNING COMMITTEE
In 2024 changes to the Committee were as follows:
Brendan O’Connell was thanked for his services as Acting Chair and Ordinary Member following his stepping down from the Board in February 2024. Jill Brown was elected as Secretary at the AGM. Serena Chalker and Georgia Shepherd were later elected to join the Board as ordinary members. All started with attending the Planning Day of the 9th of July.
ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE AND KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
STAFFING NOTES
2024 saw Critical Path continuing with all staff appointed in early 2023 including Agnès Michelet as Artistic Director/CEO, Ira Ferris as Producer and Neil Godfrey as Finance and Admin Manager. The challenges of increased cost of living in Sydney continue to affect staff retention across the sector.
Neil Godfrey stayed on as Finance and Admin Manager all year (0.8). His position was made redundant in December 2024 as part of a staff restructure due to budget constraints, leading to reduced staff capacity from 2025.
Dylan Goh took up the role of Producer (0.6) handed over from Ira Ferris in July 2024. Ira handed over her resignation to pursue her artistic practice both overseas and in Australia. Dylan Goh joined for six months and left in December 2024 to pursue his independent producing activities alongside other employment. Lizzie Thomson was appointed as acting producer (0.8) for a start in January 2025 as part of the new staff structure (increased hours and wages for the position).
Jasmin Sheppard continued as First Nations Artist Curator (0.2 to 0.4 pending on other commitments including being the inaugural Balnaves Foundation artist in residence at Sydney Dance Company and recipient of the Creative Australia Leadership program).
Matt Cornell continued as Digital Artist Curator on a project-based basis to oversee and lead the Australia-Taiwan Digital Exchange, Physical Futures (Yr 3 in 2024). Thanks to successful Creative Australia funding, Matt was engaged for most of the second half of 2024, on a part time to full time basis.
Contracts with Webgirl (Web support) and QBT Consulting (IT support) continued across the year.
In early December 2024 Critical Path longstanding auditor, Glenn Merchant of Mitchell & Partners, announced their entering into a strategic partnership with Kelly+Partners Accountants. On the 4th of March 2025, Glenn Merchant advised Critical Path that they would no longer be able to keep servicing “small organisations’’. Following an extensive search supported by Critical Path Treasurer, Critical Path has appointed DM Advisory Services as independent auditor for the year 2024. The appointment of the 2025 Auditor will be discussed at the 2025 AGM to be held on 28 April 2025.
PRINCIPAL ACTIVITIES
Critical Path is a leading Australian centre for choreographic research and development operating as a not-for-profit. Our home is the Drill, a large rehearsal space situated on the shores of Rushcutters Bay on Gadigal and Birrabirragal land, Sydney, Australia.
We play a pivotal role in supporting choreographers to explore new ways of working through extended periods of research that foster creative risk taking, so that excellent new work can make it to our stages. We believe encouraging and respecting a diversity of people and practice is vital to the future of dance and choreography.
With our distinct focus on research and innovation, we aim to nourish a genuinely independent dance community as they push the boundaries of existing practice in relation to local and international fields, enhancing the vibrancy of the Australian dance sector.
OPERATING RESULT
The net surplus for the year amounted to $5,836 (2023: $2,063).
Critical Path has been serving the contemporary dance community for 19 years.
2024 ARTISTIC PROGRAM FUNDING
Create NSW
In 2024, we continued to be supported by Create NSW with multi-year funding secured (2+2 years) until the end of 2024, extended until the end of 2025; $280,000 per annum to cover the period January through to December each year. This is a standstill figure for the previous year and has been since 2012.
From Multi-Year Funds we invested $33,023 in the artistic program, an amount which keeps declining as core costs rise in line with general indexation.
Critical Path was successful in receiving Create NSW Project funds for “Holding Space”, our First Nations led program curated by Jasmin Shephard.
Creative Australia (former Australia Council)
Project Name
Local
Woollahra Municipal Council continues to license the Drill to Critical Path with use of the Hall and an office. We were successful with receiving $7,500 through the Woollahra Grants Program for Unveilings.
City of Sydney provided a grant of $20,000 for Spaces for Street Dance Report spent over 2023 ($10,450) and 2024 ($9,550).
Critical Path was also a successful recipient of the 2024 Making Space for Culture Incubation program attended by Agnès Michelet. The program offered a unique opportunity for Critical Path to pitch its space needs to peers across arts disciplines and to major property developers.
International
In-kind support valued $68,350 was contributed by The Taiwan Contemporary Culture Lab for the touring of Body Data Loop.
Partners
KEIR FOUNDATION
Critical Path received a significant contribution from the Keir Foundation to host ‘What Remains: Celebrating 10 years of the Keir Choreographic Award’ events both in Melbourne and Sydney ($36,000), as well as to publish the Competing Choreographies 10 years of the Keir Choreographic Award book edited by Angela Conquet and Philipa Rothfield ($41,512) making a total of $77,512.
Other partners provided in-kind support or spent cash directly on joint programs including Performance Space (Experimental Choreographic Program), FORM Dance Projects (IDEA) and Sydney Opera House (Create Space).
Other
Other income was generated through:
Donations
Venue Hire
$567 (consisting of individual donations)
$15 625 (subsidised rehearsal and development hire for performing arts artists/ companies and independent makers- They included Shaun Parker Company/ Found Objects, Pinchgut Opera, Hayes Theatre, Performing Lines/Raghav Handa, Force Majeure/Gurr Era Op, Intimate Spectacle/Echo Mapping, Emma Sandall/An ambivalent woman of 37, Sue Healey/Afterworld, Peter Banki/Make Love not War Festival, Paulina Quinteros, film projects of Ana Kim and Naina Sen)
Other direct in-kind Mainly in-kind space offered to dance companies and practitioners
Sundries A combination of membership fees and interest income
Auspice
Critical Path continued to auspice First Nations artist, Henrietta Baird, for the development, production and presentation of Plant a Promise supported by a 2023 Australia Council grant of $49,568, a 2023 Create NSW grant $52,600 as well as Carriageworks First Nations Fellowship of $50,000 over two years (2023-2024). The grants will be expended by the end of January 2025 following the successful inclusion of Plant a Promise in Sydney Festival 2025.
OVERALL ENGAGEMENT
279 Total artist participation (202 Unique)
159 Total artists applying to our programs (148 in 2023)
971 Total live audience (155 in 2023)
Including 218 international (Body Data Loop) and 251 interstate (KEIR)
2,536 Total Installation audience (Body Data Loop)
59 Total online audience (170 in 2023)
1,609 Digital readership1 of resourcesreports, videos, e-journals (886 in 2023)
64,338 Online readership2 including resources from website, Facebook, Instagram, Vimeo, newsletter and Soundcloud (13,937 in 2023)
419 Website downloads
8,800 New Website visitors (6,100 in 2023)
31,000 Total pageviews3 on website (16,343 in 2023)
86 Projects, including:
4 Major Research Residencies (3 Responsive, 1 Experimental)
4 First Nations Projects (1 Truth Telling Residency, 1 Tri-Nation Panel,
1 Safe Space Report writing, 1 ADT audition)
1 Bursary (Catapult)
3 Creative Developments (IDEA)
32 Space grants
17 Public Programs
1 Auspiced project
12 Workshops/labs
9 Research Room residencies
1 International Exchange
2 Publications (Space for Street Dance report, Critical Dialogues #15)
1. This includes reads of resources (website and issuu) and views of videos.
2. This year’s numbers include page views from google analytics. Page views show how many times people loaded the website after clicking the content. Page views are a far superior metric compared to link clicks because of the depth of information that it can reveal about the success of the content.
3. Pageviews is the total number of pages viewed. Repeated views of a single page are counted.
YEAR ON YEAR OVERVIEW
ARTISTS INVOLVED IN CRITICAL
PATH 2024
Our focus is on those who identify as having and/or are connected with choreographic practice. The 202 unique artists Critical Path hosted and/or worked with in 2024 are listed below.
Aba Bero
Adam Warbuton
Adrienne Semmens
Alana Searles
Alex Craig
Alice Osborne
Alice Weber
Allie Graham
Alon Ilsar
Amelia Gilday
Amy Flannery
Amy Sole
Ana Kim
Angela Goh
Anna McCulla
Annalouise Paul
AnSo
Ariel Robin
Ashleigh Veitch
Atlanta Eke
Avalon Ormiston
Aviva Endean
Azzam Mohamed
Becky Hilton
Benjamin Hancock
Bianca Hyslop
Bonnie Curtis
Brianna Kell
Carmen Yih
Carolyn Murphy
Cassidy McDermott Smith
Cassie Lynn
Charemaine Seet
Charlie Trier
Claire Leske
Claire Eggleston
Cloé Fournier
Coby Orger
Crystal Rose Valdez
Daniel Riley
Daniela Zambrano
Danielle Micich
Declan Greene
Dr. Rachael ‘Raygun’ Gunn
Dr. Erin Brannigan
Elena Kats Chernin
Ella Havelka
Ellen Macleay
Emily Eather
Emma Maye Gibson
Emma Riches
Emma Sandall
Emma Saunders
Emma North
Emme Yali
Feras Shaheen
Franky Drousioti
Gabriela Green Olea
Gabriela Quinsacara
Gabrielle Nankivell
Gail Priest
Genevieve Craig
Geraldine Balcazar
Ghenoa Gela
Gideon Payten Griffiths
Gregory Lorenzutti
Hana Truban
Henrietta Baird
Hugo Poulet
Imogen Yang
Ira Ferris
Ivey Wawn
Jacinta Mullen
Jack Curry
Jack Prest
James Brown
Jane McKernan
Jaslyn Boughton
Jasmin Sheppard
Jasmine Gulash
Jazz Luna
Jeremy Lowrencev
Jessie Rose McCall
Jill Crovisier
Jiri Pokorny
Jo Clancy
Jo Lloyd
Joel Byrnes
Joel Fenton
Jorvn Jones
Josh Freedman
Josh Shipton
Juanita Kelly-Mundine
Julie-Anne Long
Justine Shih Pearson
Karen Kerkhoven
Karen Norris
Karenza Ebejer
Katy Moir
Katya Petetskaya
Kaz Therese
Keila Terencio
Kelly Jirsa
Kelsey Lee
Ko Yamada
Lara Kramer
Laura Osweiler
Laurence Pike
Leah Landau
Lee Ming-Chieh (李明潔)
Lee-Anne Litton
Leeke Griffin
Leisa Shelton
Lian Loke
Lindy Davies
Little Bretty
Lizzie Thomson
Lorcan Power
Louise Lawson (London, Tate)
Lucy Doherty
Luke Currie-Richardson
Madeline Harms
Maddison Fraser
Madison Paton
MaggZ
Marc Brew
Marcel Ngahuia
Ziogas-McCall
Martin del Amo
Matt Cornell
Matthew Day
Maxine Doyle
Melody Rachel
Merinda Davies
Mitch King
Moto Mick
Mym Kwa
Nadiya Akbar
Nasim Patel
Natalia Machado
Natalie Tso
Nebahat Erpolat
Nesh Vu
Neville Boney
Ng Chor Guan
Nicholas Brown
Nick Vagne
Niki Verrall
Ninja Tschikiliki
Noha Ramadan
Oliver Durbidge
Oliver House
Pamela Leung
Patricia Wood
Patrick Colozzi
Paul Walker
Paulina Quinteros
Pepa Molina
Peter Banki
Phaedra Brown
Philipa Rothfield
Raghav Handa
Rakini Devi
Rebecca Jensen
Reina Takeuchi
Remy Rochester
Renata Commisso
Rhiannon Newton
Rochelle Haley
Rosie Te Rauawhea Belvie
Roslyn Orlando
Rudolf Hendrikx
Ryuichi Fujimura
Sam James
Sarah Kalule
Shashi Handa
Shaun Parker
Shelley Lasica
Shio Otani
Sile Ellis
Siobhan Lynch
Sofia McIntyre
Stella Klironomakis
Strickland Young
Sue Andersen
Sue Healey
Taiga Kita-Leong
Tamara Anne Elkins
Tammi Gissell
Taryn Beatty
Texas Nixon-Kain
Tian Zi-Ping (田子平)
Tra Mi Dinh
Vaishnavi Suryaprakash
Vanessa Wen Yu Wee
Vicki van Hout
Victoria Hunt
Vishnu Arunasalam
Yanghee Kim
Yolanda Lowatta
Zachary Lopez
Zain El-Roubaei
Zoe Theodore
ARTIST DEMOGRAPHICS
Our 202 unique artists represent diverse backgrounds and identities:
First Nations artists (21 Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander)
Artists from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse backgrounds
Artists with disability
Young/emerging artists
Artists
(they/them)
as LGBTQI+
Lian Loke, 2024 Experimental Choreographic LAB showing, July 2024. Photo by Liz Ham. Courtesy of Performance Space.
RESPONSIVE
MAJOR RESEARCH RESIDENCIES
We were able to offer three major research residencies through our responsive program.
These research projects are focused on explorations of new ideas, process, or practice development without a pre-determined outcome. Research residencies are not available for creative development of new work, though they may allow early terrain explorations into particular ideas and interests. They lay the foundation of new work.
The artists were selected from EOI by a panel including Narelle Benjamin, Lian Loke and Ryuichi Fujimura. The selected artists were Victoria Hunt, Keila Terencio and Northern Rivers-based artist Paul Walker.
Each received a stipend of $10,000 with up to three weeks’ residence in the Drill Hall. Each of the artists have had various outcomes. Victoria Hunt inaugurated her Critical Practice series, a new initiative of our program. Paul Walker seeded a new work, currently considered for Art Gallery presentation. Keila Terencio was offered to present a development of her research Two Bodies, One Mind in Indonesia’s international festival Pesta Boneka, and at BrandX in October 2024.
Jessie Rose McCall, 2024 ECR residency. In-development-sharing, June 2024. Photo by Joseph Mayers. Courtesy of Performance Space.
Victoria Hunt March 2024
How do we embody the urgent grief cry of the world?
Victoria explored the “prophetic body” and “transmorphic states” deepening the relationship with Māori worldview and concepts such as Whakapapa (relational connectivity with all that is), Kaupapa (sacred purpose), Māuri (life essence), and Hāu Kainga (home-calling breath).
Victoria’s residency included a period of solo practice, a period of collaboration with Rosie Te Rauawhea Belvie and James Brown, and a day-long movement workshop followed by a work-in-development sharing on Saturday 23 March.
“It’s been incredible to stay focused on my practice as a dancer, and unburden the competing demands associated with being a self-producing independent dance artist. The Drill Hall is a unique space for dreaming. The darkness and scale enabled visions to emerge in ways that haven’t been possible since before the pandemic. The one-day immersion on the final day of the residency felt important as a connector to other creators/dancers. It was a gift to be together and exchange…I am full, nourished, inspired and ready to be in service to the NSW arts community, my ancestors and evaluating ways to think about dance, performance making and how to speak to the times.”
Keila Terencio de Paula
Choreography for Two Bodies One Mind
April 2024
Keila investigated choreography through the artform of puppetry. With artistic advice from choreographer Cloé Fournier and puppetry director Alice Osborne, she explored how puppetry of direct manipulation can help dancers discover and access new shapes in their bodies, and how the imprint of the puppeteer-puppet relationship can be carried on into a choreography. She collaborated with dancer Renata Commisso and actor Rudolf Hendrikx.
Keila offered a workshop in choreographic puppetry as part of her residency.
“I am interested in finding those shapes that we would not make if there wasn’t a puppet asking us to give life to it. And I’d like to discover the ways to carry the imprint of this sensation into a choreographic sequence. Using gravity, focus and breathing as principal elements, I hope to connect both worlds: puppetry and dance.”
Paul Walker
The Art of Slowing Down to Save Our Lives
September/October 2024
Paul used their residency to simultaneously research a new idea and develop their practice, which led to the start of their new creative project ‘The Art of Slowing Down to Save Our Lives’ (Working Title). They consider the act of slowing down and resting as a practice to bring the planet into healthier relationships of care, as well as a political act of resistance, a soft subversion against an oppressive capitalist system. Paul collaborated with Geraldine Balcazar, Merinda Davies, Kaz Therese, Karenza Ebejer and Mitch King. Part of their residency took place on Bundjalung country in the Border Ranges National Park in Githabul Country.
“With a focus on practice and process over outcomes and productivity, the research explores ways we can come into right relationships with ourselves, each other, and the-more-than-human world, through resting, dreaming, deepening our awareness and strengthening our connection to Country.”
Paul’s residency culminated in a well-attended sharing at the Drill Hall on 11 October 2024 where participants were guided into a restful state and invited to view Paul’s findings with his collaborators.
“As a regionally based artist, I appreciated being able to complete most of my residency in the Northern Rivers. …Having the support and resources to present my findings to the Critical Path community (and beyond) through the open studio sharing was invaluable.”
Paul Walker, 2024 Responsive Residency sharing, October 2024. Photo by Kaz Therese.
Paul Walker, 2024 Responsive Residency sharing, October 2024. Photo by Kaz Therese.
EXPERIMENTAL CHOREOGRAPHIC PROGRAM (ECP)
17 June- 6 July 2024
In its 9th year, the Experimental Choreographic Residency was expanded into a 2-component Program including the residency followed by an Experimental Choreographic Lab inaugurated in 2024. The ECP lies at the core of the longstanding partnership between Critical Path and Performance Space expanding the reach of and sharing expertise between both organisations. The program supports artists anchored in choreographic practice.
Whilst the residency has always been open nationally and internationally (restricted to New Zealand in 2024), the lab invites NSW practitioners only. The residency was supported by a stipend of $8,000 for a two-week residency at the Drill Hall culminating in an open sharing which took place on Friday 28 June. The lab benefited five artists with a stipend of $500 each over a week at the Drill Hall. Participants were mentored all week by Victoria Hunt. The week culminated in a site-specific showing open to the public at a low-price ticket ($12 to $15) on Saturday 6 July. Both program components were professionally documented.
In 2024 the Experimental Residency recipient was Jessie Rose McCall from New Zealand. Jessie worked with shredding processes to explore what we need to let go of, individually and collectively, to create space for the new. In this process, Jessie collaborated with fellow movement practitioner Sofia McIntyre and 2yr old Marcel Ngahuia Ziogas-McCall.
The Selected artists for the Lab were:
Lucy Doherty
Lian Loke
Rhiannon Newton
Lorcan Power
Natalie Quan Yau Tso
Their showing sold out to an audience of 70. The success of the initiative will lead the partners to expand the Lab into two weeks in 2025. Participating artists will have some form of outcome at LiveWorks.
“The centering of queer, female and parenting bodies is itself corrective to dance’s own patriarchal ‘record’. Offering agency to my child within the research is itself an experiment in subverting hierarchical / dictatorial inclinations of western dance making. My child, alongside my mothering collaborator, brings the rich unknowns of transition and becoming, viscerally into the studio, as we investigate the nature of personal and political change.”
Jessie Rose McCall, 2024 ECR residency. In-development-sharing, June 2024. Photo by Joseph Mayers. Courtesy of Performance Space.
SPACE GRANTS
Critical Path continues to ensure that the Drill Hall, a rare and much in demand dance space, is utilised to its full capacity in-between projects and hire. This has resulted in several EOI calls across the year for short to week-long residencies. Residencies address multiple needs from allowing artists and/ or collectives to test their collaborative ideas to enabling artists to “tune up” their bodies, from rehearsals to sharings. We offered 32 space grants in 2024 including one international with Jill Crovisier from Luxembourg in January 2024.
Beneficiaries included in chronological order Noha Ramadan, Carmen Yih, Pepa Molina, Katya Petetskaya, Jill Crovisier, Lucy Doherty, Nebahat Erpolat, Laura Osweiler, Hugo Poulet (in partnership with Catapult), Alex Craig (in partnership with ReadyMade Works), Vishnu Arunasalam, Karen Kerkhoven, Alon Ilsar and Martin del Amo (in partnership with Speak Percussions), Allie Graham, Remy Rochester with Jazz Luna, Cassidy McDermott Smith, Texas Nixon-Kain, Tamara Anne Elkins, Ira Ferris, Phaedra Brown, Rhiannon Newton, Genevieve Craig, Ana Kim, Reina Takeuchi, Lizzie Thomson, Emma Saunders with We Are Here, Daniela Zambrano, Ashleigh Veitch, Amelia Gilday, MaggZ, Sue Healey.
“By researching without the pressure of a specific outcome, we fostered greater innovation— a mindset I aim to carry forward in all my creative work.”
- Cassidy McDermott
RESEARCH ROOM RESIDENCIES
Research Room Residencies are non-financial residencies designed to support project development and scholarly research by offering up to two months of office space and equipment, in the Drill Hall. Residencies were offered all year round. This program is supported by Woollahra Municipal Council.
In 2024, nine Research Room residencies were granted to: Leah Landau, Lucy Doherty, Madeline Harms, Rhiannon Newton, Kelly Jirsa, Peter Banki, Patricia Wood, Ira Ferris and Vanessa Wee.
“I think it is imperative to have a place where artists can be free to think and create, without the pressure of outcome. Critical Path supports this and therefore is a huge influence on present and future making.”
- Madeline Harms
CURATED
FIRST NATIONS LED – Artist Curator Jasmin Sheppard
The past twelve months have truly embedded the First Nations specific program within Critical Path. The importance of the Holding Spaces program cannot be underestimated as we all move on in the wake of an unsuccessful referendum for a Voice to Parliament. Holding Space supported by a Create NSW project grant encompassed three main elements:
Ella Havelka, Truth Telling research residency. Photo by Agnès Michelet.
Truth Telling Research Residency
Ella Havelka was 2024’s recipient of the Truth Telling research residency following Henrietta Baird, the inaugural recipient in 2023. Ella’s time in research saw her connecting with Tammi Gissell, Critical Path’s First Nations committee member, at the Powerhouse Museum’s First Nations archives. Ella then spent a day researching her family history and kinship at AIATSIS in Canberra. The time in research was inspiring for not just Ella, but Jasmin as well in her supporting role. There was an important uncovering of a policy titled “The policy of voluntary concentration”, which laid the precursor to contemporary expectation of assimilation. Ella explored how “these historical policies echo in present-day experiences.” Ella then had one week in the Drill in which she had the challenge and freedom to let the discoveries unfold within a choreographic space. This was a big shift for Ella, whose work has historically required her to produce content at a faster pace, a reminder of how important Critical Path’s offer of unpressured time and space is for artists.
“The environment cultivated by Critical Path encouraged experimentation and pushed me to step outside my comfort zone, allowing me to explore ideas that challenged my usual choreographic processes. This experience emphasised the importance of connecting with my own identity with authenticity and cultural sensitivity, ultimately transforming my approach to creating movement.”
- Ella Havelka
International First Nations Panel: “First Nations choreography: post-colonial process, protocols, and diasporic expression”
This event was held via Zoom and brought together three renowned First Nations dance makers: Vicki Van Hout (Wiradjuri, Australia), Bianca Hyslop (Te Arawa, Ngāti Whakaue, Aotearoa), and Lara Kramer (Anishinaabeg, Turtle Island).
There is a deepening connection between First Nations artists in Australia, and across the seas with Aotearoa (New Zealand) and Turtle Island (Canada). All three Peoples have a common coloniser, shared experience, and importantly, common unbreakable connections to land and community. Relationships between these choreographers have been growing, as they share their work on international stages. Facilitated by Sheppard, the artists discussed the following questions over two and a half hours with attendees from across the globe:
How do we choreograph as First Nations dancers?
How do we find our place in the post-colonial timeline of contemporary dance?
How do we work with First Nations Protocols and time, and how living and making work off-Country has influenced our work?
The We Create Safe Spaces report
Sheppard reports: ’The Safe Spaces project began at a gathering at the Drill Hall, Critical Path, on the 2nd of April 2023. Ten First Nations contemporary dance artists based in Sydney began the conversation. It opened the floodgates of conversation and highlighted just how many of our community and our peers have really had to battle the system, struggle through unhealthy ways of working, and revealed that there’s a lack of scaffolding within arts organisations to support the unique way we work and inhabit spaces. It was clear that we only scratched the surface, and we need to have more of these discussions. Over the next two years 19 NSW based or connected First Nations dance artists have been consulted through online and in- person yarns. The purpose was to understand the unique needs of First Nations people working in the sector,
to understand the challenges, and to understand why, after lots of work on behalf of the sector, including many allies, do First Nations people still come up against a vast difference in how they experience the sector.’’
Working with First Nations strategic planner and consultant, Joshua Staines, Sheppard combined her findings into a 35-page report launched on 16 March 2025.
In addition to her program, Sheppard continues to guide staff across operations.
Australian Dance Theatre Audition
7-8 September
Following Sheppard’s introduction, Critical Path offered space for ADT to hold their Sydney auditions. The company spent one day in the Drill Hall and one day in the Research Room to hold interviews. It was a joy to witness ADT Artistic Director Daniel Riley, Artistic Associate Brianna Kell and company member Zachary Lopez, former dancer of Sunset choreographed by Maxine Doyle (STRUT Dance 2019), reunite with the UK choreographer and Gabrielle Nankivell (see IDEA).
ADT will offer a pro bono masterclass in 2025 as part of the MOU with the company.
Henrietta Baird Auspicing
Critical Path’s auspicing of Henrietta Baird’s Plant A Promise supported by Creative Australia, Create NSW and CarriageWorks saw a breakthrough in 2024 with Sydney Festival offering a long-awaited presentation platform for Baird’s work to be premiered as part of the festival in 2025.
Plant A Promise is a participatory installation and dance work about looking after Country. Led by Henrietta Baird and produced by Pippa Bailey, the work explores how Indigenous cultural and horticultural practices meet scientific knowledge to address increasing loss of habitat to fire and flood.
PHYSICAL FUTURES
– Artist Curator Matt Cornell Taiwan and Australia Choreography Exchange 2022-2024 (Yr 3)
26 October-24 December 2024
Thanks to a successful Creative Australia international touring grant, Critical Path was able to complete the three-year exchange with the premiere of a new work BODY DATA LOOP in Taiwan curated and produced by Critical Path digital artist curator Matt Cornell in partnership with the Taiwan Contemporary Culture Lab (C-LAB) and supported by the Cultural Division of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Sydney since 2022.
In 2024, Australian dance artists, Nasim Hussain Patel and Roslyn Orlando, collaborated with Taiwanese digital creators, Tian Zi-Ping and Lee Ming-Chieh for four weeks at The Taiwan Contemporary Culture Lab (C-LAB). Co-curated with Wu Dar-Kuen and Cynthia Wang of C-LAB, the final work combined a live performance integrating digital technology with a 360-degree projection installation incorporating choreography.
BODY DATA LOOP premiered in a public performance on 16-17 November at the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts in Taichung and at C-LAB’s DOME 2.0 venue on 23-24 November 2024. The installation remained on display for a month at the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts.
The audience count for National Taiwan Museum of Fine Art live performances was 146+ people, with over 2536 people attending the installation work throughout November/December. The opening night at C-LAB sold out to an audience of 72.
Critical Path also negotiated a commissioned documentary film as an outcome of the Taiwanese premiere and tour which screened at Critical Path Artist Picnic on 8 March 2025 at the Drill Hall following an online release on Critical Path website.
“This residency helped me to understand the vital role Critical Path plays in connecting artists and fostering artistic development not only in Australia but across the Asia Pacific.”
- Roslyn Orlando
“Creating BODY DATA LOOP felt like an unbelievable achievement … Choreography used to feel like a singular process, a dot in the constellation of art process. This project has made me understand choreography as the process of constellating…Choreography, as the process of organising relationships between bodies, other bodies, and fixtures, offers the chance for new connections to be made, and the uncovering of fresh revelations about our lives.”
- Nasim Patel
BODY DATA LOOP, at U108, National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, 2024. Photo by David CHEN, Hank TSAI, Anpis WANG.
BODY DATA LOOP, at U108, National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, 2024. Photo by David CHEN, Hank TSAI, Anpis WANG.
IDEA and CREATE SPACE
26 August-14 September
In 2024, Critical Path partnered with FORM Dance Projects for the delivery of the inaugural IDEA standing for Independent Dance Exchange Australia with the aim of supporting artists with creative developments and workshops led by international and local choreographers open to recent graduates and mid-career artists.
During the festival Critical Path curated three creative developments:
• “Street Dance meets Contact Improvisation’’ led by Azzam Mohamed and Lee-Anne Litton supported by Critical Path and FORM Dance Projects
• “Airsticks for Dancers” with Martin del Amo and Alon Ilsar produced by Speak Percussion. The artists were joined by Tra Mi Dinh, Azzam Mohamed and Oliver House (supported by DirtyFeet)
• “Blindness centered systems’’ led by Alex Craig and Imogen Yang alongside dancer Gabriela Green Olea, Annalouise Paul and Emme Yali supported by Sydney Opera House, FORM Dance Projects and Critical Path
The latter inaugurated a new partnership with Sydney Opera House ‘Create Space’ dedicated to artists with lived experience of disability or chronic illness. The residency takes place at the Centre for Creativity of Sydney Opera House. Alex Craig worked over six sessions culminating in a sharing on 7 September.
“This
residency allowed me to continue collaborative development of Blindness-centred systems for navigating and orientating oneself in space and communicating non-verbally with collaborators when improvising together… It was joyful to me to be able to utilise the entirety of the space and be able to improvise safely within such a large field of movement.”
- Alex Craig
As part of the partnership with FORM Dance Projects, Critical Path hosted: Two international workshops:
• Physical Languages of Storytelling led by Maxine Doyle (UK) with Gabrielle Nankivell (2-14 Sep)
• Crystal Pite Repertoire and Kidd Pivot Improvisation tools led by Jiří Pokorný (26 Aug- 6 Sept)
A “watercooler” talk with Vicki Van Hout, Marc Brew, Imogen Yang and Jiří Pokorný, facilitated by Martin del Amo on 31 August.
PUBLIC PROGRAM
In 2024, Critical Path continued to develop opportunities for the public and local residents to discover its programs, better understand the significance of the Drill Hall as a cultural asset for dance artists and most importantly enjoy what choreographic research and development can offer to all.
ARTIST PICNIC
Sunday 3 March 11am-2.30pm
This new initiative aims at offering a relaxed and convivial atmosphere for the presentation of the annual program and discovery of the artists involved through talks and community workshops. Attendees are invited for a BYO picnic in and outside the Drill Hall. The Artist Picnic is an open doors free event. Twenty-eight artists participated across the day.
The inaugural event featured the three major research residency recipients, Victoria Hunt, Keila Terencio de Paula, and Paul Walker. Azzam Mohamed MCd the event. Lee-Anne Litton joined him to lead a workshop seeding the “street dance meets contact improvisation” experiment.
Angela Goh performing as part of WHAT REMAINS Keir Choreographic Award celebrations, August 2024. Photo by Sam James.
WHAT REMAINS
Celebrating the Keir Choreographic Award 2014-2024
Sydney 17 August (Drill Hall), Melbourne 24 August (Abbotsford Convent)
With significant support from the Keir Foundation complimented by Creative Australia, Critical Path was invited to host and auspice the two WHAT REMAINS events in Sydney and Melbourne, celebrating the major contributions the Keir Choreographic Award (KCA) has made to the Australian dance ecology over 10 years. WHAT REMAINS marked the closure of the KCA.
Launched in 2014 and held biennially over five editions, KCA was a unique and innovative public-private initiative dedicated to the commissioning, presentation, and promotion of new Australian choreography. KCA was initiated by The Keir Foundation in partnership with Dancehouse, Carriageworks and Creative Australia. Previously commissioned artists performed embodied memories of their KCA works, responding to WHAT REMAINS as a provocation.
They were Jane McKernan, Angela Goh and Matthew Day in Sydney, Jo Lloyd, Rebecca Jensen, and Tra Mi Dinh in Melbourne.
Photographer Gregory Lorenzutti and videographer Cobie Orger – who both documented every edition of the award – revisited their archives as original installations. Becky Hilton was invited as speaker and facilitator.
The publication of the “Competing Choreographies” book edited by Angela Conquet and Philipa Rothfield, and a dedicated website were launched simultaneously. Live SCRIBES led by Leisa Shelton captured both evenings produced by Melbourne-based renowned producer, Michaela Coventry. Former Dancehouse Director, Angela Conquet, was a major contributor as curator. Sam James documented the Sydney event.
Book sales will benefit Critical Path. The impact of the Sydney event for Critical Path cannot be underestimated. It opened the Drill Hall to a major industry event, full of joy and memories. The Drill Hall looked splendid under Frankie Clarke’s inspired lighting design. Its potential as an arts venue was clear to see and experience. A party with DJ (Azzam Mohamed in Sydney, Shio Otani in Melbourne) closed both events.
UNVEILINGS
Supported by a Woollahra Municipal Council grant, Critical Path invited two multidisciplinary artists to open the Drill Hall doors to the community and share their work embracing the Drill as a place of inspiration to imagine new forms between the fields of dance and visual arts.
The two artists were senior choreographer and visual artist, Dr Rakini Devi, and performance artist, Katya Petetskaya, formerly mentored by Claire Hicks.
UNVEILINGS // Mudrā
Saturday 26 October
Rakini explored cross-cultural movement and visual languages over a 3-day lab in the Drill Hall with emerging artists Amy Flannery and Vishnu Arunasalam. Rakini’s visual art component of the project was funded by an Inner West Council grant. The installation was documented by Heidrun Lohr.
UNVEILINGS / Wonder If
Saturday 23 November
Katya Petetskaya worked in collaboration with sound artist Gail Priest for a week to invite audiences to participate in her “object-audience-soundscape choreography” research culminating in a performance. Sam James documented the event. It was the first time Petetskaya collaborated with Gail Priest. All artists are based in the Blue Mountains.
Amy Flannery and Vishnu Arunasalam in Mudrāsā
by Rakini Devi. Part of the UNVEILINGS program supported by Woollahra Municipal Council.
Critical Path engaged emerging choreographer and intern from UNSW, Sarah Kalule, to work with Critical Path producer, Dylan Goh, towards developing a community engagement plan. They approached places of gathering in Woollahra to spread the word about Unveilings. A postcard was printed for mail dropbox. Whilst the events were a formidable opportunity for Critical Path to foster connection with a broader community or artists and peers, Unveilings also emphasised the challenges in developing visibility amongst residents.
Unveilings created momentum towards creating a participatory dance program paper written by Sarah Kalule in conversation with senior artist, Karen Kerkhoven, leading up to her presenting On The Cusp in the Drill Hall on 7 December 2024.
Overall Unveilings engaged seven artists and collaborators. Eighty-two people RSVPd to the events of which fifty-two attended.
“I discovered how to collaborate with new artists and the mixing of tradition art forms with visual art and contemporary movement.”
- Amy Flannery
Amy Flannery and Vishnu Arunasalam, public sharing of Mudr
by Rakini Devi, October 2024. Part of the UNVEILINGS program supported by Woollahra Municipal Council.
CRITICAL PRACTICE
30 June-28 July & 21 Oct-18 December
Following Victoria Hunt’s successful first Critical Practice series, Wind + Tree, in July 2024, Critical Path expanded the initiative for another term in Oct-December as a new way for the wider community to discover artists’ practice through a curated series of evening workshops. The series also allows artists to generate income as they keep experimenting. Critical Path facilitates registrations and marketing. Income is shared on a 70% basis for the artist.
The Oct-December Critical Practice series were:
• Mythmaking with writing and movement with Tamara Elkins Mondays
• Metamorphetic States: Bodies, Entities, Forces, Atmospheres with Victoria Hunt Tuesdays
• Moving through Self with Cassie Lynn Wednesdays
The three series totalled a participation of 119. Victoria Hunt’s winter series totalled ninety-two.
Two Bodies One Mind workshop by Keila Terencio, 2024 Responsive Residency. The Drill Hall, Sydney. Photo by Katje Ford.
MISCELLANEOUS
Critical Path facilitated the presentation of An Ambivalent Woman of 37 by Emma Sandall following her season as part of Fringe Festival. This brought a different audience to the Drill Hall as well as media exposure. The season was very well received and another demonstration of the versatility of the Drill Hall as a performance space.
Critical Path supported Karen Kerkhoven with space across the year to deliver her annual On the Cusp event, presented on the 7th of December. On the Cusp is a noncurated artist run initiative led by Kerkhoven inviting choreographers, musicians, and visual artists in a spontaneous evening of performance. Reina Takeuchi, Bonnie Curtis, and Vicki van Hout were amongst the artists participating.
Through Critical Practice, Critical Path offered Emma Saunders weekly evenings space in Oct-December to sustain her We Are Here company. Company members include Sarah Kalule, Nick Vagne, Ryuichi Fujimura and Gabriela Green Olea.
As an acknowledgement of the significance of the Drill Hall for the dance community Critical Path also agreed to host the Farewell ceremony of Garry Lester facilitated by Julie-Anne Long and an intimate ceremony for Eileen Kramer surrounded by her close dance collaborators and family.
Audience gathering in front of the Drill Hall for the 2024 Experimental Choreographic LAB showing, July 2024. Photo by Liz Ham.
PUBLICATIONS
SPACES FOR STREET DANCE REPORT
Critical Path was successful in receiving an Innovation and Ideas City of Sydney grant in 2023 to commission a Spaces for Street Dance research and feasibility study, a year-long research on the diverse styles and cultures of Sydney’s street dance community, led by Dr Rachael Gunn (Macquarie University) and Feras Shaheen.
The overarching goal of the project is to develop a deeper understanding of street dance community practices, provide a way forward for improved use of city spaces, develop stronger relationships between arts and business, and highlight the valuable contribution of street dance to the cultural fabric of the City of Sydney. The research has drawn on the expertise of a Knowledge Circle (Poppin Jack, Red Lady Bruiser, Azzam Mohamed, Eliam Royalness, Amelia Duong, Sammy the Free).
The report, designed by Feras Shaheen, was launched on the 5th of March at the Redfern Oval Community Room.
The invited audience included members of the street and dance community as well as representatives of City of Sydney. 125 hard copies were printed. The report is available online on Critical Path website. The report is a first of its kind in Australia to give a detailed view of the richness and diversity of the street dance community, alongside the challenges they face.
CRITICAL DIALOGUES #15 TIME
In 2023, Critical Path resumed its bi-annual publication and commissioned Ira Ferris to edit the #15 edition on the theme TIME.
Ira Ferris worked across 2023 and 2024, gathering articles from six artists selected from a call for contribution which attracted twenty expressions of interest. The selected artists were Laura Osweiler, Rhiannon Newton, Natalie Quan Ya Tso, el waddingham, Nareepom Vachananda and Kay Armstrong.
For Critical Dialogues, Ferris wrote a review of Angela Goh’s work Axe Arc Echo which was presented in the Tank at the NSW Art Gallery in October 2023 as part of Volume.
The 15th edition was published in March 2024 on Critical Path website. Critical Dialogues remains one of the rare spaces for dance writing in Australia.
CONCLUSION
Looking ahead to 2025, Critical Path remains committed to supporting choreographic innovation and development, strengthening our partnerships, and expanding our reach while maintaining our core focus on providing valuable time and space for artistic research.
Angela Goh performing as part of WHAT REMAINS Keir Choreographic Award celebrations, August 2024. Photo by Sam James.
Auditor’s Independence Declaration
STATEMENT OF SURPLUS OR DEFICIT AND OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
This statement should be read in conjunction with the notes to the financial statements.
OF FINANCIAL POSITION
This statement should be read in conjunction with the notes to the financial statements.
STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN EQUITY
This statement should be read in conjunction with the notes to the financial statements.
Operating activities Receipts from: •
This statement should be read in conjunction with the notes to the financial statements. STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS
Jessie Rose McCall, 2024 ECR residency. In-development-sharing, June 2024. Photo by Joseph Mayers. Courtesy of Performance Space.
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
For the year ended 31 December 2024
Critical Path Incorporated
1. General information and statement of compliance
The financial report includes the financial statements and notes of Critical Path Incorporated.
These financial statements are general purpose financial statements that have been prepared in accordance with Australian Accounting Standards - Reduced Disclosure Requirements and the Australian Charities and Not-forprofits Commission Act 2012.
Critical Path Incorporated is a not-for-profit entity for the purposes of preparing the financial statements.
The financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024 were approved and authorised for issuance by the Committee members.
2. Changes in accounting policies
2.1 There are no new and revised standards that are effective for these financial statements
3. Summary of accounting policies
3.1 Overall considerations
The significant accounting policies that have been used in the preparation of these financial statements are summarised below.
The financial statements have been prepared using the measurement bases specified by Australian Accounting Standards for each type of asset, liability, income and expense. The measurement bases are more fully described in the accounting policies below.
3.2 Revenue
Revenue comprises revenue from the sale of goods, services income, government grants, fundraising activities and client contributions. Revenue from major activities and services is shown in Note 4.
Revenue is measured by reference to the fair value of consideration received or receivable by the Association for goods supplied and services provided, excluding sales taxes, rebates, and trade discounts.
Revenue is recognised when the amount of revenue can be measured reliably, collection is probable, the costs incurred or to be incurred can be measured reliably, and when the criteria for each of the Association’s different activities have been met. Details of the activity-specific recognition criteria are described below.
Government grants
A number of the Association’s programs are supported by grants received from Federal, State and Local governments. If conditions are attached to a grant which must be satisfied before the Association is eligible to receive the contribution, recognition of the grant as revenue is deferred until those conditions are satisfied.
Where a grant is received on the condition that specified services are delivered, to the grantor, this is considered a reciprocal transaction. Revenue is recognised as services are performed and at year–end until the service is delivered.
Revenue from a non-reciprocal grant that is not subject to conditions is recognised when the Association obtains control of the funds, economic benefits are probable, and the amount can be measured reliably. Where a grant may be required to be repaid if certain conditions are not satisfied, a liability is recognised at year end to the extent that conditions remain unsatisfied.
Where the Association receives a non-reciprocal contribution of an asset from a government or other party for no or nominal consideration, the asset is recognised at fair value and a corresponding amount of revenue is recognised.
Donations and bequests
Donations collected, including cash and goods for resale, are recognised as revenue when the Association gains control, economic benefits are probable and the amount of the donation can be measured reliably.
Bequests are recognised when the legacy is received. Revenue from legacies comprising bequests of shares or other property are recognised at fair value, being the market value of the shares or property at the date the Association becomes legally entitled to the shares or property.
Interest income
Interest income is recognised on an accrual basis using the effective interest method.
3.3 Operating expenses
Operating expenses are recognised in surplus or deficit upon utilisation of the service or at the date of their origin.
3.4 Intangible assets
Recognition of other intangible assets:
Acquired intangible assets
Website construction costs as well as acquired computer software licences are capitalised on the basis of the costs incurred to acquire and install the specific website and software.
Subsequent measurement
All intangible assets are accounted for using the cost model whereby capitalised costs are amortised on a straight-line basis over their estimated useful lives, as these assets are considered finite. Residual values and useful lives are reviewed at each reporting date. In addition, they are subject to impairment testing as described in Note 3.14. The following useful lives are applied:
• Database development: 25%
• Software: 25% - 33%
• Website: 33%
Subsequent expenditures on the maintenance of computer software, brand names and website are expensed as incurred.
When an intangible asset is disposed of, the gain or loss on disposal is determined as the difference between the proceeds and the carrying amount of the asset, and is recognised in surplus or deficit within other income or other expenses.
3.5 Property, plant and equipment
Leasehold improvements, plant and other equipment
Leasehold improvements, plant and other equipment (comprising office furniture and equipment) are initially recognised at acquisition cost or manufacturing cost, including any costs directly attributable to bringing the assets to the location and condition necessary for it to be capable of operating in the manner intended by the Association’ management.
Leasehold improvements, plant and other equipment are subsequently measured using the cost model, cost less subsequent depreciation and impairment losses.
Depreciation is recognised on a straight-line basis to write down the cost less estimated residual value of leasehold improvements, plant and other equipment. The following useful lives are applied:
• Leasehold improvement: 20% - 25%
• Plant and equipment: 15% - 33%
In the case of leasehold property, expected useful lives are determined by reference to comparable owned assets or over the term of the lease, if shorter.
Material residual value estimates and estimates of useful life are updated as required, but at least annually.
Gains or losses arising on the disposal of property, plant and equipment are determined as the difference between the disposal proceeds and the carrying amount of the assets and are recognised in surplus or deficit within other income or other expenses.
3.6 Leases
Operating leases
Where the Association is a lessee, payments on operating lease agreements are recognised as an expense on a straight-line basis over the lease term. Associated costs, such as maintenance and insurance, are expensed as incurred.
3.7 Income taxes
No provision for income tax has been raised as the association is exempt from income tax under Div 50 of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997.
3.8 Cash and cash equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents comprise cash on hand and demand deposits, together with other short-term, highly liquid investments that are readily convertible into known amounts of cash and which are subject to an insignificant risk of changes in value.
3.9
Employee benefits
Short-term employee benefits
Short-term employee benefits are benefits, other than termination benefits, that are expected to be settled wholly within twelve (12) months after the end of the period in which the employees render the related service. Examples of such benefits include wages and salaries, non-monetary benefits and accumulating sick leave. Short-term employee benefits are measured at the undiscounted amounts expected to be paid when the liabilities are settled.
Other long-term employee benefits
The association’s liabilities for long service leave are included in other long-term benefits as they are not expected to be settled wholly within twelve (12) months after the end of the period in which the employees render the related service. They are measured at the present value of the expected future payments to be made to employees. The expected future payments incorporate anticipated future wage and salary levels, experience of employee departures and periods of service, and are discounted at rates determined by reference to market yields at the end of the reporting period on high quality corporate bonds that have maturity dates that approximate the timing of the estimated future cash outflows. Any re-measurements arising from experience adjustments and changes in assumptions are recognised in profit or loss in the periods in which the changes occur.
The association presents employee benefit obligations as current liabilities in the statement of financial position if the association does not have an unconditional right to defer settlement for at least twelve (12) months after the reporting period, irrespective of when the actual settlement is expected to take place.
Post-employment benefits plans
The association provides post-employment benefits through defined contribution plans.
Defined contribution plans
The association pays fixed contributions into independent entities in relation to several state plans and insurance for individual employees. The association has no legal or constructive obligations to pay contributions in addition to its fixed contributions, which are recognised as an expense in the period that relevant employee services are received.
3.10 Provisions, contingent liabilities and contingent assets
Provisions are measured at the estimated expenditure required to settle the present obligation, based on the most reliable evidence available at the reporting date, including the risks and uncertainties associated with the present obligation. Where there are a number of similar obligations, the likelihood that an outflow will be required in settlement is determined by considering the class of obligations as a whole. Provisions are discounted to their present values, where the time value of money is material.
Any reimbursement that the association can be virtually certain to collect from a third party with respect to the obligation is recognised as a separate asset. However, this asset may not exceed the amount of the related provision.
No liability is recognised if an outflow of economic resources as a result of present obligation is not probable. Such situations are disclosed as contingent liabilities, unless the outflow of resources is remote in which case no liability is recognised.
3.11 Deferred income
The liability for deferred income is the unutilised amounts of grants received on the condition that specified services are delivered or conditions are fulfilled. The services are usually provided, or the conditions usually fulfilled within twelve (12) months of receipt of the grant. Where the amount received is in respect of services to be provided over a period that exceeds twelve (12) months after the reporting date or the conditions will only be satisfied more than twelve (12) months after the reporting date, the liability is discounted and presented as noncurrent.
3.12 Goods and Services Tax (GST)
Revenues, expenses and assets are recognised net of the amount of GST, except where the amount of GST incurred is not recoverable from the Australian Taxation Office. In these circumstances the GST is recognised as part of the cost of acquisition of the asset or as part of an item of the expense. Receivables and payables in the statement of financial position are shown inclusive of GST.
Cash flows are presented in the statement of cash flows on a gross basis, except for the GST components of investing and financing activities, which are disclosed as operating cash flows.
3.13 Economic dependence
The association is dependent upon the ongoing receipt of Federal and State Government grants and community and corporate donations to ensure the ongoing continuance of its programs and fundraising. At the date of this report Management has no reason to believe that this financial support will not continue.
3.14 Significant management judgement in applying accounting policies
When preparing the financial statements, management undertakes a number of judgements, estimates and assumptions about the recognition and measurement of assets, liabilities, income and expenses.
Estimation uncertainty
Information about estimates and assumptions that have the most significant effect on recognition and measurement of assets, liabilities, income and expenses is provided below. Actual results may be substantially different.
Impairment
In assessing impairment, management estimates the recoverable amount of each asset or cash-generating unit based on expected future cash flows and uses an interest rate to discount them. Estimation uncertainty relates to assumptions about future operating results and the determination of a suitable discount rate.
Useful lives of depreciable assets
Management reviews its estimate of the useful lives of depreciable assets at each reporting date, based on the expected utility of the assets. Uncertainties in these estimates relate to technical obsolescence that may change the utility of certain assets.
Long service leave
The liability for long service leave is recognised and measured at the present value of the estimated cash flows to be made in respect of all employees at the reporting date. In determining the present value of the liability, estimates of attrition rates and pay increases through promotion and inflation have been considered.
4. Grants, other contributions and other income
The Association’s income may be analysed as follows:
and other contributions
Donations
632,812
4.1 Net grant income
Grants in advance – 1 January
Grant receivable from prior year 305,659 (217,000) 276,187Grants received during the year 482,345 491,570 571,004 767,757 Less:
Grants in advance – 31 December Unexpended grants – 31 December (57,126) (60,697) (217,000) (88,659) Net grant income
4.2 Grants received in advance – 1 January
Create NSW Grant in advance
Create NSW – Plant a promise
Creative Australia – Plant a promise
Australia Council – Core funding / Project Funding
Carriageworks Fellowship Auspice
City of Sydney Grant March dance and Auspice Grants
• Project funding – First nations led research project / Other
• Plant a promise – Auspice / Covid
Create Australia
• Keir Book launch
• Physical futures
• Plant a promise
Australia Council
• Core Funding
• Project Funding
• Project Funding (Resilience)
City of Sydney
• Core Funding
• Project Funding
Carriageworks – Plant a promise
International Grants
Woollahra Municipal Council – Presentation unveilings 280,000 20,874 6,000 50,000 57,354 21,903
7,500 280,000 56,645 19,597 -
40,20626,95038,700Total grants received 453,182 462,098
4.4 Grants received in advance – 31 December
Create NSW Grant – Plant a promise
Create NSW Grant – Multi year
Create NSW – First Nations led research program
Creative Australia – Plant a promise
Creative Australia – Physical Futures
Woollahra Council Grant – Artistic Picnic
City of Sydney – Spaces for Street Dance
Carriageworks Fellowship
5. Cash and cash equivalents
Cash at the end of the financial year as shown in the statement of cash flows is reconciled in the statement of financial position as follows:
6. Trade and other receivables
7. Other assets Other
8. Property, plant and equipment
9. Intangible assets
Details of the company’s intangible assets and their carrying amounts are as follows:
at 1 January 2024
10. Trade and other payables
Trade and other payables recognised consist of the following:
11. Employee remuneration
11.1 Employee benefits expense
14. Leases
Operating leases as lessee
The Group’s future minimum operating lease payments are as follows: Minimum lease payments due
15. Correction of material error in accounts payable
During the year, we identified some expenses incorrectly accrued for in the 2022 financial year. The error resulted in a material overstatement of accounts payable recognised for the 2022 and 2023 financial years and a corresponding understatement of retained income on the statement of financial position. The error has been corrected by restating each of the affected financial statement line items for the prior periods as follows:
16. Related party transactions
The association’s related parties include its key management personnel and related entities as described below. Unless otherwise stated, none of the transactions incorporate special terms and conditions and no guarantees were given or received. Outstanding balances are usually settled in cash.
Transactions with related entities
No remuneration is paid to Committee member or their related parties for acting as Committee members. From time to time Committee members who are also independent artists may be engaged in our Research and Development program and are remunerated under normal industry terms.
Transactions with key management personnel
Key management of the Association are the Executive Members of Critical Path Incorporated’s Committee and members of the Executive Council. Key management personnel remuneration includes the following expenses:
Total key management personnel remuneration
2023: $72,800
2022: $69,101
17. Contingent Liabilities and Assets
No contingent liabilities and assets to report.
18. Subsequent Events
No significant events have occurred since the end of the reporting period which would impact on the financial position of the Company disclosed in the statement of financial position as at 31 December 2024 or on the results and cash flow of the Company for the year ended on that date.
19. Members’ Guarantee - Contribution in winding up
The Association is incorporated under the Associations Incorporation Act 2009. If the Association is wound up, the constitution states that each member is required to
contribute a maximum of $10 each towards meeting any outstanding obligations of the Association. At 31 December 2024, the total amount that members of the Association are liable to contribute if the Association wound up is $90 (2023: $110).
20. Charitable fundraising
The association holds an authority to fundraise under the Charitable Fundraising Act, 1991 (NSW) and conducts fundraising appeals throughout the year. Additional information and declarations required to be furnished under the Act are as follows:
All funds raised from fundraising activities, net of direct costs, were applied to the association’s normal operations. The association did not conduct any appeals in which traders were engaged.
Critical Path Incorporated
is a company limited by guarantee, incorporated and domiciled in Australia.
The registered office and principal place of business is:
The Drill, 1C New Beach Road, Darling Point NSW 2027
COMMITTEE MEMBERS’ DECLARATION
Critical Path Incorporated
In the opinion of the Directors of Critical Path Incorporated (‘the association’)
(a) (b) (i) (ii)
The financial statements are in accordance with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission Act 2012, including;
giving a true and fair view of the Association’s financial position as at 31 December 2024 and of it’s performance, for the year ended on that date, and complying with Australian Accounting Standards (including the Australian Accounting Interpretations) and the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission Regulations 2013; and
there are reasonable grounds to believe that the Critical Path Incorporated will be able to pay its debts as and when they become due and payable.
Signed in accordance with a resolution of the Directors:
Adrian Burnett Chair, COMMITTEE MEMBER
28 April, 2025
DECLARATION BY THE TREASURER
in respect of fundraising appeals pursuant to the Charitable Fundraising (NSW) ACT 1991
Critical Path Incorporated
I, Alexio Chibika, Treasurer of Critical Path Incorporated, declare in my opinion:
the Annual financial report gives a true and fair view of all income and expenditure of Critical Path with respect to fundraising appeal activities for the financial year ended 31 December 2024;
the statement of financial position gives a true and fair view of the state of affairs with respect to fundraising appeal activities as at 31 December 2024;
the provisions of the Charitable Fundraising Act 1991 and Regulations and the conditions attached to the authority have been complied with for the financial year ended 31 December 2023; and
the internal controls exercised by Critical Path are appropriate and effective in accounting for all income received and applied from any fundraising appeals.
ALEXIO CHIBIKA TREASURER
Sydney, 28 April, 2025
Independent auditor’s report
ommittee member’s declaration
Standards Board’s APES 110
Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial report
Independent auditor’s report
Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit o from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that includes
ommittee member’s declaration
Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial report
Standards Board’s APES 110
For the year ended 31 December 2024
SCHEDULE 1 – GENERAL OPERATIONS
INCOME Donations Net grant income
1,600 462,098 54,854 76,620 7,491 29,304 845
The above UNAUDITED detailed statement of surplus or deficit should be read in conjunction with the disclaimer.
