Critical Path - Annual Report 2023

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CRITICAL PATH ANNUAL REPORT 2023

Critical Path respectfully acknowledges the 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.

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Welcome

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Association Information

12

Operations Report

16

Statistics Report

17

Artists

21

Activities

21

Research Fellowships

30

Experimental Choreographic Residency

30

Recharge & Grafting Space Grants

32

Research Room Residencies

33

March Dance

35

First Nations Led Program & Artists Support

38

International Exchanges and Digital Residencies

41

Publications

43

Financial Report

Front Cover Image: Nicole Schild in wearables by Dr Louisa Magrics. Photo by Lee Illfield.

Back Cover Image: Devika Bilimoria, 2023 ECR residency. In-development-sharing, April 2023. Photo by Sarah Kukathas. Courtesy of Performance Space.

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As the newly appointed Chair of Critical Path, I want to acknowledge Brendan O’Connell’s past stewardship during his tenure as Interim Chair (Oct 2022- Aug 2023) and warmly welcome our new committee members, Tammi Gissell and Victoria Houston. Together, under the leadership of Artistic Director Agnès Michelet, Ira Ferris, Producer, Neil Godfrey, Finance and Administration Manager, and other esteemed Committee members, Alexio Chibika, Treasurer and artist representatives Azzam Mohamed and Lee-Anne Litton, we form a dynamic team. We are grateful to our First Nations Artist Curator Jasmin Sheppard, who succeeds Jasmine Gulash in this pivotal role. Critical Path’s dedication to amplifying Indigenous voices and perspectives is further strengthened by our ongoing support of Henrietta Baird’s Plant a Promise project.

Building upon past successes, such as the collaboration with Matt Cornell as our Digital Artist Curator and facilitator of a cross-cultural exchange with Taiwan, we embarked on a new phase of strategic planning, informed by a comprehensive review conducted by Karilyn Brown last October.

In recognising the indispensable contributions of our industry partners and collaborators, including Performance Space, C-LAB from Taiwan, and the Cultural Division of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Sydney, we celebrate the diversity and richness of our joint programs.

The recent completion of the Safe Spaces for Street Dance report, authored by Dr Rachael Gunn and Feras Shaheen, strengthens our commitment to nurturing emerging talent and fostering a supportive environment for street dancers, thanks to the generous support from the City of Sydney.

Our dedication to fostering artistic exchange and innovation is exemplified by our ongoing partnership with Performance Space to offer the Experimental Choreographic Residency which will be expanded to a Residency/Lab program in 2024.

We extend our gratitude to the NSW Government, through Create NSW, for their sustained investment until 2025, along with additional funding for the Reconfigurations project and the Rescue and Restart initiative, which have been instrumental in maintaining employment

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opportunities for our First Nations Curator. Similarly, we express appreciation to the Australian Government, through Creative Australia, for its continued support of our mission and vision.

Thank you to the Woollahra Municipal Council for their ongoing partnership, providing us with the resources and space at the Drill Hall to nurture creativity and innovation within the independent dance community. As we embark on a new chapter, I am inspired by the countless dance artists who have engaged with Critical Path, enriching our programs with their talent, passion, and dedication.

Together, we will continue pushing boundaries, challenging norms, and shaping contemporary dance’s future.

Adrian Burnett - Chair

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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 Mitchell & Partners, Chartered Accountants Public Officer Agnès Michelet

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The Committee members of Critical Path Incorporated present their Report together with the financial statements for the year ending 31 December 2023 and the Independent Audit report, covering those financial statements.

The following persons were committee members of Critical Path Incorporated during or since the end of the financial year.

There were four general meetings during the year (the AGM was held on 9 May 2023).

In addition, there was a Committee & Team Strategic Planning session on 8 October 2023 facilitated by Karilyn Brown. Meetings during the year and the number of meetings attended by each member are as follows:

Date Elected

Date of Cessation

Adrian Burnett (Chair)

22/08/23

Continuing

Catherine Sullivan (Secretary)

25/02/19

9/05/23

1

Jasmin Sheppard (First Nations Artist Representative)

02/06/20

30/01/23

0

Alexio Chibika (Treasurer)

01/01/22

Continuing

1

Brendan O’Connell

01/09/20

Continuing

Brendan O’Connell (Chair)

25/10/22

22/08/23

1

1

Azzam Mohamed (Artist Representative

16/11/21

Continuing

1

Lee-Anne Litton (Artist 22/06/22 Representative)

Continuing

1

Victoria Houston

09/05/23

Continuing

24/07/23

Continuing

Tammi Gissell (First Nation Artist Representative)

30/01

09/05 24/07

08/10 Planning Day

30/10

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1

1

1

B

Entitled

Actual

2

2

2

2

1

0

1

1

5

5

1

1

2

2

1

0

0

3

3

1

1

1

0

5

4

1

1

1

0

5

4

1

1

1

1

4

4

1

1

0

3

2

A: Number of meetings the Committee Member was entitled to attend B: Number of meetings the Committee Member attended

1

A

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Details of Committee Member’ qualifications, experience and special responsibilities can be found below.

ADRIAN BURNETT

BRENDAN O’CONNELL

Chair (from August 2023)

Acting Chair (until August 2023, then standing ordinary member)

Adrian is a highly respected artistic leader with extensive national and international experience in dance and the cultural industries. An award-winning choreographer and leading Dance Artist, Adrian graduated from The Australian Ballet School and had a distinguished career at the Australian Ballet. Beyond the stage, Adrian has leveraged his extensive networks and art-form expertise to inform grant programs, strategic initiatives, and policy outcomes, particularly during his tenure as Director of Dance and Multiartform at Creative Australia (formerly the Australia Council for the Arts). He is currently the Senior Curator and Producer of New Annual, the flagship arts and cultural festival for the City of Newcastle.

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. and has recently been appointed Director Programming at Sydney Dance Company.

TAMMI GISSELL First Nations Artist Representative (from July 2023) 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.

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CATHERINE SULLIVAN

AZZAM MOHAMED

Secretary (until May 2023)

Artist Representative

Catherine is a lawyer with extensive law firm and in-house corporate legal experience and is currently Senior Manager & Senior Legal Counsel at ASX Limited specialising in financial markets, corporate, governance and regulatory law.

She is a director of Urban Theatre Projects and National Young Writers Festival and former Chair of Critical Stages and director of Brand X.

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.

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.

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LEE-ANNE LITTON

VICTORIA HOUSTON

Artist Representative Lee-Anne is a Sydney-based performing artist originally form Perth, Western Australia. She has a strong investigation and passion for Contact Improvisation and has extensive aerial training specialising in elastic rope and harness work along with other static aerial apparatuses. She has choreographed for several large-scale productions and performed nationally and internationally with some of Australia’s leading physical theatre companies, including her own, Strings Attached along with Stalker and Legs on the Wall.

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.

CHANGES TO THE GOVERNING COMMITTEE In 2023 changes to the Committee are as follows: Brendan O’Connell stepped down as Acting Chair, staying on the Board as Ordinary Member. Adrian Burnett was elected Chair unanimously on 22 August 2023. Catherine Sullivan (Secretary) stepped down on the 9th of May. Victoria Houston joined the Board as ordinary member on the 9th of May and Tammi Gissell (First Nations Artist Representative) joined the board on the 24th of July replacing Jasmin Sheppard who stood down from the Board in January due to being engaged as First Nations Artist Curator. Recruitment for a new Secretary is active.

The Reckoning by The Living Room Theatre, March Dance 2023.

Featuring Imogen Crana, Emma Langfield, Holly Connor, Jacques Emery.Photo by Nat Cartney

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ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE AND KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

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STAFFING NOTES

PRINCIPAL ACTIVITIES

2023 saw Critical Path start with a completely new team with handovers being completed over the 1st term.

Claire Hicks ended her tenure as Director at the end of February. Agnès Michelet was appointed Artistic Director/CEO in March and started in the role in full capacity from the 1st of May 2023 (0.8).

Critical Path is a leading Australian centre for choreographic research and development operating as a not-forprofit. Our home is the Drill, a large rehearsal space situated on the shores of Rushcutters Bay in Gadigal/Sydney, Australia.

Neil Godfrey took on the role of Finance and Admin Manager handed over from Stephanie Tatzenko on 9 January 2023 (0.8).

Ira Ferris took up the role of Producer handed over from Iris Shen in February 2023.

Jasmin Sheppard was appointed First Nations Artist Curator (0.4) from February 2023 continuing from Jasmine Gulash (First Nations Producer).

Matt Cornell has continued as Digital Artist Curator on a project-based basis to oversee and lead the Australia-Taiwan Digital Exchange, Physical Futures (Yr 2 in 2023).

Contracts with Webgirl (Web support) and QBT Consulting (IT support) continued across the year.

We play a pivotal role in supporting choreographers to explore new ways of working through extended times of research that fosters 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.

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OPERATING RESULT The net surplus for the year amounted to $2,063 (2022: $1,253).

Critical Path has been serving the contemporary dance community for 18 years.

2022 ARTISTIC PROGRAM FUNDING Create NSW In 2023, 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 on the previous year.

From Multi-Year Funds we were able to invest $43,167 in the artistic program.

Critical Path also received Create NSW Project funds of $56,645 for ‘Reconfigurations’ as well as $19,597 under the Rescue and Restart initiative which enabled Critical Path to engage a First Nations Artist Curator.

Funding Name

Total Amount

Spent in 2023

Carried to 2024

Multi-Year 2023

$280,000

$280,000

-

Rescue and Restart

$19,597

$19,597

Completed

Reconfigurations

$56,645

$56,645

Completed

Creative Australia (former Australia Council) Project Name

Carried over from 2022

Spent in 2023

Southern Lands and Skies (2022)

$25,500

$25,500

Completed

Re-Imagine – Indigenous Dance Dramaturgies (2021)

$13,676

$13,676

Completed

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Local Woollahra Municipal Council continues to license the Drill to Critical Path with use of the Hall and an office.

City of Sydney provided a grant of $20 000 for Spaces for Street Dance Report of which $10 450 were spent in 2023.

International The Cultural Division attached to the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Sydney granted $38 700 to the Taiwan-Australia exchange in 2023 (Yr2).

Partners Other partners provided in-kind support or spent cash directly on joint programs including Performance Space (Experimental Choreographic Residency) and C-Lab in Taiwan (Physical Futures).

Other Other income was generated through: Donations

$1,600 (consisting of individual donations)

Venue Hire

$26,454 (rehearsal and development periods for subsidised artists/companies and independent makers)

Other direct in-kind

Various professional services and miscellaneous items

Sundries

A combination of membership fees and interest income

Auspice Critical Path auspiced the March Dance festival by the Independent Dance Alliance (an unincorporated group with a membership consisting of Critical Path, DirtyFeet and until 2022 ReadyMade Works) which included a City of Sydney cash grant of $20,000 alongside $10 573 in-kind.

The organisation also acts as auspice for First Nations’ artist, Henrietta Baird, for her Australia Council grant of $49,568, Create NSW grant $52,600 as well as her Carriageworks First Nations Fellowship of $50 000 over two years. The grants are yet to be completed and have been extended into 2024

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OVERALL ENGAGEMENT 195 Total artist participation (159 Unique)

16,343 Total pageviews3 on website

148 Total artists applying to our programs 155 Total live audience for Critical Path activities in 2023 170 Total online audience for Critical Path activities in 2023 449 Digital audience (unique viewers) 886 Digital readership1 of resources reports, videos, e-journals

61 Projects, including: 7 Major Research Residencies 4 First Nations Projects 4 Bursaries 17 Space grants 11 Public Programs 2 Auspiced projects 4 Workshops/labs 10 Research Room residencies 1 International Exchange 1 Report project

13,937 Online readership2 (including resources from website, Facebook, Instagram, Vimeo, newsletter and Soundcloud)

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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.

6,100 Website visitors

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Pageviews is the total number of pages viewed. Repeated views of a single page are counted.

YEAR ON YEAR OVERVIEW 2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

Number of Projects

61

54

72

80

84

86

Number of Artists Participants

195

196

195

99

229

244

Number of Audience Live

173

183

688

213

604

475

Online Audience

155

39

528

589

-

-

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ARTISTS INVOLVED IN CRITICAL PATH 2023 Our focus is on those who identify as having and/or are connecting with a choreographic practice. The 159 unique artists Critical Path hosted and/or worked with in 2023 are listed below.

Adam Linder Al Jefimenko Alex Karaconji Alice Heyward Allie Graham Amelia Duong Amelia Jean O’Leary Amy Flannery Amy Zhang Anca Frankenhaeuser Angela Goh Annalouise Paul Annette Carmichael Aroha Pehi Audrey Goth-Towney Azzam Mohamed Bec Jensen Brooke Stamp Catherine McNamara Cloé Fournier Corin Ileto David Huggins Devika Bilimoria Diane Bussutil Eileen Camilleri Eileen Kramer Eisa Jocson

el waddingham Eliam Motu Emma Langfield Emma Riches Eugene Choi Faye Jarrett Feras Shaheen Fiona James Francesca Gozdek Geraldine Balcazar Ginevra Cicatello Grace Ferguson Grace Lewis Gracie Steindl Hana Truban Helene Markstein Henrietta Baird Holly Connor Imogen Crana Ira Ferris Ivey Wawn Jack Wardana Jacques Emery Jade Dewi Tyas Tunggal James Hazel Jasmin Sheppard Jeremy Lloyd

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Jes Subba Jo Clancy Joseph Franklin Josh Freedman Joshua Staines Juan Pablo Camara Justin Shoulder Jye Uren Karlia Cook Katie Leslie Katina Olsen Katya Petetskaya Kei Ikeda Kirsten Peckman Kristina Chan Lacey Bilger Las Peinetas x 3 Laura Osweiler Lee Illfield Lee Ming-Chieh Leo Tsao Lian Loke Lily Alcock Linda Dement Lisa Crowe Lisa Maris McDonell Louisa Magrics Lucy Doherty Lucy Parakhina (videographer) Lux Eterna Martin del Almo Matt Cornell Matt Prest Matt Stegh Michelle St Anne Mitchell Christie Narelle Benjamin Natalie Wadick Natasha Padula

Nebahat Erpolat Nick Power Nicole Schild Niki Verrall Nikki Heywood Noha Ramadan Norman Hall Olivia Hadley Oya Gumusoglu Paschal Berry Patricia Wood Patrick Harding Irmer Paul Osborne Phaedra Brown Rachael Gunn Rachael Swain Rachell Dade Rakini Devi Reina Takeuchi Ria Soemardjo Riana Head-Toussaint Romain Hassanin Roman Danylek Roslyn Orlando Ryuichi Fujimura Sabrina Lee Muszynski Sam James Samuel Free Sarah Elliott Shana O’Brian Shareeka Helaluddin Siobhan McKenna Sophia Ndaba Stacy Peke Stella Chen Strickland Young Stuart Buchanan Su Yu-Hsin Sue Healey

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Sue Jo Wright Sun Phitthaya Phaefuang Susan Weule Taos Bertrand Tara Robertson Texas Nixon-Kain Tian Zi-Ping Tiara Vella Tom Kentta

Toshiya Maruyama Tra Mi Dinh Vishnu Arunasalam William (Billy) Keohavong William Bullock Yuki Tokimoto Yuli Torres Zoe Bastin

ARTIST DEMOGRAPHICS 16

Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Artists

52

Artists from a Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Background

8

Artists with a Disability

12

Young Artists

64

Emerging artists

83

Mid-Career and Established Artists

97

Female

41

Male

21

They/Them

Artists’ Locales 97

Sydney

22

Regional NSW

23

Western Sydney

142

Total NSW

13

Interstate

4

International

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RESEARCH FELLOWSHIPS We offered four major research residencies divided into four strands reflecting the “constellation” of our strategic plan 2021-2024: Australia-Asia, Digital, First Nations, Regional NSW. The residencies were respectively attributed to Jade Dewi Tyas Tunggal, Amy Zhang, Jo Clancy and Geraldine Balcazar.

These research projects are focused on explorations of new ideas, process, or practice development without a pre- determined outcome. The research residencies are not available for creative development of new work, though they may allow early terrain explorations into particular ideas and interests. They may lay the foundation of new work.

In addition, three Western Sydney/regional fellowships were attributed to Helena Markstein (Blue Mountains), Kristina Chan (Mid-North Coast) and Nicole Schild (Central Coast and Dandenong Ranges).

The five artists working regionally (including Jade Dewi Tyas Tunggal and Geraldine Balcazar from the Northern Rivers) formed the Reconfigurations Research Action Group all year around supported by a Create NSW project grant. They met four times during the year online including one session with mentor choreographer Annette Carmichael from Western Australia. Artists interviews have been published on Critical Path website.

This meant that we were able to offer seven residencies of $12 000 each in 2023. As a result of their year-long fellowship, all artists have choreographic projects in development with potential performance, installation, writing, online public outcomes.

James Hazel and Kristina Chan. 2023 Regional Fellowship. Photo by Ira Ferris.

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Amy Zhang The world of online dating and virtual AI companions has sparked Amy’s interest in how we connect in the digital space and questions about what role IRL (in real life) interactions plays in building intimacy. With collaborators William (Billy) Keohavong and Toshiya Maruyama Amy tested and measured the capacity of digital platforms to foster intimacy through the exchange of cultural knowledge and movement.

“Critical Path have has been super supportive the whole way through both providing sound boarding opportunities, linking me with other artists as well as giving me time and space for my own reflection and work. I feel this residency really allowed for me to think more broadly and allowed me the space to connect with those outside of my usual, which in turn brought new findings and perspective.”

“I feel this residency really allowed for me to think more broadly and allowed me the space to connect with those outside of my usual...”

- Amy Zhang

Jo Clancy “I have been looking for space and support to sit with Country, to be guided by the songs that come when I do this, the movement and dance that resonates through me during this practice, the conversations that follow with the Matriarchs who surround me and the sharing of this practice with my communities of women and girls. The exploration of this practice will be guided by and documented with my Wiradjuri language. It will challenge me to listen, to understand more deeply and to speak my language with more confidence.“ “This residency offered me the opportunity to yawandyilinya (to take care of myself); to find moments of clarity in the connections between my Wiradjuri language and dance.

My biggest achievement with the residency was allowing myself time to think and to spend days walking, sitting and sleeping in the bush by myself and with my family.

The execution of the residency was in my own time, at my own pace and directed by me as I understood it would be.”

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Jade Dewi Tyas Tunggal Jade Dewi collaborated with artists Ria Soemardjo, Justin Shoulder, Mathew Stegh and dramaturg Rachel Swain, focusing on water ecologies and experimenting with intimate audience-performer relationships. Embodying the fluid evolution of lifeforms from ocean to land, human embryology, infant Developmental movement and archetypes of traditional ecological wisdom. Tracking disasters that destroy communities and familiar environments cause forced migration, adaptation, asylum and mapping transient moving shelters, shelters rebuilding social interaction and shelters transforming over what remains.

Ria Soemardjo and Jade Dewi Tyas Tunggal in Bundanon Images. Photos by Gregory Lorenzutti

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“I have come to understand Critical Path as having the capacity to be an incubator for future work.”

- Niki Schild

Nicole Schild and Dr Louisa Magrics. 2023 Regional Felowship. Photo by Lee Illfield

Nicole (Niki) Schild Nicole worked with academic, musician and installation artist Louisa Magrics (Newcastle). In this project. Nicole explored the new possibilities for choreographic methodology enabled by a ground-up interweaving of dance with soft sculpture/crochet design. Nicole and Louisa used material processes of making as a key site of emergence for new artwork. They are equally interested to explore how working together and separately in diverse bioregions impacts the content and processes of the work.

“The support of Critical Path has provided a strong platform from which we can communicate about our process effectively with peers and potential future collaborators or partners. I have come to understand Critical Path as having the capacity to be an incubator for future work. We are now in discussions about exhibiting TIMMY at a regional arts centre in NSW in 2024. We are also in the process of drafting a book chapter, in which we reflect on the collaborative process over the course of the past year.”

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Helene Markstein Helene, a performance maker and designer-scenographer, worked in collaboration with dance artists Anca Frankenhaeuser and puppeteer Fiona James. Helene has Parkinsons Disease and explored this ‘authentic body movement as a way to write original movement scores’. She used her Parkinson’s unique involuntary movement as tool of a constantly capable body, to create original dance scores. She highlights the need to be able to focus, search, and map in some depth, the areas of creative possibilities.

“This residency was an artist’s dream. It gave time, with no expected outcome. No pressure for an outcome led to discovery of the unexpected. To be able to relax the shoulders and get on with the business of researching without the usual time and financial restrictions.”

Helene Markstein, TREMOR. 2023 Regional Fellowship

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Geraldine Balcazar Geraldine collaborated with Ira Ferris and Stella Chen to explore what a new relationship to time offers her practice and a different way to make work. They are asking, what shifts/transformations in the individual and social body could occur if we decolonise time and slow down – as an innovative approach to choreographic practice?

“The privilege of having a whole year to work on choreographic research was important to my arts practice in allowing for time to set intuitive tasks and reflect afterwards...Flow become present with a capacity to hear intuition. A much-needed shift. The privilege has given me and my collaborators a learning which we can take into the studio and extend outside studio walls into our families, audiences, communities, and nature.”

Kristina Chan Kristina worked with composer, music researcher, founder of experimental arts publication ADSR Zine James Hazel, and with dancer, choreographer Sophia Ndaba.

Kristina asks what does it mean to work with the more-than-human forces of a collaborative project? She built on a dialogue with James around making dance that acknowledges a ‘pluriverse’ conception of the world, getting beyond human-orientated ways of conceiving the world through art.

“I learnt so much from this residency. I was able to delve back into my practice in a fresh new way and I made some very valuable discoveries which I am already incorporating into a new work I am making. This residency provided an amazing opportunity to collaborate with two artists who live in different parts of NSW. We are hoping to continue this particular collaboration and see if we can move into making it a ‘thing’ to present somewhere.”

Kristina Chan in development sharing. 2023 Regional Fellowship. Photo by Ira Ferris

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Image: Nicole Schild in wearables by Dr Louisa Magrics. Photo by Lee Illfield.

Noted 2024 general public outcomes • Jade Dewi Dyas Tunggal performs at the Bundanon Trust and at 107 Projects: www.bundanon.com.au/whats-on/ngayomi/ 107.org.au/event/intimate-spectacle-presents-soundbody/ • Niki Schild was published: books.google.com.au/books/about/The_Elephant_s_Leg. html?id=1aFyzgEACAAJ&redir_esc=y • Jo Clancy performed in the Blue Mountains: www.bluemountainstheatre.com.au/what-s-on/season-2024/ festival-of-new-work/ • Amy Zhang shared her work at Metro Arts (Brisbane): metroarts.com.au/event/gameboy/

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Leo Tsao and Devika Bilimoria, 2023 ECR residency. In-development-sharing, April 2023.

Photo by Sarah Kukathas. Courtesy of Performance Space

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EXPERIMENTAL CHOREOGRAPHIC RESEARCH RESIDENCY (ECR) For the 8th year, we have continued our partnership with Performance Space. The recipient of the 2023 ECR residency was Devika Bilimoria. Trained in the South Indian dance of Bharatanatyam, as well as Media Studies at RMIT and Fine Arts (honours) from the VCA, Devika creates works that are shared in galleries, on stages and in digital and site-specific contexts, with an aim to reorient what is given and stimulate unexpected encounters and temporalities.

“Research residencies ... provide a generative gap in the process of one’s practice. What I mean by the gap, is that suspension in knowing and not knowing what will happen, which is related to chance and risk. This gap between intention and the outcome is crucial in art making... It is scary to try new things out – ideas that may fail – so to have space and time that allows for testing of this is invaluable. I feel so happy and grateful with what eventuated or is eventuating as a result of that.”

“Research residencies ... provide a generative gap in the process of one’s practice.”

RECHARGE & GRAFTING SPACE GRANTS In 2023, Critical Path offered a curated program of space grants for artists to research or develop a project during the winter months for up to two weeks. The recipients were: Ryuichi Fujimura (leading up to presenting his work as part of Sydney Dance Company In Dance, Angela Goh leading up to presenting “Axe Arc Echo” as part of the Art Gallery of NSW Volume program, Sabrina Lee Muszynski exploring the work she was successful presenting at BrandX in 2024, Karlia Cook collaborating with Amalia Leary, Lucy Doherty developing “Afterlife”, Sue Healey working with Martin del Amo and Mitchell Christie and emerging artist Texas Nixon-Cain. Projects with a cross disciplinary focus were later granted space support under the “GRAFTING”umbrella: Allie Graham (music), David Huggins (Poetry), Olivia Hadley (Film). Michelle St Anne and Lux Eterna were also given space for a few days at the beginning of the year respectively to be mentored by Linda Dement on Dance intimacy and to film parts of “The 8th Day”.

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Niki Verrall and Texas Nixon-Kain. RECHARGE Space Grant. Photo by Nat Cartney

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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, at the Drill. Residencies were are available between 14 August and 24 November 2023, for a minimum of two weeks up to two months. This program is supported by Woollahra Municipal Council.

In 2023, 10 Research Room residencies were granted to: Patricia Wood, Nikki Heywood, Roman Danylek, Lisa Crowe, Vishnu Arunasalam, Diane Busuttil, el Waddingham, Nick Power, Nebahat Erpolat and Lux Eterna.

“Every now and then you have to go back to Critical Path to remember who you are.”

- Nick Power

We sent our bodies to ourselves in the future.

And they have just arrived… March Dance 2023.

Photo by Nat Cartney

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The Reckoning by The Living Room Theatre, March Dance 2023. Featuring Eileen Camilleri, Sue Jo Wright, Imogen Crana, Emma Langfield, Cloé Fournier. Photo by Nat Cartney

MARCH DANCE In 2023, Critical Path continued to be responsible for the auspicing and co-devising of March Dance in partnership with Dirty Feet. 172 artists participated in the festival.

The total audience for all events was 1284. 60 events were programmed across Greater Sydney including 40 accessible to the general public. March Dance Program Manager was Matthew Prest.

March Dance is supported by a City of Sydney grant ($20 000) which covers the web management, coordination, and promotion of the festival. After a fifth iteration, the inability to raise more funds in supporting the artists and the coordination of the festival, has led Critical Path with the co-founders DirtyFeet and ReadyMade Works to pause the festival in 2024 in order to reassess the future of the festival and the way it may best support the participating artists.

During the festival Critical Path offered residencies to Reina Takeuchi and Tom Kentta, Zoë Bastin, Patricia Wood, Michelle St Anne, Laura Osweiler, Matt Cornell and an online panel led by Ira Ferris. Financial contributions were given to Matt Cornell, Ira Ferris, Zoë Bastin, Reina Takeushi and Tom Kentta. A First Nations mini Bursary was given to Amy Flannery.

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FIRST NATIONS LED PROGRAM – Curator Jasmin Sheppard Jasmin Sheppard facilitated a Gathering at the Drill on the 2nd of May 2023, on the lands of the Gadigal and Bidgigal people. This gathering was an informal way to bring some members of our diverse First Nations Independent dance community together, to begin a discussion on ‘Safe Spaces for First Nations Creatives and Creation’.

The Safe Spaces project makes up one part of Critical Path’s First Nations program, a series of consultations and discussions which will work towards a resource document in 2024, on what we see as vital for arts institutions and organisations to do or not do, to create Safe Spaces Culturally for our work and ourselves.

June 2023 saw the first Truth Telling research residency initiative take place, whereby a First Nations artist was teamed up with Indigenous archive departments at both AIATSIS (National Indigenous archives) and Powerhouse Museum. Henrietta Baird was the recipient of the residency and spent the week immersed in archival documents of her family records and language archives.

On reflection of her time, Henrietta says:

“Truths are important. It starts with your ancestors, and filters through you- their stories run through your blood and become your stories. Knowing or finding out who my ancestors are makes me feel proud and makes me want to step up and tell our stories. I know who I am”.

Henrietta followed up this research week with time at the Drill Hall in September, delving deeper into how this research and new-found knowledge impacts her choreographic processes.

Image courtesy Jo Clancy.

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FIRST NATIONS ARTISTS SUPPORT SHANA O’BRIEN FIRST NATIONS BURSARY (Regional) “Part of my research will involve learning to sew on the sewing machine my grandmother gave me as a teenager, spending time in the studio with the fabric and conversations with my grandmother’s and her adoptive sister about her and her connection to sewing.”

Shana used the reflections and findings of her own practice and her teams to influence her approach to developing work.

BLAK CAMP FIRST NATIONS PRACTICE LAB – INDIGENOUS DRAMATURGIES (The Drill and offsite) with Amy Flannery, Jye Uren, Shana O’Brien BLAK CAMP First Nations Practice Lab supported a group of young independent dance makers to explore, articulate and extend their practice and creative methodologies.

Through a rigorous process based clearly on the principle of self-determination CP will support artistic mentorship and curatorial feedback. The activities are led by First Nations independent producer Jasmine Gulash.

This lab was part of Critical Path’s Indigenous Dramaturgies in Dance project supported

by Reimagine, Sector Recovery Initiatives fund, Australia Council for the Arts.

HENRIETTA BAIRD SUPPORTED ARTIST Critical Path supports Henrietta Baird as she develops new work and builds relationships and collaborations through her Carriageworks First Nations Fellowship.

Plant A Promise is a participatory installation & dance work about looking after Country.

Led by respected dance artist and play maker Henrietta Baird, this work brings together a group of established artists to explore how Indigenous cultural and horticultural practice meets scientific knowledge and increasing loss of habitat to fire.

Critical Path is auspice for both Henrietta’s Carriageworks Fellowship, Australia Council for the Arts and Create NSW project funding.

Amy Flannery and Aroha Pehi. Image by TeeClick.

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INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGES & DIGITAL RESIDENCIES Physical Futures, Taiwan and Australia Choreography Exchange 2022-2024 (Yr 2) 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, Australia, Critical Path successfully completed Yr2 of the 2022-2024 Taiwan and Australia Choreography Exchange Program. Curated by Matt Cornell.

The 2023 Physical Futures Digital and Choreographic Exchange took place over four consecutive weeks from October 23 until November 17, 2023. Taiwanese based artists Lee Ming-Chieh and Tian Zi-Ping travelled to Australia to work with local artists Roslyn Orlando and Dr Rachael Gunn (Bgirl Raygun). The group were facilitated across the four consecutive weeks by Critical Path’s curator - interrogating digital and choreography - Matt Cornell. The program continued to build upon the brains-trust of the multi-year program via their private wiki – Open Tab – while being devoted to spending time physically together in varied studio contexts of exchange, learning, and development of new work through collaboration.

Leading artists and curators engaged as mentors: Linda Dement, Yin Cao, Stuart Buchanan, Josh Harl, Sarah Aiken, Angela Goh, Su Yu Hsin, Alice Weber, Solomon Thomas (RE:Group), Travis De Vries (Awesome Black).

Leading art institutions who hosted the exchange: Sydney Opera House, the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Tactical Space Lab, University of Technology Sydney Data Arena, Arthur Boyd Trust - Bundanon Artist Residency, Bondi Pavilion, BrandX City of Sydney Creative Studios, Goethe Institute.

The resulting work by the artists has been invited for presentations at the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts in Taichong and C-LAB in Taipei in November 2024

39

“... life changing for me. I have a much greater understanding of so many different artistic practices, technologies, and approaches, I have gained confidence in myself, I have gained a stronger artistic network, and I have made lifelong friends.” - Dr Rachael Gunn “Just like sculpture, the multi-dimensional philosophy builds the core of creation. Because of your careful consideration and design of this exchange program, I have gained a lot of creative inspiration, thank you! 辛苦了!” - Tian Zi-ping

Image Courtesy of Matt Cornell

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Image Courtesy of Matt Cornell

“The time, space and proximity to inspiring peers provided fertile grounds for artistic collaboration.

Engagement with industry peers, mentors and artists further expanded my horizons, orienting me in the broader context of my practice, and providing useful technical, creative and conceptual discussions around performance and technology.” - Roslyn Orlando “It has opened up my body’s imagination about ecology, and further thought about how digital ecology can respond to our living conditions and social situations. This month has given me an unforgettable collaboration experience as well.

Thank you so much!” - Lee Ming-chieh

41

PUBLICATIONS Spaces for Street Dance Critical Path was successful in receiving City of Sydney support to commission the 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 will be published in early 2024.

Critical Dialogues #15 In 2023, Critical Path resumed its bi-annual publication and commissioned Ira Ferris as the Editor to edit the #15 edition on the theme TIME. The edition will be published in March 2024.

Spaces for Street Dance, Courtesy of Feras Shaheen

42

43

44

Auditor Independence Declaration

45 45 46 47 48 50

Financial Statements Statement of Surplus or Deficit and Other Comprehensive Income Statement of Financial Position Statement of Changes in Equity Statement of Cash Flows Notes to the Financial Statements

50

1 General information and statement of compliance

50

2 Changes in accounting policies

50

3 Summary of accounting policies

58

4 Grants, other contributions and other income

61

5 Cash and cash equivalents

62

6 Trade and other receivables

62

7 Other assets

63

8 Property, plant and equipment

64

9 Intangible assets

65

10 Trade and other payables

65

11 Employee remuneration

66

12 Grants liabilities

66

13 Other liabilities

67

14 Leases

67

15 Related party transactions

68

16 Contingent Liabilities and Assets

68

17 Subsequent Events

68

18 Members’ Guarantee - Contribution in winding up

68

19 Charitable fundraising

69

20 Company details

70 70 71 72

Declarations Committee Members’ Declaration Declaration by the Treasurer INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT TO THE MEMBERS

78 78 79

Detailed Statements of Surplus or Deficit SCHEDULE 1 - GENERAL OPERATIONS SCHEDULE 2 - GENERAL OPERATIONS

Martin del Almo, Sue Healey, Mitchell Christie. RECHARGE Space Grant

44

AUDITOR’S INDEPENDENCE DECLARATION UNDER AUSTRALIAN CHARITIES AND NOT FOR PROFITS COMMISSION ACT 2012 SECTION 60-40 TO THE COMMITTEE OF CRITICAL PATH INCORPORATED As lead auditor for the audit of Critical Path Incorporated (A.B.N. 12 049 903 261) for the year ended 31 December 2023, I declare that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, there have been: (a)

no contraventions of the auditor independence requirements of the Australian Charities and Not for Profits Commission Act 2012 in relation to the audit; and

(b)

no contraventions of any applicable code of professional conduct in relation to the audit.

This declaration is in respect of Critical Path Incorporated and any entities it controlled during the period.

MITCHELL & PARTNERS Chartered Accountants

Glenn Merchant CA Partner Sydney, NSW Dated this 22nd April 2024.

45

STATEMENT OF SURPLUS OR DEFICIT AND OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

Note

2023 $

2022 $

Grants & other contributions

4

595,172

952,211

Other income

4

37,640

20,263

(92,898)

(102,254)

Administration and marketing expenses Amortisation expenses

9

(3,340)

(3,330)

Depreciation expenses

8

(617)

(756)

Employee benefits expense (incl. employed artists)

11

(202,094)

(240,103)

Project expenses

(231,032)

(304,749)

Auspice expense

(100,769)

(320,028)

2,063

1,253

2,063

1,253

Other comprehensive income for the year, net of income tax

-

-

Total comprehensive surplus for the year

2,063

1,253

Surplus before income tax Income tax expense Surplus for the year

This statement should be read in conjunction with the notes to the financial statements.

46

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION Note

2023 $

2022 $

Cash and cash equivalents

5

417,065

612,653

Trade and other receivables

6

238,700

1,452

Other current assets

7

715

3,317

656,480

617,423

Assets Current

Current assets Non-current Property, plant and equipment

8

6,125

-

Intangible assets

9

-

3,340

6,125

3,340

662,605

620,763

Non-current assets Total assets Liabilities Current Trade and other payables

10

85,370

76,535

Provisions

11

13,643

11,922

Grant liabilities

12

305,659

276,186

Income in advance

13

1,141

1,390

Current liabilities

405,813

366,033

Total liabilities

405,813

366,033

Net assets

256,792

254,729

Accumulated Surplus

256,792

254,729

Total equity

256,792

254,729

Equity

This statement should be read in conjunction with the notes to the financial statements.

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STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN EQUITY

Accumulated surplus $

Total equity $

254,729

254,729

2,063

2,063

256,792

256,792

253,476

253,476

1,253

1,253

254,729

254,729

2023 Balance at 1 January 2023 Surplus for the year Balance at 31 December 2021 2022

Balance at 1 January 2022 Surplus for the year Balance at 31 December 2022

This statement should be read in conjunction with the notes to the financial statements.

48

STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS Note

2023 $

2022 $

393,716

611,048

Operating activities Receipts from: •

Government grants & contributions

•

Interest income

7,491

2,052

•

Other Income

30,149

20,263

Payments to employees & suppliers

(620,203)

(814,869)

Net cash provided by operating activities

(188,847)

(181,505)

(6,741)

-

-

-

(6,741)

-

Net change in cash and cash equivalents

(195,588)

(181,505)

Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of year

612,653

794,158

417,065

612,653

Investing activities Purchases of plant and equipment Purchases of intangible assets Net cash used in investing activities

Cash and cash equivalents, end of year

5

This statement should be read in conjunction with the notes to the financial statements.

Audience for the sharing of We sent our bodies to ourselves in the future.

And they have just arrived… March Dance 2023. Photo by Nat Cartney

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50

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS For the year ended 31 December 2023 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 2023 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.

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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.

52

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:

53

•

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.

54

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.

55

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.

56

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.

57

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.

58

4.

Grants, other contributions and other income

The Association’s income may be analysed as follows:

2023 $

2022 $

1,600

13,274

462,098

518,544

Projects income

58,854

97,180

Auspice income

76,620

323,213

Total Grants and other contributions

595,172

952,211

Interest income

7,491

2,051

Rent received

29,304

14,520

In-kind donations and audit income (Pro-Bono)

-

3,500

Local Government Rental Support in-kind

-

-

845

192

Total other income

37,640

20,263

Total revenue

632,812

972,474

Note Grants and other contributions Donations Net grant income

4.1

Other income

Sundry income

59

4.1 Net grant income 2023 $

2022 $

Grants in advance – 1 January

276,187

484,441

Grants received during the year

491,570

320,289

767,757

794,730

Grants in advance – 31 December

(217,000)

(276,187)

Unexpended grants – 31 December

(88,659)

-

Net grant income

462,098

518,544

Note

Less:

4.2 Grants received in advance – 1 January Note Create NSW 2023 Grant Create Digitak Australia Council – Core funding / Project Funding Carriageworks Fellowship Auspice City of Sydney Grant March dance and Auspice Grants

2023 $

2022 $

196,000

221,051

-

59,852

40,205

180,197

7,480

-

32,500

23,311

276,187

484,441

60

4.3 Grants received during the year Note

2023 $

2022 $

280,000

258,075

-

-

19,597

-

-

-

56,645

99,297

-

1,505

40,206

103,920

-

-

-

-

26,950

28,311

38,700

27,435

-

-

462,098

518,544

Create NSW (multi-year) • Core Funding • Project Funding • Project Funding (Quick - Covid) Create NSW (project) • Core Funding • Project Funding Australia Council • Core Funding • Project Funding • Project Funding (Resilience) City of Sydney Cultural Grant • Core Funding • Project Funding International Grants In-Kind Grants Total grants received

61

4.4 Grants received in advance – 31 December 2023 $

2022 $

196,000

196,000

Australia Council Re-imagine

-

13,676

Australia Council SLS

-

26,529

City of Sydney Festivals (March Dance) 2020/21

-

14,500

City of Sydney 2021/22

-

18,000

Carriageworks Fellowship

21,000

7,480

Unexpended Grants

88,659

Note Create NSW Grant

305,659

5.

276,187

Cash and cash equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents consist the following:

Note Cash at bank Short term deposits Total cash and cash equivalents

2023 $

2022 $

471,065

612,653

-

-

471,065

612,653

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:

Note Cash and cash equivalents

2023 $

2022 $

471,065

612,653

62

6.

Trade and other receivables

Trade and other receivables consist the following: 2023 $

2022 $

715

715

238,000

737

-

-

239,415

1,452

2023 $

2022 $

Prepaid insurance

-

3,317

Cash and cash equivalents

-

3,317

Note Current Deposit paid Trade receivables Sundry Debtors Total trade and other receivables

7.

Other assets

Other assets consist the following:

Note Current:

63

8.

Property, plant and equipment Leasehold improvements $

Plant and equipment $

Total 2023 $

Carrying amount as at 1 January 2023

-

-

-

Additions

-

6,742

6,742

Amortisation/depreciation for the year

-

(617)

(617)

Carrying amount as at 31 December 2023

-

6,125

6,125

Cost

73,271

44,173

117,444

Accumulated amortisation/depreciation

(73,271)

(38,048)

(111,319)

-

6,125

6,125

Leasehold improvements $

Plant and equipment $

Total 2022 $

Cost

73,271

37,432

110,703

Accumulated amortisation/depreciation

(73,271)

(36,432)

(110,703)

Carrying amount as at 1 January 2022

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Cost

73,271

37,432

110,703

Accumulated amortisation/depreciation

(73,271)

(36,432)

(110,703)

-

-

-

For year ended 31 December 2023

Balance 31 December 2023

Carrying amount 31 December 2023 For year ended 31 December 2022 Gross carrying amount

Amortisation/depreciation for the year Carrying amount as at 31 December 2022 As at 31 December 2022

Carrying amount 31 December 2022

64

9.

Intangible assets

Details of the company’s intangible assets and their carrying amounts are as follows: Database development $

Software $

Website $

Total 2023 $

Cost

7,000

4,811

36,916

48,727

Accumulated depreciation

(7,000)

(4,811)

(30,246)

(42,057)

Carrying amount at 1 January 2023 Depreciation for the year

-

-

3,340

3,340

-

-

3,340

3,340

Carrying amount at 31 December 2023 As at 31 December 2023

-

-

-

-

Cost

7,000

4,811

36,916

48,727

Accumulated depreciation Carrying amount at 31 December 2023

(7,000) -

(4,811) -

(33,576) -

(45,387) -

Database development $

Software $

Website $

Total 2022 $

Cost

7,000

4,811

36,916

48,727

Accumulated depreciation

(7,000)

(4,811)

(30,246)

(42,057)

-

-

6,670

6,670

3,330

3,330

3,340

3,340

As at 1 January 2023

As at 1 January 2022

Carrying amount at 1 January 2022 Depreciation for the year Carrying amount at 31 December 2022 As at 31 December 2022 Cost

7,000

4,811

36,916

48,727

Accumulated depreciation Carrying amount at 31 December 2022

(7,000)

(4,811)

(33,576) 3,340

(45,387) 3,340

65

10.

Trade and other payables

Trade and other payables recognised consist of the following: 2022 $

2022 $

Accrued expenses

54,888

37,532

Net GST payable

8,967

17,140

PAYG withholding

10,432

10,658

Refundable deposits

495

165

Superannuation payable

6,841

10,400

Trade payables

3,737

640

85,370

76,535

Note Current:

Total trade and other payables

11.

Employee remuneration

11.1 Employee benefits expense Expenses recognised for employee benefits are analysed below: 2023 $

2022 $

Annual leave provided

7,243

(1,416)

Long Service Leave

(5,522)

1,531

Salaries and wages

178,062

213,883

Superannuation contributions

18,874

22,648

Workers compensation insurance

3,437

2,231

-

1,225

202,094

240,103

Note

Employment expenses Total employee benefit expense

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11.2 Employee provisions The liabilities recognised for employee benefits consist of the following amounts: 2023 $

2022 $

12,780

5,537

863

6,385

13,643

11,922

2023 $

2022 $

Grants in advance

305,659

276,186

Total grants received in advance

305,659

276,186

2023 $

2022 $

1,141

-

-

1,390

1,141

1,390

Note Current: Annual leave Long Service Leave Total employee provisions

12.

Grants liabilities

Grants liabilities can be summarised as follows:

Note

13.

Other liabilities

Other liabilities can be summarised as follows:

Note Income received in advance Hall Hire in advance for February 2023 Total other liabilities

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14.

Leases [7]

Operating leases as lessee The Group’s future minimum operating lease payments are as follows:

Minimum lease payments due Within 1 year $

1 to 5 years $

After 5 years $

Total $

31 December 2023

47,845

-

-

47,845

31 December 2022

38,494

-

-

38,494

15.

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: $69,101 {Change-over period for Directors of several months} 2022: $79,600

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16.

Contingent Liabilities and Assets

No contingent liabilities and assets to report.

17.

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 2023 or on the results and cash flow of the Company for the year ended on that date.

18.

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 2023, the total amount that members of the Association are liable to contribute if the Association wound up is $90 (2021: $110).

19.

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.

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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

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COMMITTEE MEMBERS’ DECLARATION Critical Path Incorporated In the opinion of the Directors of Critical Path Incorporated (‘the association’) (a) The financial statements are in accordance with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission Act 2012, including; (i) giving a true and fair view of the Association’s financial position as at 31 December 2022 and of it’s performance, for the year ended on that date, and (ii) complying with Australian Accounting Standards (including the Australian Accounting Interpretations) and the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission Regulations 2013; and (b) 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

Sydney, 19 April 2024

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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: (a) 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 2023; (b) 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 2023; (c) 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 (d) 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, 19 April 2024

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INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF CRITICAL PATH INCORPORATED A.B.N. 12 049 903 261 (an incorporated association) Report on the Financial Statements Opinion We have audited the financial report of Critical Path Incorporated (the association), which comprises the statement of financial position as at 31 December 2023, the statement of surplus or deficit and other comprehensive income, statement of changes in equity, statement of cash flows for the year ended on that date, a summary of significant accounting policies and other explanatory notes and the committees’ declaration.

In our opinion, the accompanying financial report of Critical Path Incorporated is in accordance with Division 60 of the Australian Charities and Not for Profits Commission Act 2012 and the Associated Incorporations Act 2009, including: •

giving a true and fair view of the association’s financial position as at 31 December 2022, and of its performance for the year then ended ; and

•

complying with Australian Accounting Standards, Division 60 of the Australian Charities and Not for Profits Commission Regulation 2013, and the Corporations Act 2001.

Basis of Opinion We conducted our audit in accordance with Australian Auditing Standards. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor s Responsibilities for the Audit of the Financial Report section of our report. We are independent of the association in accordance with the auditor independence requirements of the Australian Charities and Not for Profits Commission Act 2012 and the ethical requirements of the Accounting Professional and Ethical Standards Board APES 110: Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants (the Code) that are relevant to our audit of the financial report inAustralia. We have also fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with the Code.

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We confirm that the independence declaration required by the Australian Charities and Not for Profits Commission Act 2012, which has been given to the committee of Critical Path Incorporated, would be in the same terms if given to the committee as at the time of this auditor’s report.

We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

Information Other than the Financial Report and Auditor’s Report Thereon The committee members are responsible for the other information. The other information comprises the information included in the association’s annual report for the year ended 31 December 2023, but does not include the financial report and our auditor’s report thereon.

Our opinion on the financial report does not cover the other information and accordingly we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon. In connection with our audit of the financial report, our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial report or our knowledge obtained in the audit or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.

We have nothing to report in this regard.

The Responsibility of the Committee for the Financial Statements The committee members of the association are responsible for the preparation the financial report that gives a true and fair view in accordance with Australian Accounting Standards, the ACNC Act, and the Associated Incorporations Act 2009 and for such internal control as the committee members determine is necessary to enable the preparation of the financial report that gives a true and fair view and is free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

In preparing the financial report, the committee members are responsible for assessing the association’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters relating to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the committee members either intend to liquidate the association or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternatives but to do so.

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Auditor’s Responsibility for the Audit of the Financial Report Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial report as a whole is free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with the Australian Accounting Standards will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of this financial report.

As part of an audit in accordance with the Australian Auditing Standards, we exercise professional judgement and maintain professional scepticism throughout the audit.

We also: •

Identify and assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial report, whether due to fraud or error, design and perform audit procedures responsive to those risks, and obtain audit evidence that is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion. The risk of not detecting a material misstatement resulting from fraud is higher than for one resulting from error, as fraud may involve collusion, forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations, or the override of internal controls.

•

Obtain an understanding of internal control relevant to the audit in order to design audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purposes of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the association’s internal control.

•

Evaluate the appropriateness of accounting policies used and the reasonableness of accounting estimates and related disclosures made by the committee.

•

Conclude on the appropriateness of the committee’ use of the going concern basis of accounting and, based on the audit evidence obtained, whether a material uncertainty exists related to events or conditions that may cast significant doubt on the registered entity’s ability to continue as a going concern. If we conclude that a material uncertainty exists, we are required to draw attention in our auditor’s report to the related disclosures in the

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financial report or, if such disclosures are inadequate, to modify our opinion.

Our conclusions are based on the audit evidence obtained up to the date of our auditor’s report. However, future events or conditions may cause the registered entity to cease to continue as a going concern.

We communicate with the responsible entities regarding, among other matters, the planned scope and timing of the audit and significant audit findings, including any significant deficiencies in internal control that we identify during our audit.

We also provide the committee with a statement that we have complied with relevant ethical requirements requiring independence, and to communicate with them all relationships and other matters that may reasonably be thought to bear on our independence, and where applicable, related safeguards.

MITCHELL & PARTNERS Chartered Accountants

Glenn Merchant CA Partner Sydney, NSW Dated this 22nd day of April, 2024

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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION DISCLAIMER The additional financial data presented in the following pages is in accordance with the books and records of Critical Path Incorporated (“our client”) which have been subjected to the auditing procedures applied in our statutory audit of the association for the year ended 31 December 2023. It will be appreciated that our statutory audit did not cover all details of the additional financial data. Accordingly, we do not express an opinion on such financial data and no warranty to accuracy or reliability is given. Neither the firm nor any member or employee of the firm undertakes responsibility in any way whatsoever to any person (other than our client) in respect of such data, including any errors or omissions therein however caused.

MITCHELL & PARTNERS Chartered Accountants

Glenn Merchant CA Partner Sydney, NSW Dated this 22nd day of April, 2024

The Reckoning by The Living Room Theatre, March Dance 2023. Featuring Sue Jo Wright, Eileen Camilleri, Imogen Crana, Emma Langfield, Cloé Fournier. Photo by Nat Cartney

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For the year ended 31 December 2023

SCHEDULE 1 – GENERAL OPERATIONS 2023 $

2022 $

1,600

13,274

Net grant income

462,098

518,544

Projects income

54,854

91,180

Auspice Income

76,620

323,213

7,491

2,051

Rent received

29,304

14,520

Sundry income

845

3,692

TOTAL INCOME

632,812

972,474

LESS: EXPENDITURE

(630,749)

(971,221)

2,063

1,253

Note INCOME Donations

Investment income: Interest

NET SURPLUS/DEFICIT

The above UNAUDITED detailed statement of surplus or deficit should be read in conjunction with the disclaimer.

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SCHEDULE 2 – GENERAL OPERATIONS 2023 $

2022 $

Advertising and promotion / Marketing

5,713

14,914

Annual leave provided

7,243

(1,416)

Accounting fees

5,179

8,438

Bank charges

323

1,041

Bad Debts

-

-

551

750

3,957

4,086

-

1,225

705

146

-

2,650

8,681

4,711

-

252

Office supplies & equipment

472

551

Postage and stationery

139

163

Project expenses

231,032

304,749

Auspice expenses

100,768

320,028

66,750

64,776

Staff training / Board & Advisory

481

1,000

Sundry expenses, including subscriptions

745

1,172

Superannuation

18,874

22,648

Telephone and internet charges

1,495

1,568

13

119

Worker’s Compensation

3,437

2,231

Long Service Leave Provision

(5,522)

1,531

Wages and salaries

179,713

213,883

TOTAL EXPENDITURE

630,749

971,221

Note EXPENSES

Computer supplies Depreciation and amortisation Employment expenses Entertainment / Hospitality Financial contractor Insurance Legal & Medical fees

Rent and overheads

Travel expenses

Note

The above UNAUDITED detailed statement of surplus or deficit should be read in conjunction with the disclaimer.

Note: Studio/Drill hall costs in Project expenses in 2023.

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