Dinner in Support of the Arts in Queensland

Minister for Education and the Arts, the Honourable John-Paul Langbroek MP;  Chair, Brisbane Festival Giving Committee, The Honourable Justice Thomas Bradley; Former Chief Executive Officer, Queensland Performing Arts Centre;  Mr John Kotzas AM; distinguished guests.

I begin by acknowledging the Original Custodians of the lands around Brisbane, the Turrbal and Jagera people, paying my respects to Elders past, present and emerging, and celebrating the immense contribution of Indigenous storytelling, dance and music to enriching our cultural landscape.

This evening, Graeme and I feel very privileged to be joined by leaders of so many of Queensland’s flagship arts companies, each of whom bring such energy and passion to an industry we all cherish.

We welcome those who are relatively new to your roles, in particular   Ms Rachel Healy and Mr Ivan Gil-Ortega, and pay special tribute to the incredible influence of Mr John Kotzas AM, whose visionary thinking over many years at the helm of QPAC has ensured that now, in its 40^th year, this magnificent facility continues to be the pride of our state.

Of course, QPAC’s status will only be enhanced by next year’s opening of the new theatre—as it becomes Australia’s largest performing arts centre.

Part of what makes the arts so special here, is the way you work together, forming exciting and beneficial collaborations that underpin a close-knit and supportive creative environment—one that nurtures new talent and drives innovation. 

These partnerships, as well as your individual artistic programs, build more diverse experiences for audiences of all backgrounds and ages—to dazzle and captivate.

We see this brought to life each year during the Brisbane Festival, which lights up our city—quite literally—with magical events.

Circa’s masterful ingenuity continues to take on the world, and its recent performances with the talented musicians of the Queensland Symphony Orchestra proves how brilliant such artistic relationships can be; while the QSO itself, with its expansive program, enables new audiences to discover the versatility and variety of classical music.

Each year, Queensland Youth Orchestras encourages life-long musicians, many of whom become our next generation of professional players, and Queensland Theatre brings us ground-breaking works that challenge, entertain and foster the creators of the future.

The Queensland Ballet, in its 65^th year, goes beyond traditional performance to assist the community, through unique programs such as Dance for Veterans.

Significantly, in addition to Brisbane-based activities, your various touring programs such as Opera Queensland’s upcoming Festival of Outback Opera, deliver premier entertainment to people in regional and remote areas—and I know you share our concern and support for those Queenslanders currently suffering from the disastrous flooding. 

I am so proud to see our arts scene thriving, and as we look ahead to 2032, when Brisbane takes centre stage in a global event that will shape our state, I’m sure Minister Langbroek would agree, we are in a strong position to showcase our talents to the world.

So, this evening, Graeme and I say thank you, for building such a robust, vibrant arts ecosystem, and for being outstanding lateral thinkers whose deft juggling skills would not be out of place in Circa.

We hope you enjoy this special dinner.