Good afternoon everyone,

An update and action requested on this year’s Wendy Blacklock Industry Legend Award.

Angela, Louisa, Heidi and myself have met and conferred to make a recommendation to the board for this year’s winner.

However, in a slightly more complex outcome than previous years, I have two items to put before you.

1. WBIL winner – Arts on Tour.

Recognising ongoing and esteemed sector leadership, from core business through to extraordinary outputs in exceptional times. They have been recognised several times over the years as joint winners of our previous Tour of the Year award, and received the inaugural Innovator Award for their Green Touring work. However, the WBIL recognises their service to the sector through initiatives and collaborations supporting:

• mental wellbeing on the road  - Tour Well with the Arts Wellbeing Collective
• sustainable touring - carbon offset calculator with ARUP, Green Touring Guide, support of the Australian edition of the Theatre Green Book
• tour readiness – their Tour Lab and The Clinic initiatives
• market development – Salon and backroads
• workforce development – championing Cally Bartley’s development of Tour Ready Tour Fit initiative with ATYP and PAC Australia
• community engagement – ENGAGE!  with CAAP

Each of these initiatives alone is an incredible achievement, but this entire program combines to make Arts on Tour one of the most prolific and purpose/change-driven organisations in the sector, delivering real transformation and outcomes for presenters, artists and producers across the country.

All this above and beyond their actual core business of tour coordination, which is delivered with human-centered care, always seeking the best outcome for all partners involved, which they have done for many, many years.

We felt it will be important to celebrate Arts on Tour while Antonia Seymour is still at the helm. While we have no insight as to whether she is planning to move on, it was noted that she has just clocked 10 years of service.

2. Additional Award in 2026 (not WBIL) – to posthumously recognise Fiona Winning.

We did discuss giving the WBIL to Fiona Winning in recognition of her extraordinary career. In confidence, this is more complex for the reasons outlined below, however we are still seeking the board’s consideration of whether to bestow a special, one-off additional IMPACT Award.

Factors to consider:

• In strict confidence – the IMPACT Awards panel have determined Fiona’s partner, Harley Stumm, as an IMPACT award winner this year, for his often unseen/unrecognised work and advocacy for artists and the touring sector. The panel were asked to consider to Fiona for an award as well, however they have deferred this to the board, asking whether a special recognition might be made as they were working with a maximum of 5 awards to bestow and felt other nominees more fitting. The fact that Harley will win an IMPACT award is only raised because I believe we also need to consult with him if we decide to pursue an additional award.

• We have bestowed a post-humous IMPACT Award in the past, to David Lloyd at our inaugural ceremony in 2022, although this was based on a nomination received from within the membership. David would be recognised as having a much closer connection to PAC Australia’s members and the organisation’s work, whereas Fiona, while having a prolific and impactful career, had a more tangential connection to the organisation and our members.

• Finally, I do want to pre-empt that we don’t do an “in memorium” section during the awards, due to the real risk of omitting an individual whom attendees or members would consider worthy of inclusion. I am happy to consider this, however would flag the high risk and additional load on the team to manage appropriately.

I am happy to hear from anyone individually/directly on the Fiona Winning award if you would prefer.

Otherwise, can you please respond to let me know if you are in favour of Arts on Tour as the Wendy Blacklock Industry Legend Award recipient, and I will reach out to Wendy to affirm her blessing as well.

Many thanks

Katherine

Katherine Connor

(she/her)

Executive Director | PAC Australia | +61 (0) 419 428 412 | paca.org.au

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