Time and Tide Wait for Ros Bates (QTC Flood recovery)

The muddy waters may have long receded but the after effects of the 2011 Brisbane floods are still being felt by many residents and companies alike.

Some relief came to the Queensland Theatre Company (QTC) this week with the announcement of the Queensland State Government funding-match program of up to one hundred and fifty thousand dollars committed to match recovery funds raised by QTC.

When the flood waters peaked in 2011, QTC’s Greenhouse (including the Bille Brown Studio, foyer and storage space), situated low and close to the Brisbane River on Montague Road South Brisbane, was submerged under 1.2 meters of river-water causing extensive damage. Despite a flurry of volunteer salvaging activity, the destruction has left over six hundred thousand dollars in lost equipment not to mention the impact on the wider performing community who benefitted from QTC’s in-kind support of loan props and costumes from their collection that has taken forty-two years to build.

QTC originally received assistance under the QRA (Queensland Reconstruction Authority) however that claim was later found to be outside of the QRA guidelines and the assistance was rescinded. Arts Minister Ros Bates in a statement about the loss of recovery funding mused;

I’ve been working hard to find a way to help. It gives me great pleasure to announce that those efforts have been successful.

– Ros Bates

In what has been a bumpy twelve months for Queensland’s arts community with relations between artists and the new conservative Government strained by slash and burn budget cuts including the axing of the Premier’s Literary Awards, it’s encouraging to see financial support made available when desperately needed, however dedicated supporters of the states flagship theatre company now need to stand up and help raise QTC’s share of the funding in order for the Government funding-match to be successful.

“This is about a hand up, rather than a hand out and I will do all I can to help the company attract philanthropic donations” The Arts Minister promised in the January 10 announcement.

To show your support, visit queenslandtheatre.com.au/support-us/donations