Program subject to change
19 Nov
TOPIC: GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES ON NEW BUSINESS MODELS
CULTURE BUSINESS acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the land on which Luna Park is located, the Cammerragal people, and recognises their continuing connection to land, waters and culture.
⏰ 8:30 - 9:00am 📍Luna Lounge
Registrations open at the Luna Lounge
Welcome to Country and coffee on arrival
⏰ 9:00 - 9:20am 📍Palais
Welcome to Culture Business 2024
Corinne Estrada (Communicating the Arts - Founder & CEO 🇫🇷), Jonathan Holloway (Giant Inspiration - Founder & Director 🇪🇸), Janine Collins (J9 Consulting - Managing Director 🇦🇺), Matthew Morse (Creative Australia - Director, Private Investment Capability 🇦🇺)
⏰ 9:20 - 9:30am 📍Palais
Luna Park Sydney: Heritage Amusements to Advanced Experiences
John Hughes (Luna Park Sydney - CEO 🇦🇺) and chaired by Corinne Estrada (Communicating the Arts - Founder & CEO 🇫🇷)
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Can a 1935 amusement park become the number one experiences destination in APAC? On 4th October 1935, in the midst of the Great Depression, the first visitors stepped into the smiling face of a ‘City of a Million Lights’*. Now 89 years on, a dynamic leadership team are transforming Sydney's icon. Beyond the need to relevant, the transformation has propelled Luna Park Sydney from a reputation as a fairground treasure to an immersive experiences thought leader in the APAC region.
⏰ 9:30 - 9:45am 📍Palais
The show must go on - emerging models in turbulent times
Jonathan Holloway (Giant Inspiration - Founder & Director 🇪🇸) and chaired by Corinne Estrada (Communicating the Arts - Founder & CEO 🇫🇷)
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Focusing on the UK experience, we’ll examine how organisations have responded to severe funding cuts and shifting priorities from funding bodies. We'll look at innovative strategies like increased commercialisation, impact investing, and collective giving, all aimed at ensuring long-term sustainability. The goal is to provide practical examples that Australian organisations can adapt and apply, no matter their size or focus. After laying this groundwork, we’ll turn our attention to the “elephants in the room” for the next two days - those tough, often toxic topics that are critical to the future of the sector. We’ll openly address six key issues that can’t be ignored, including
Funding Uncertainty: Navigating reduced public funding and finding alternative revenue streams.
Cultural Representation: The ongoing challenge of achieving true diversity and inclusion in programming and leadership.
Digital Disruption: Embracing technology without losing the essence of cultural experiences.
Commercialisation vs. Integrity: Balancing the need for revenue with maintaining artistic and cultural integrity.
Climate and Sustainability: How arts organisations can lead in environmental responsibility.
Relevance in a Polarised World: Exploring how the arts can navigate complex and sensitive issues, fostering dialogue and understanding across deeply divided communities.
⏰ 9:45 – 10:00am 📍Palais
Emerging models in turbulent times – putting them into practice in a grassroots organisation
Jonathan Harper (Paraorchestra - CEO 🇬🇧) and chaired by Corinne Estrada (Communicating the Arts - Founder & CEO 🇫🇷)
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Paraorchestra creates ambitious, and critically acclaimed music experiences famed for their emotion heft, innovation and artistry. Since the business was set up in 2015, Paraorchestra has been clear that its mission is to remove barriers and provide a radically inclusive environment for professional D/deaf, disabled and neurodivergent musicians & composer, during a period of time where 1% of classical musicians in the UK identify as disabled.
Paraorchestra has been on a rocket ship of growth - a company that earned $100,000 in year one is now generating over $4 million a year, delivering transformational change in the United Kingdom.
It is rare in the cultural sector that start-up organisations can break the glass ceiling in terms of funding growth, reputation and impact. At Culture Business Sydney, Jonathan will share Paraorchestra’s journey to date, focussing on how it has managed our current turbulent times and the way it has successfully responded to the needs of funding partners, its musician base and to audience demands.
⏰ 10:00 – 10:15am 📍Palais
Q&A with Jonathan Holloway and Jonathan Harper
⏰ 10:15 – 10:45am 📍Luna Lounge
Tea break - sponsored by Renaissance Tours
⏰ 10:45 – 11:30am 📍Palais
Global view continues: what do major institutions from Europe and America have to say?
Yasmine Mingay (Canadian Museum of History - Senior Director, Public Affairs, Development and Outreach 🇨🇦), Marijke Smallegange (RijksMuseum - Head of Digital Marketing, Communication & Commerce 🇳🇱), Cat Burton (Children's Museum of Pittsburgh - Creative Producer 🇺🇸) and chaired by Xenia Hanusiak (Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands - Senior Policy Officer, Cultural Affair 🇦🇺)
⏰ 11:30am – 12:00pm 📍Palais
Transforming your organisation in the face of resistance
Sonia Winner (Cleveland Museum of Natural History - President & CEO 🇺🇸), Melissa Santee (Cleveland Museum of Natural History - Chief Philanthropy Officer 🇺🇸) and chaired by Jonathan Holloway (Giant Inspiration - Founder & Director 🇪🇸)
⏰ 12:00 – 12:30pm 📍Palais
Discussion: How does it apply to my organisation?
⏰ 12:30 – 12:45pm 📍Palais
The Australian perspective to global trends
Kim McKay (Australian Museum - CEO 🇦🇺) and chaired by Jonathan Holloway (Giant Inspiration - Founder & Director 🇪🇸)
⏰ 12:45 – 1:30pm 📍Luna Lounge
Lunch
Special lunch box available for $25
TOPIC
WHO SAYS THE ARTS ARE NOT FOR PROFIT?
⏰ 1:30 – 1:45pm 📍Palais
Shifting the paradigm from non-profit to social profit
Jon Blackburn (Sydney Opera House - Chief Finance Officer 🇦🇺) and chaired by Claudia Chan Shaw (Designer, Author, Producer 🇦🇺)
⏰ 1:45 – 2:00pm 📍Palais
Using challenges to create revenue
Jon Blackburn (Sydney Opera House - Chief Finance Officer 🇦🇺), Kim McKay (Australian Museum - CEO 🇦🇺) and chaired by Claudia Chan Shaw (Designer, Author, Producer 🇦🇺)
⏰ 2:00 – 2:30pm 📍Luna Lounge
Q&A with Jon Blackburn
Chair: Claudia Chan Shaw (Designer, Author, Producer 🇦🇺)
⏰ 2:00 – 2:30pm 📍Palais
Creative Returns: Getting started with impact debt finance
Georgie McClean (Creative Australia - Executive Director, Development and Partnerships 🇦🇺), Jayne Lovelock (Creative Australia - Director, Private Partnerships and Impact 🇦🇺) and chaired by Gina Fairley (ArtsHub - Visual Arts Editor 🇦🇺)
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Creative Australia has partnered with international impact investing experts at Figurative (UK) to develop Creative Returns: Getting started with impact debt finance. This guide to working with debt finance for the Australian creative industries provides essential information on the nature of impact investment for the creative industries, sharing intel on what Australian arts organisations should consider when exploring this funding model. The guide is intended for anyone working in and with purpose-driven creative businesses in Australia – from staff and board members, to funders, philanthropists and government agencies.
The guide, along with the examples and case studies, will help to demystify impact investment and arm creative organisations with the knowledge that will enable them to make the most of the opportunities this form of finance can offer.
⏰ 2:30 – 3:15pm 📍Palais
Creative problem solving – Innovative strategies for funding the Arts in the future
Facilitated by UTS Visualisation Institute
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This design-thinking workshop offers a space for collaborative reflection on earlier discussions. You'll have the chance to share your visions and brainstorm innovative strategies for funding the arts in the future. Come ready to engage in creative activities and help shape the next chapter for the arts community. Led by A/Prof Zoë Sadokierski, Co-Director of the UTS Visualisation Institute
⏰ 3:15 – 3:45pm 📍Luna Lounge
Quick Connect: Networking on the Clock
TOPIC
NEW APPROACHES TO PHILANTHROPY
⏰ 3:45 – 5:00pm 📍Luna Lounge
India’s art mosaic: paths to partnership
Tirtha Giri (The Cultural Catalysts - Founder 🇮🇳) and chaired by Claudia Chan Shaw (Designer, Author, Producer 🇦🇺)
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This presentation explores India’s vibrant art scene, focusing on its rich heritage, current management practices, and future growth potential. It examines the unique challenges of India’s social structure, particularly their impact on fundraising and marketing in the arts sector. By highlighting both progress and opportunities, the aim is to deepen understanding of India’s evolving arts landscape and to encourage international collaboration.
⏰ 3:45 – 5:00pm 📍Sonar
Building a Philanthropic Pipeline
Sonia Winner (Cleveland Museum of Natural History - President & CEO 🇺🇸), Melissa Santee (Cleveland Museum of Natural History - Chief Philanthropy Officer 🇺🇸) and chaired by Corinne Estrada (Communicating the Arts - Founder & CEO 🇫🇷)
⏰ 3:45 – 5:00pm 📍Palais
Giving Days: trends, tools and testimonies
Dominique Jones (QAGOMA - Philanthropy Manager 🇦🇺), Samantha Jones (Belvoir Street Theatre - Director of Development 🇦🇺), Jo Smith (Circus WA - CEO 🇦🇺) and chaired by Gillian Mercer (Creative Australia - Director of Business Development and Partnerships 🇦🇺)
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In a competitive fundraising landscape and in an era of public debate on the role of philanthropy –in particular Australia’s need for increased generosity – Creative Australia explores the rising trend of giving days. Creative Australia will use this session to announce a new national Giving Day campaign, turning competition into co-opetition to create a groundswell of critical mass, increased visibility, and urgency (over a 12-hour public campaign) to invest in Australian Creativity.
Three exceptional fundraisers will present how they have transformed fundraising for their organisations through Giving Days. Creative Australia will announce details of the new Giving Day initiative at this session.
⏰ 3:45 – 5:00pm 📍Hungry Horse
Place based philanthropy
Janine Collins (J9 Consulting - Principal 🇦🇺) and chaired by Matthieu Jacob (Communicating the Arts - Program Manager 🇫🇷)
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Our case study centers on building a strong philanthropy pipeline, encompassing gifts of all sizes, and creating a sustainable model that meaningfully engages both small and large donors. We’ll share practical strategies for diversifying funding sources, building lasting donor relationships, and generating consistent revenue streams. Along the way, we’ll also reflect on the challenges we encountered and the missteps we learned from.
⏰ 5:00 – 5:15pm 📍Palais
We appreciated your support. Now what?
John Richardson (Art Gallery of NSW - Director of Audiences & Development 🇦🇺) and introduced by: Evan Petrelis (Renaissance Tours - Managing Director 🇦🇺)
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Following an extraordinary $150m+ capital campaign and the completion of the Sydney Modern Project with the opening of the SANAA-designed building Naala Badu, sustaining philanthropic enthusiasm can be as challenging as securing initial funding. John’s presentation delves into strategic approaches for maintaining high levels of donor engagement and support post-transformation.
Our exploration begins with key learnings drawn from the successful execution of the capital campaign, highlighting critical insights and best practices. He will discuss effective strategies for keeping philanthropic passion alive once the gallery doors are open, including personalised donor stewardship and innovative engagement tactics. The presentation will also cover the development of a robust bequest strategy to secure long-term financial stability and continuity of support.
⏰ 5:25 – 6:00pm 📍Palais
Size doesn't matter - its about our strengths
Jonathan Harper (Paraorchestra - CEO 🇬🇧), Chris North (Learning For Good - CEO 🇦🇺), Kerri Glasscock (Sydney Fringe Festival - CEO 🇦🇺) and chaired by Jonathan Holloway (Giant Inspiration - Founder & Director 🇪🇸)
⏰ 6:00 – 6:45pm 📍Big Top
Dream Circus experience
⏰ 6:45 – 8:00pm 📍Coney Island