Brisbane’s Metro Arts loses leader in funding woes’ wake
By Nick Dent
Brisbane’s turnover of arts chiefs continues with the departure of Genevieve Trace as executive director of Metro Arts.
Her quiet exit in March came 15 months after the organisation lost its Creative Australia four-year funding, having been successful on two previous occasions.
Metro Arts chair Tara Hastings said Trace’s departure enabled the 44-year-old organisation to revise the way it approached its leadership.
Out the door: Genevieve Trace, Louise Bezzina, John Kotzas and Kate Gould have all resigned recently, although Bezzina will be taking over Gould’s former role.Credit: Nine
“[Trace] was appointed as executive director, as opposed to the CEO role that we’re recruiting for now,” she said.
“More senior leadership will be incredibly beneficial for the organisation, and more generally for the arts community in Brisbane.
“We’re really excited about the candidates that we have for the role.”
Trace had been promoted from within the organisation and was involved with Metro Arts for more than 17 years.
The past six months have seen several leaders move on from Brisbane’s arts venues and festivals in a major industry shake-up.
In December, John Kotzas handed over the keys of QPAC to Rachel Healy after 15 years as chief executive.
Last month, Louise Bezzina announced her intention to leave Brisbane Festival to become chief executive-artistic director of Brisbane Powerhouse, whose former director, Kate Gould, left to run the Adelaide Festival Centre.
Luke Wheatley’s three-year contract to run the Brisbane International Film Festival was not renewed by Screen Queensland, which appointed Sophie Mathisen instead.
Hastings said Metro Arts’ 2025 program would feature two in-house theatre productions, two dance works, and six exhibitions, including three artist residencies.
The production DragSpeare, which premiered at MELT festival last year, gets a return season at Metro Arts in June.Credit: Joel Devereux
In June, it would present DragSpeare, a comedy about drag kings performing Shakespeare, and in August, there will be a production of the play Dance Nation, about tween dancers, in which young teenagers will be played by adult actors.
Two dance pieces will follow in September and November: Unveiling Shadows by Joshua Taliani and Bahala/o by Buddy Malbasias.
“We’re so lucky to have Joshua and Buddy in this season, they seriously are some of the best dancers in Queensland right now,” artistic associate Ben Knapton said.
Hastings said Metro Arts had a more crucial role than ever, given universities were cutting their fine art and performance programs.
“Providing a place where artists are able to land and develop their practice and go on to be future arts leaders is incredibly important,” she said.
She said the organisation had been able to continue in the past 12 months thanks to a boost in Queensland government funding, as well as the safety net of the Metro Arts Future Fund.
Metro Arts is not the only Queensland arts organisation feeling the pinch in terms of national funding.
It came to light last month that Queensland Ballet, which has long argued it deserves greater funding from Creative Australia, has been forced to cut staff, including dancers.
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