Queensland Ballet’s funding woes ‘harmed my health’, says Li Cunxin

Queensland Ballet artistic director Li Cunxin has fired a parting shot at the federal government on the eve of his retirement, saying a funding shortfall has harmed his health.

Retiring Queensland Ballet artistic director Li Cunxin. Picture: Liam Kidston

Dance legend Li Cunxin says a lack of federal funding for his beloved Queensland Ballet is partly to blame for his deteriorating health, as he condemned arts policymakers for having a “totally wrong mindset” ahead of his retirement.

Li, also known as Mao’s Last Dancer, is artistic director of Queensland Ballet and has led the company through 11 years of artistic and financial growth. But he said government funding arrangements appeared to give priority to struggling companies rather than reward successful ones – a mindset that was “so wrong”.

“The financial pressure has ­really played a major part in my deteriorating health,” he said. “It’s enormous stress. I just think the situation of the lack of federal funding has played a part in that.”

Li announced in June he was stepping down to give attention to his health, having had surgery for a heart condition. His wife, Mary Li, ballet mistress at Queensland Ballet, was having treatment for cancer. He said funding for Queensland Ballet was $2m-$3m less than optimum when compared with companies of similar size, such as West Australian Ballet and Sydney Dance Company.

Mary Li and Li Cunxin. Picture: Richard Walker

Queensland Ballet owed its ­financial stability to self-generated income, but Li said the effort to secure it was “relentless”.

“It means we have to work so much harder on the private philanthropy side,” he said. “I don’t mind doing that but it takes a huge toll. It’s about building the ­relationships and spending an enormous amount of time to ­engage with philanthropists.”

Federal funding to Queensland Ballet last year was $796,000, or 2.8 per cent of total turnover of $28.2m.