In the small-medium NSW arts sector, independent dance organisations play a crucial role. Ausdance NSW facilitates an annual meeting of the NSW Independent Dance Organisations, during the COVID-19 period, these meetings occurred once a week and were on an opt-in basis.

Key issues emerging from this group include a mix of organisations whose activities range from providing development and research opportunities for dance artists, providing space for workshops, sharings and other communal or public events, to providing performance venues for presentations of work. The common issues discussed include:

• • • A drop in attendance rates by independent artists at events organised by these organisations located in the Sydney metropolitan area.
    • A concern about securing pathways to presentation for independent artists: Since space – in dance making – is central to the development of work at any stage, the capacity for artists with financial restrictions to venue hire constitutes a significant barrier. This comes atop the assumption that artists must undertake unpaid labour for their artistic practice and that venues commit to programming dance, however, is also a vital part of this issue.
    • The losses and struggles these small-medium organisations have faced and are currently facing during the COVID 19 period and what is needed to bounce back from this.

If you would like to be included in these meetings or have anything you wish to raise, please email projects@ausdancensw.com.au