Chairman’s Report 2022

While things have certainly turned around during 2022, the entertainment industry was not only impacted the most severely, but it was also one of the last sectors to resume. The long-term impact financially and mentally for so many in the industry means support continues to be vital for people’s wellbeing and a focus for Entertainment Assist.

The recent floods, particularly across the regional areas of Eastern Australia, have further highlighted the need for support in the community and the incredible work done by many to assist others. Entertainment Assist continues to play an important role in this community support network, providing vital support through tailored mental health and wellbeing programs to assist individuals – actors, dancers, musicians, technicians, crew, performers, promoters, producers, companies, sole traders, venue managers, support workers and everyone involved in the Australian entertainment industry.

To the organisations that have supported Entertainment Assist and enabled us to provide help and support to individuals, I wish to offer my sincere thanks, highlighted by our major supporter, The Highland Foundation. To our other supporters who provide both financial and recognition support that enables us to continue to provide our vital services to the entertainment industry, I am forever grateful. These include Village Roadshow Limited, Freemasons Foundation Victoria, Bruce Mathieson, Harold Mitchell AC, New Theatricals, Alex Vass OAM and the Vass Theatre Group, and the community contributions, from people both in the entertainment industry, and other members of the community.

Personal support has come from Robert Kirby AO, Graham Burke AO, Myles King OAM KSJ, Peter Konadaris, John Gandel AC, Pauline Gandel AC, and Vedran Drakulic OAM, the team from ACMN, Paul Wheelton AM KSJ and Angela Wheelton OAM DSJ, Chocolate Studios, Sofitel Melbourne on Collins, Roc’s Bar at the Village Theatres and Village Theatre staff.

We continue to promote our unique offering, the INTERMISSION Program. We have been working very hard this year to secure funding to expand the workshops to a wider audience and to be able to deliver more programs. Our Fundraising Committee will continue to seek out new funding opportunities, including support from government, in what is a particularly challenging environment.

People make an organisation, and we are so lucky to have so many who give so much of their time, their energy, and their networks. Our Ambassadors, Josh Piterman (The Phantom) and culinary great, Curtis Stone that have experienced the direct impact of the pandemic, turning their worlds upside down, still generously donate their time to share our message and need to support the mental health of all our workers, front of stage and behind the curtains. This is not only in live performance but also the many people in “Entertainment” including but not limited to film, radio, venue management, producers, promoters, admin teams and the list goes on.

Thank you to our auditors from PwC, who once again provided their services pro-bono, under the leadership of Peter Konadaris and the head auditor Niamh Hussey. The Village Roadshow Finance team lead by Alistair Bennallack, that do so much to keep our accounting compliant and orderly. Our dedicated team led by Chief Executive Julia Edwards, Emma and Cornelia and Will, I thank them most sincerely for everything they do, day in, day out, and for their passion for our cause and that is for our Entertainment Industry workers to thrive at what they do best. This year more than ever the team are making valuable connections and lobbying for funding to support our cause to support more workers across the country.

To the Board of Directors, I’m blessed to have such talented people who dedicate time and energy to Entertainment Assist. I’d like to thank my Deputy Chair Julie Raffe, Board Members Ian Allen AM, Dr Sandra Hacker AO, Mal Smith, Tim McFarlane AM, Caryn Cavanagh, Amelia Edwards, and Lyndell Pond for their work during the year.

Our Board Members bring to the table their skills and energy to benefit the organisation and assist our executive team to make a difference. We are an organisation that certainly doesn’t take our supporters for granted and we deeply appreciate the support of all who have assisted us over the last 12 months. In particular, the generous support from the Highland Foundation, Freemasons Victoria Foundation, and many other personal donations has enabled all our great work to continue, allowing us to innovate and test new virtual content when our industry was most in need.

We maintained our important DGR status, to enable our tax concessional status to continue across our various fundraising activities such as The Cinema Gift Card, the tax time donation, the Play for Purpose raffle, ‘bucket collects’, the Christmas campaign, and many other one-off donations that are all most appreciated.

With 2022 coming to a close, I wish everybody good luck, good health, and happiness for hopefully a very pleasant Christmas. Let’s hope that the positive progress we have experienced this year continues and we see further advancement for everyone in the entertainment industry and through ongoing support we are able to take Entertainment Assist to the next level.

The mental health and wellbeing of the entertainment community is vital to provide a healthy and happy atmosphere to enable everyone to be confident and continue to enjoy what they love doing, providing entertainment of the highest level to the communities of Australia, and indeed the international audiences who love our entertainment industry. Continued good health and happiness

Yours sincerely,

David G Mann AM KSJ FAICD.