March 11, 2007

CROSS-SECTOR COLLABORATION – What the …?

John Smythe      posted 11 Mar 2007, 02:43 PM / edited 11 Mar 2007, 04:00 PM

CROSS-SECTOR COLLABORATION – What the …?

In a brilliant stroke of provocation, discussion facilitator Danny Mulheron stirred up the Sunday morning session of recent Staging The Future II symposium (see News item) with the revelation that Creative New Zealand (CNZ) is strategising to open up the main stages of Recurrently Funded Organisations (RFOs) to Independent Project Groups (IPGs) in order to give them greater exposure and revitalise audience interest with more cutting-edge theatre …

What the …? Just as the stew was beginning to boil, John McDavitt of CNZ arrived (a perfectly timed entrance) to explain the notion of Cross Sector Collaboration:

It seems that CNZ is looking at ways that RFOs and IPGs can be funded to collaborate to their mutual benefit. The initiative aims to connect two funding pools that have hitherto remained separate. Nothing will be imposed on RFOs – they will have the right to decide whether or not they wish to collaborate with an IPG, and either may initiate a potential collaboration.

Any thoughts?