DEVELOPMENT
Artistic, sector and organisational development
Artistic Highlight
DTC’s script development program (Next In Line 2020, 2021, 2022) sees the development of three new Australian works that provide a fresh take on the world and provoke wider and deeper thinking across the community. Playwrights chosen have gone on to mainstage programming, receive awards and fellowships, and be recognised internationally.
Sector Highlights
Reviewers of Colour (2023) program for emerging arts journalists.
Stage A Change Industry Workshops (2022): A masterclass program on anti-racism, inclusion and representation, led by specialist Cessalee Stovall from Stage A Change, offered at low cost to organisations and independent practitioners across the sector.
Training & Mentorship programs, including our Director’s Lab, Accessible Arts Mentorship, Producing Internships, Professional Development and succession planning, and Auslan Training for our front of house staff. These programs facilitate multi-directional knowledge-sharing, informal mentoring and the building of peer networks, strengthening the company’s relationships with our artists.
Organisational Highlights
Pay What You Can tickets available to every performance, available on a “no questions asked” basis.
Accessibility Manager: Charged with championing accessibility for Disabled and neuro-diverse people throughout the organisation, creating audience development and outreach initiatives, and supporting the teams delivering production-specific community engagement strategies.
Audience development strategies: Over the last two years, DTC has welcomed more first-time audiences through our doors than ever (58.5% in 2022).
Our Journey Since 2020 to Now
Leading Accessibility at Darlo
In my two years as Accessibility Manager I have implemented industry first access for the Australian arts sector, including an Access Scheme allowing audiences to purchase wheelchair positions and Companion Card tickets online at their leisure (without the need to contact the Box Office). I also petitioned the City of Sydney to have two accessible parking spaces installed outside our venue. I was also the lead partner for the Accessible Arts "Next Level" Mentorship with DTC where we mentored an emerging Deaf Producer. Additionally, I produced the 2022 NSW Premier of Benched by Jamila Main. This production was the first fully disabled-led and performed production on a Sydney theatre mainstage.
Additional access initiatives include:
Complimentary earplugs at every performance
Large print cast lists
Dedicated accessibility web page
Auslan interpreted performances for all mainstage productions
Audio Described performances for all mainstage productions
Live Captioned performances for all mainstage productions
Detailed Pre-Show information for all productions which includes content warnings
Creation of venue Visual Story
Introduced training around language and inclusion.
Creation of an Access Rider template for all staff, crew and artists who come to work with DTC
WORD ON THE STREETS…
Benched 2022
Statements from Artists and Community
Janelle Ryan, Accessibility Operations, The Sydney Opera House
Darlinghurst Theatre Company work toward influencing positive change in the wider arts and cultural sector by promoting discussion and engagement with other arts institutions via projects such as collaborations with Stage A Change.
Bayley Turner, ConsentX, Gender Diversity and Consent Training
I sincerely respect their sincerity and vulnerability as an organisation, and appreciate being able to work in an environment where I see my intersectional diversities reflected not just in the stories told, but in the teams gathered, processes built and spaces made safe.
Put simply, DTC is doing the work, taking the risks, reaping the rewards and cutting the edge of what elevates Australian arts toward its highest potential.
Wanyika Mshila, Community Engagement Manager, SOH
Every time I walk into Darlo it feels like I’m coming home. Darlo has created and cultivated a space that nurtures and champions its artists. They also understand their audience and give them permission to consume theatre in new exciting ways. Darlo’s commitment to capacity building in sector is also admirable.
Alyson Evans, Chair of Darwin Community Arts
Darlo’s commitment to access, inclusion and diversity has positioned them as one of Australia’s leading theatre companies; one that’s brave enough to tell the bold, fierce and challenging stories that our stages need. Over recent years, Darlo has led by example of what it really means to create a theatre space that is for ALL humans on this earth, and therefore it is of such importance that Darlo exists.
Cessalee Stovall, Stage A Change
Stage Over the last two years, it’s been a pleasure to work alongside the company as they continue to lead the sector, creating seismic shifts rooted in clear understanding of inclusion, equity, representation and artist well-being, using their power and positionality to inspire change, and take big strides to continually contribute to the community, the sector and the art form.
SBS 2023
In the Media
These women only want people of colour to review their hit play. This is why
SBS
“We really wanted to make sure… Black, Indigenous, and people of colour, have the opportunity to review a show that aligned with their own lived experience,” co-director Okenyo explained. “Nobody has the power to ban anyone from seeing the play or reviewing the play. It's a simple request of ours, and one of the ones that we stand by,” Sebbens
A New Chapter at Darlinghurst Theatre Company
Urban Village
“I’m trying to break down those barriers so that all Sydney humans know that they can come and partake in this cultural space and know that this space is for them and that it is safe for them to enter and enjoy and they will recognise themselves when they get in there.” Amylia Harris, Artistic Director, Darlinghurst Theatre
Darlinghurst Theatre Company Announces 2022 Season and Funding From the Australia Council
Broadway World
"DTC's 2022 season is being guided by the principles of its newly released Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Statement",
Broadway World, Launch of Access, Equity & Inclusion statement
"Theatre isn't accessible, but it should be. At Darlo, programming is just one arm of a full company strategy to do and be better. Be welcome at Darlo; we have reimagined and are reignited. This is a space for you. 2022 is a season for everyone." Amylia Harris
Next In Line
In the Sector
Creative Equity Toolkit, Culturally diverse creatives policy
"Policy change at Darlinghurst Theatre Company"
Darlinghurst Theatre Company and Belvoir achieve gender parity for 2017 season
“DTC has set an impressive example for the rest of the industry, and showed that with initiative, parity can happen almost instantly,” said Women In Theatre and Screen (WITS) co-founder Maryann Wright.
Accessible Arts
Darlinghurst Theatre Company are consistently establishing new standards of access and inclusion in the sector, for people with disability as artists, staff, and audiences. Nowhere is this clearer than in their programming of Benched in 2022. The first mainstage Sydney theatre company to program a work which was entirely disability-led.
Next In Line 2020 Creates 42 Paid Opportunities For Artists
The aim of this program was twofold; to develop work that treated theatre as social and thought infrastructure, demanding that audiences think wider and deeper about the world around them, and to place playwrights in contexts that will grow their craft as well as their play.
