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Circus Oz, the contemporary circus company founded in 1977, is to cease trading as a result of its the Board’s failure to secure the agreement of Company Members to a radical overhaul of existing governance structures.

Set to be stripped of $2.6 million in Australia Council for the Arts funding, in a statement released overnight, the Board stated it had failed to reach an agreement with the Company Members of Circus Oz over a decision to reform the company’s governance structure.

Because of this, the Board of Circus Oz has announced its intention to wind up the company.

The reforms were apparently identified as a necessary outcome of an independent review into the Melbourne-based commissioned by the Australia Council and Creative Victoria, and which commenced in May 2021.

Simultaneously, the Board conducted its own research on different governance models across the industry and of companies of an equivalent scale of Circus Oz in order “to be prepared and open to review recommendations”, according to a consultation document circulated among Company Members on 1st September this year.

Reflecting its artist-led origins, the Circus Oz Board includes several artist representatives drawn from the ranks of the Company Members (former staff and artists who had worked with the company continually for three years) alongside more standard Board appointees from the business and corporate sector.

Today’s announcement has resulted in confusion.

Susan Provan AO, a long-standing Company Member and for Circus Oz General Manager, who is now Director of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, said she was stunned by the news.

Provan told ArtsHub “this is news to the company. Transformation of Circus Oz is in progress and winding up the company is not on our agenda

“Circus Oz has a great history and a positive future. There are challenges for sure but there is also vision, energy and the creative resource of a very resilient company who have valuable contributions to make to Australia’s performing arts sector.”

A former employee, speaking to The Age on background because they did not want to be identified, said members had already discussed closing the company down because they were disillusioned with the direction it had taken in recent years, and were angry about abrupt changes and redundancies.

Mitch Jones, who has been involved with the company for two decades and is now an artistic fellow at Circus Oz, said the relationship between company members and its daily business “was becoming dysfunctional”.

He advised that the decision to close the company instead of agreeing to the Australia Council’s terms “represents the selfishness of an older generation taking their bat and ball home with them when they were told they needed to change their relationship with the company.”

The announcement by Circus Oz management late last night, embargoed until 11:30am today, stated “without the Company Members support, the Board have been compelled to confirm they cannot meet the governments’ funding requirement and are now working on the process of closing the company, including finalising any employment and program obligations, contracts, and commitments.

“We respect and appreciate that for staff and members, their commitment, heart and passion has been what built this organisation and critical to the company’s principles, beliefs and success.  We understand what a deeply sad time it is for the Circus Oz family.

“The Board respects this was likely a hard decision for the Company Members who previously contributed to shaping the legacy and iconic brand of Circus Oz.”

The announcement came the same day the federal government announced another $6 million from a $50 million fund would be used to prop up companies, including $500,000 for Brisbane-based circus company Circa.

The Australia Council has pledged the $2.6 million taken from Circus Oz will be reinvested in Victorian performing arts with a focus on circus and physical theatre.

In a statement, it noted its acceptance of the decision to wind up the company and said the independent review had “highlighted a number of the challenges facing the company which have led to this difficult decision”, adding “funding from the Australia Council and Creative Victoria previously provided to Circus Oz will be reinvested in the performing arts in Victoria for the years ahead, with a focus on circus and physical theatre.”

Images courtesy of Circus Oz.

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