PAC Australia Announces Winners Of The 2019 Drover Awards For Excellence In The Field Of Performing Arts Touring

Winners of the 2019 Drover Awards were announced on Thursday 29 August at the Sunshine Coast's Aussieworld at the closing celebration of the 33rd annual PAC Australia conference, REAP: More. Deeper. Different.

PAC Australia's Drover Awards recognise excellence in the field of performing arts touring, acknowledging the companies that are committed to delivering performances to the millions of audiences in communities across Australia. With the distance between regional towns often so vast, the decision to tour a performing arts production is a serious undertaking, requiring massive commitment in both time and resources.

The Drover Awards recognise not only the operational commitment required, but the artistic determination to ensure that regional audiences have the opportunity to experience work of an extraordinary calibre. PAC Australia congratulates the following winners of the 2019 Drover Awards.

The Drover Award for Touring Legend recognises an outstanding contribution to performing arts touring in Australia determined by expert industry professionals sitting on the PAC Australia Board of Management. The 2019 award was presented by Senior Producer Danielle Kellie from CIRCA, winner of the 2018 Touring Legend to Critical Stages Touring.

Critical Stages Touring's goal is to make outstanding live theatre accessible to audiences across Australia and internationally enabling all communities to have the same access to high quality theatre as metropolitan audiences, and to foster a sustainable and diverse independent theatre sector. The company has supported artists and audiences around Australia for 15 years, extending the life of outstanding independent theatre productions through touring. Over that time, they have partnered with a strong and ambitious pool of inde­pendent artists and earned a reputation for outstanding service with presenters.

The Drover Award for Performing Arts Centre of the Year recognises the achievements of an outstanding presenting organisation and is awarded to the presenter who works with the producer to provide consistently outstanding production, marketing and management services. In addition, presenting works to achieve exceptional success in audience development and community engagement. The winner of the 2019 Drover Award for Performing Arts Centre of the Year is: Dubbo Regional Theatre and Convention Centre NSW.

Other finalists were: The Art House Wyong (NSW), Merrigong Theatre Company (NSW), Queens Park Theatre, Geraldton (WA)

The Drover Award for Tour of the Year recognises both the production company with an outstanding commitment to touring, and the tour coordinator delivering exceptional touring services. It rewards commitment to form strong partnerships and to work collaboratively to develop audiences and enrich the cultural lives of all Australians. The winner of the 2019 Drover Award for Tour of the Year is: Cockfight Tour - Produced by: The Farm in association with NORPA & Performing Lines, Tour Coordination: Performing Lines in association with Arts on Tour.

Other finalists were: Australian Dance Theatre (SA) The Beginning of Nature, Contemporary Asian Australian Performance (NSW) In Between Two, Tour Producer: Arts on Tour (NSW).

PAC Australia acknowledge the Kabi Kabi and Jinibara people, the Traditional Owners of the lands on which the conference is being held. We pay respect to Elders past, present and emerging.