Circus Oz Ceasing Trading Following Reform Disagreement

Circus Oz has announced the sad news that they will cease trading due to disagreements within the company. The statement came early in December that the Board had unfortunately been unable to agree with the Company Members of Circus Oz regarding the reformation of the company’s governance structure.

The reform

Warnings to Circus Oz had been made by the Australia Council back in 2018, and the company was placed ‘on notice’ in January 2021 due to finding fault with the company’s strategic vision and business model.

A few months later, an independent review of Circus Oz by the Australia Council for the Arts and Creative Victoria identified the reform as a ‘necessary outcome’. The Board had researched the issue itself at the same time in an attempt ‘to be prepared and open to review recommendations’ however unfortunately a compromise could not be reached.

The disagreements centred around funding requirements that Circus Oz could not meet, and a proposed lack of artistic control – the reform wanted to change the Board Members and replace them with entirely ‘skilled people’ as opposed to artists. The Circus Oz Board, which is made up of former artists and staff who make up the Company Members, and appointed Board members from business and corporate, ultimately made the decision to cease trading.

Company Member Susan Provan expressed her shock and sadness to artshub.com, saying:

“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.”

While Mike McCredie, the Board Treasurer explained that many Company Members felt that they had been given the choice of ‘either accepting the government-mandated introduction of an entirely skills-based Board, removing artists from direct control of the artistic, cultural and operational control of Circus Oz – or close the company down completely’. McCredie told ArtsHub:

“It’s been a decision by the members. We are a member-based organisation. We have just under 100 members, and we put it to the members: ‘Do they accept the changes that have been asked for in relation to the governance structure?’ Or if they vote against that, then the government funding will be turned off, we will no longer be entitled to government funding, which leaves the Board with no other decision than to wind the organisation up, absent any other alternative.

The governance changes that were being asked for was just to have it as a skills-based Board. That would mean we would always have to have artists on the Board. And they could always come from our membership base, but what we and the government were saying is they shouldn’t actually exclusively have to come from [the members]. It could be quite useful to have artists from different fields, as well as from circus, on the Board to help us drive the overall vision of success going forward.

Circus Oz as we stand today is not a viable business. No organisation, when you take out 75% of their revenue, is a viable business … If somebody wants to come to us with an alternative structure, which can fill in the gaps or resize the business absent employees, then we’d love to consider it as a Board. Absolutely. But we sit here today as responsible Board members who say we can’t operate a business that is potentially insolvent when you take out 75% of our revenue.”

The end of a national treasure for Australia and the world

Circus Oz has been a favourite and a national institution since it was founded in 1977. It has long been revered for being politically progressive, anti-establishment and animal-free, as well as being committed to social issues on an international scale – Circus Oz have advocated and championed human rights for all peoples, highlighting the plight of refugees, supporting First Nations Australians, women’s rights, and the company even performed in a West Bank camp.

Audience numbers had been dwindling in the years running up to the pandemic, which prompted the Australia Council to weigh in as previously mentioned in 2018. Sadly, it seems that with the added stresses of shutting down and trying to bounce back after Covid-19, it’s become impossible to find a working solution that works financially and artistically for the company.

Circus Oz will certainly be missed by the entertainment community, as well as those who had been appreciative of their social justice efforts.

Also by Michelle Sciarrotta: