HISTORY OF THE MATILDA AWARDS
The Matilda Awards were the brainchildren of theatre reviewers Alison Cotes and Sue Gough, who felt there should be some sort of recognition of theatre industry talent in south-east Queensland. They approached what was then the Queensland Arts Division and secured funding.
Originally there were five annual awards, but not in any particular category, because the judges felt that categories like Best Actor, Best Designer, etc., were too restrictive. If there were, for example, three outstanding designers one year but no really noteworthy directors, then it should be possible for the best people to get the awards no matter what their area of expertise. And so awards were made to the five individuals the judges felt had made the most outstanding contribution to theatre in Brisbane throughout the year. These could be actors, designers, directors, translators or playwrights.
The original awards were funded by the Premier’s Department through the Arts Division, and were of $2000 each. However, in 1991 the Arts Advisory Committee decided to cease funding the awards. This decision was made so close to the awards presentation that no alternative sponsor could be found for cash prizes. Each winner received instead a weekend package for two people at Sanctuary Cove.
For a number of years after that, the awards were funded by the Carnivale Committee, and were $500 each.
Some time later Arts Queensland again decided to fund the awards and once again the winners received $2000 each. An unspecified number of Highly Commended awards were also made. These carried no prize money but recipients were given certificates.
On some occasions the judges decided to make special commendations, perhaps to a theatre company for an outstanding production, or to honour a particular individual. These awards also came with a certificate but no prize money.
The initial judging panel consisted of drama critics Alison Cotes of the Courier Mail, Sue Gough of The Australian, Doug Kennedy of The Gold Coast Bulletin, John Harris of The Sun, and Rod Wissler, Lecturer in Drama at Brisbane College of Advanced Education. Membership of the judging panel has changed over the years and is now made up of critics, commentators and other members of the industry.
The awards cover live drama only. Opera and dance are not included. The awards are to reward the best of Brisbane theatre and to be eligible theatre workers have to have made a commitment to the State, either by beginning their careers here or by living and working mainly in Queensland. This means that interstate actors who come here for one production are not eligible, nor are touring productions which do not originate in Queensland.
There are no formal entries for the awards, and no nominations from outside the committee. Only members of the judging committee can make nominations and decide the winners.
The awards are given annually at a public ceremony. For many years this was held at QPAC but in more recent years has been held at the Judith Wright Centre. The awards are reported widely in the media and as a consequence people in Brisbane become aware of what a vibrant and exciting cultural life the city boasts.
Some previous winners include:
Sally McKenzie, Russell Kiefel, Bill Haycock, Antony Phelan, Jennifer Flowers, Sue Rider, Eugene Gilfedder, Robert Arthur, David Walters, Aubrey Mellor, Bryan Nason, David Brown, Jim Vile, David Clendinning, Dale Ferguson, David Bell, Andrew Buchanan, Bille Brown, Brenda McRobie, John Batchelor, Greg Clarke, Robyn Nevin, Hayden Spencer, Babette Stephens, Wesley Enoch, John Kotzas, Michael Gow.
THE MATILDAS TODAY
The Matilda Awards are an annual event that honours and celebrates the achievements of the Brisbane theatre Industry. Established in 1987 by
Alison Cotes and Sue Gough, the Awards have become a prestigious event within the theatre sector. Originally a "critics' award", nominees and winners are now selected by a more diverse range of judges, including reviewers and industry peers.
The Matildas have consequently gained a reputation for acknowledging the work of some of Australia’s best established practitioners and companies, and for anticipating the talent of many emerging artists.
A Matilda Award represents significant achievement in an artist’s individual career. It is also unique as the only official acknowledgment of the work of Brisbane artists. The Matildas are a key forum for publicly celebrating and promoting Brisbane’s theatre industry, and the award presentation itself is an important informal networking opportunity for local arts workers – providing the opportunity to meet other people from all levels of the industry. The event is, in fact, the only annual function that draws the spectrum of Brisbane theatre workers together.
Given the importance of the awards, it is essential that their profile keeps growing, not only within the State but also nationally. The Matilda Awards aim to be on a par with both the Sydney Critics’ Awards and Victoria’s Green Room Awards.
The Matildas are the result of a collaborative effort between volunteer committee members who organise the event, and those companies and organisations from across the sector which provide both in-kind and fiscal support. In the past, this has included Arts Queensland, the Queensland Performing Arts Centre, Playlab, QUT Creative Industries Precinct, Toadshow and the Judith Wright Centre for Contemporaty Arts.
This year’s Awards are again drawing assistance from our major supporter, Arts Queensland, in the form of funding to cover the costs of a Queensland visual artist to design and make award trophies; the Queensland performers acting as MCs and entertainers, and production costs.
Since 2009 it has become policy to present winners with a unique, artist-designed trophy rather than a cash prize. This decision was made to acknowledge that limited funds are now unable to stretch to cash-based prizes. Not only is a trophy a lasting memento for the recipients, it also promotes the work of a local artist.
For the past several years, the Matilda Committee has negotiated the invaluable support of the Judith Wright Centre of Contemporary Art (JWC) as the event venue. While the Matilda’s have been greatly supported by QPAC in the past, the organising committee believed the JWC was a suitable alternative. Since it is an initiative operated by Arts Queensland, The JWC more directly connects the Matildas to its key supporter. The Matildas acknowledge both established and emerging artists, those creating innovative new work, and artists and companies reinterpreting published works.The JWC supports and presents this range of artists and also tends to attract younger audiences and artists whose interest in the awards is crucial to the awards’ longevity. The support offered by JWC encompasses:
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In-kind venue
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Technical equipment
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Further marketing support
In 2009, the Matilda’s were also supported by Playlab, who provided in-
kind administrative support, auspiced the grant, and acted as a central meeting venue for committee members. This year Metro Arts is undertaking the auspicing. Further private sponsorship has been sought by organising committee members, and committee member Rosemary Walker is coordinating publicity and marketing strategies.
AWARD CATEGORIES
There are five major Matilda Awards. These are the premium awards and the winners will receive trophies. A Matilda is awarded for outstanding work in any area of the theatre industry. Awards may be given for a body of work, or fort a single work. Receiving a Commendation (below) does not disqualify a theatre worker from receiving a Matilda in that same year.
In addition, there will be ten Commendations in the following categories:
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Best Mainstage Production
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Best Independent Production
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Best Direction
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Best Actress In A Lead Role
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Best Actor In A Lead Role
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Best Actress In A Supporting Role
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Best Actor In A Supporting Role
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Best New Australian Work
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Best Emerging Artist
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Best Design (set, lighting, sound or costume)
There must be a minimum of 10 eligible nominees for any Commendation category - e.g. 10 professional or pro-am directors eligible for 'Best Director', 10 professional or pro-am productions eligible for "Best New Work", etc. - for a Commendation to exist and be awarded in that category.
However, if the judges see something they feel is outstanding but does not fit into any of the above categories, for instance an outstanding musical theatre or physical theatre work, they will still be at liberty to give it a major Matilda Award, or a Commendation under one of the existing categories (e.g. for Best Mainstage Production, Best Independent Production, Best Direction, etc.), or both.
GUIDELINES & VOTING PROCEDURES
The judges compile a comprehensive list of all the productions that are eligible for that year:
For an arts worker to be nominated for work on an individual production that production must comply with the following guidelines:
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the production was either a fully professional or a pro-am production – no community theatre
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international and national touring productions are not eligible
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the play must have been seen by at least 50 per cent of the judges.
If there is no category for a show that amazed everyone, then a category should be created to award that show. Further, if half the committee saw and show and rated that show the best they had seen, then that should be seen more favourable than a show everyone saw but thought was mediocre.
Guidelines for voting:
For each category, committee members should award two points to their first choice and one point to their second. (This ensures that a board members’ second preference also gets counted.)
There should be at least four nominations in every category to form a shortlist.
Judges cannot vote in categories where they have a conflict of interest, for instance if they or a family member have been involved in a production in any way.