News

Political undercurrents surface at 2015 Helpmann Awards

Brisbane Baroque and Les Misérables were the big winners at the Australian entertainment industry’s night of nights.

28 Jul 2015

Richard Watts

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Performing Arts

The creative team behind The Rabbits, winner of the Helpmann Award for Best New Australian Work. Image: Jim Lee Photo.

Presented by Live Performance Australia (LPA) at Sydney’s Capitol Theatre, the 2015 Helpmann Awards was the most politically-charged ceremony in recent memory.

A range of speakers, including NSW Deputy Premier and Minister for the Arts Troy Grant, made subtle but pointed statements referencing the recent raid on the Australia Council budget by Federal Minister for the Arts Senator George Brandis QC and the establishment of the National Program for Excellence.

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Richard Watts

Richard Watts is ArtsHub's National Performing Arts Editor; he also presents the weekly program SmartArts on Three Triple R FM, and serves as the Chair of La Mama Theatre's volunteer Committee of Management. Richard is a life member of the Melbourne Queer Film Festival, and was awarded the status of Melbourne Fringe Living Legend in 2017. In 2020 he was awarded the Sidney Myer Performing Arts Awards' Facilitator's Prize. Most recently, Richard was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Green Room Awards Association in June 2021. Follow him on Twitter: @richardthewatts