Tasmanian Sector Day

The Performing Lines Tasmania Sector Day plays a key role in Tasmania’s arts ecology, bringing the performing arts community together to connect, reflect, and collaborate. It’s a welcoming space for new artistic leaders, a forum for shared ambition, and a place to build problem-solving skills while gaining valuable insight into the realities and successes of Tasmania’s regional arts sector.  

The day brings together representatives from state and federal funding bodies, artistic directors of funded companies, CEOs of presenting organisations, festival directors, and leading independent artists. Together, they open up honest conversations about the challenges and opportunities facing the sector.  

The flexible format allows for breakout discussions, introductions to new artists and company visions, and focused conversations on the most pressing local issues, all with a future-focused lens.  

Recent topics have included regional touring, collaborations with First Nations artists, the need for more producers to support independent practice, workforce shortages, shifting priorities, and how to stabilise the sector for the long term.  

Sector Day has also led to tangible outcomes. These include joint budget submissions to the State Government, the development of a strategic touring model tailored to local needs, and statewide mental health training supported by Arts Tasmania. Together, these outcomes highlight the event’s ability to generate practical, sector-led solutions.  

2026 marks a major milestone for Performing Lines Tas as we celebrate 20 years of supporting independent artists and live performances across Lutruwita/Tasmania. This special anniversary offers a moment to reflect on two decades of impact, advocacy and creative development, while looking ahead to the future of the sector. 

On 26 March 2026, Performing Lines Tas held a one-day gathering for the performing arts sector at Moonah Arts Centre in Nipaluna/Hobart. The day’s overarching theme was Risk; how do arts organisations, artists, funders and communities respond to risk.  

Vernon Guest (CEO of Ten Days on the Island and a Performing Lines board member) delivered a keynote that invited us to reframe risk as fear, posing the questions: “Who is carrying whose fear?” and “Is that distribution fair?” 

The day began with a deeply moving Welcome to Country by Dewayne Everette Smith and Sinsa Mansell. Their welcome in Palawa kani set the tone for deep listening and engagement throughout the day. 

A panel discussion with Adam Wheeler and Emma Porteus (Executive Directors, Assembly 197), Simon Wellington (CEO and Executive Producer, Performing Lines), and Sam Routledge (Artistic Director, Terrapin) considered where responsibility lies when art provokes, how arts organisations balance artistic freedom with public accountability, and what is lost or gained when risk is avoided. 

We heard case studies from each organisation on how they navigated risk, with Sam Routledge offering a key takeaway: clarity equals kindness. 

We heard from Annette Madden (Head of Theatre, Creative Australia), Kate Mackie (Manager, Arts Tasmania), Jade Lillie and Lee Casey, consultants for The Live Performance Exchange (The Exchange) with an update on the 10-year plan for the professional theatre and live performance sector, and TPAC (Tasmanian Performing Arts Centres) on TAS 28, their Audience development Strategy, funded by Creative Australia. There were also roundtable discussions and opportunities to connect and network. 

We were honoured to have the inimitable Jane Longhurst with us as MC – her astute observations and skill kept us thinking and on track throughout the day.

Vernon Guest: Keynote

Sign up to our mailing list or email info@performininglinestas.org.au to register for Sector Day March 2027 and keep up to date with Performing Lines. 

Tasmanian Live Performance Exchange 

The Tasmanian Live Performance Exchange (The Exchange) is a new not-for-profit organisation developing a bold 10-year plan to support the future sustainability and viability of Tasmania’s professional theatre and live performance sector, alongside building capacity and promotion of the sector. 

The Exchange has engaged expert consultants Jade Lillie and Lee Casey to develop the plan, beginning with an industry-wide consultation process conducted in February and March 2026. 

They are now progressing a 10-year plan for Tasmania’s professional theatre and live performance sector that will establish a roadmap responding to the state’s unique strengths, challenges and opportunities, and support a sustainable, connected and future-ready sector.