Rob Guest Endowment Semi-Finalists Statement.

The former semi-finalists in the Rob Guest Endowment Award have "categorically refuted" claims that the competition was cancelled in order to protect them from bullying or intimidation.

In a statement released today on their behalf from the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance the artists describe the "significant trauma" caused by the various actions and statements made by the Rob Guest Endowment - which saw this year's competition cancelled.

Here is the statement in full.

"The former Rob Guest Endowment Semi-Finalists have remained united whilst navigating these past few weeks. As a result, through MEAA, they have issued the following statement:

We acknowledge the traditional land owners of the Country we live and work on today. We acknowledge Elders past, present and emerging. This was, and always will be, Aboriginal Land. 

We firstly want to make clear and recognise that First Nations and POC (People of Colour) artists have endured significant trauma as a direct result of the various actions and public statements made by the Rob Guest Endowment. We cannot begin to understand the depth at which this continues to trigger and hurt our First Nations and POC friends, colleagues, and the community at large. We can, however, offer our transparency as we move forward in solidarity.

From the outset we decided to take action and sought advice and education from the Equity Diversity Committee (EDC). This was to ensure that the voices of the First Nations and POC artist community were centred and prioritised in this conversation. We have been generously invited into these discussions to listen and learn. Following said discussions, and through our own volition, we came to the unanimous decision to withdraw from the competition: to prevent our colleagues from further trauma, to de-centre ourselves and to amplify the First Nations and POC voices. The Endowment’s reactive cancellation prevented us from enacting this step in tandem with the EDC.

We categorically refute any claim or insinuation made by the Endowment, or any others, that the competition had to be cancelled in order to protect us from bullying and/or intimidation from the EDC, or the POC and First Nations members of our industry. We have no interest in perpetuating this harmful antiquated narrative, which serves only to deplatform and erase First Nations and POC peoples and their voices. 

In response to the events leading up to yesterday’s statement, we fervently denounce the actions of the Endowment, including but not limited to; silencing POC and First Nations voices, misrepresenting us and our stance on the matter, and the lack of transparency that has occurred from within the Endowment.

We believe it is imperative to thank, and damaging to ignore, the immense support provided by the EDC: to thank them for their voluntary, unpaid labour and education throughout this process. It is essential to acknowledge the EDC is composed of vital volunteers, who have spearheaded the necessary changes to create a more accessible and equitable industry, and have done so with patience and grace. We overwhelmingly support the EDC’s Log of Claims presented to the Endowment, and are eager to see conversations continue between them and the EDC. We 30, and as an industry at large, are indebted to their tireless and ongoing work. 

Moving forward, we will be redirecting our energy into celebrating and amplifying the many POC led initiatives that existed long before and those that have been born from this chain of events. All of which are pioneered by the boundless generosity of artists identifying as First Nations and People of Colour within our Arts community."

Our earlier coverage of this issue.

UPDATE:

The following statement has been issued by the Equity Diversity Committee in response to the cancellation of the 2020 Rob Guest Endowment:

The Equity Diversity Committee (EDC) has been in conversation with the Rob Guest Endowment (The Endowment), our membership and the semi-finalists of this year’s competition since August 20. We facilitated discussion with over 100 vested stakeholders to collate a log of claims detailing the changes our industry hoped to see with The Endowment. These claims were presented to The Endowment on September 2 by the EDC and representatives from the Musical Theatre Industry. Following this meeting The Rob Guest Endowment published actions on September 16 they believed would address these concerns. The EDC nor our members were engaged in the creation or publishing of these.

Yesterday afternoon (18/09/2020), we sent an email to The Endowment detailing the updated log of claims which identified issues with the published actions, and reiterated demands that weren’t addressed. We also requested The Endowment re-enter negotiations with the committee to ensure an appropriately robust strategic plan could be developed for future competitions alongside a conscientious approach to providing necessary support for this year’s semi-finalists. 

By close of business, we learned, alongside the semi-finalists themselves, via a public statement that the 2020 competition would be cancelled. 

It is disappointing that the time, lived experiences, and wealth of knowledge and skills that were volunteered by the EDC, our members and our wider industry has been mislabeled as “bullying” and “intimidation”. It’s concerning to see the Endowment rob the semi-finalists of the commendable agency we’ve witnessed over the past month, to silence their voices and co-opt them in a narrative they were not part, let alone aware of. This work should not be discounted or invalidated, but engaged with. 

The passion of our workers and performers from various diverse communities to fight for equity and justice, should not be ignored or misrepresented. Rather, the Endowment must answer the call to action, and play their part in supporting the development of a vibrant future for our industry. If we are to truly seek merit and excellence, we must provide equal opportunity and access. This is a journey The Endowment is starting on and must continue on.

With that, we commend the choice to cancel this year’s competition. 

Having been unable to find solutions for this year’s competition, this decision stands as acknowledgement of the immense work required to ensure the actions the Endowment has readily committed to, can be refined with appropriate consultation, while receiving the time, resources and consideration needed to ensure the long term success of their plan and the Endowment.

In support of the earlier statement from the semi-finalists and the sentiments of our members, we encourage the Endowment to take the opportunity presented by the cancellation of this year’s competition to return to the table and work with the Equity Diversity committee in building sustainable strategies for future competitions. 

In Unity

Equity Diversity Committee