Slingsby Theatre Company to Cease Operations After Two Decades, Citing Funding Challenges

Slingsby Theatre Company to Close After 20 Years, Citing Funding Shortfall

Adelaide-based Slingsby Theatre Company is set to cease operations after two decades, with its Artistic Director Andy Packer stating that financial sustainability could not be maintained without ongoing federal support. This decision follows the company's third denial of multi-year federal funding from Creative Australia in 2023.

The company's final major production, "A Concise Compendium of Wonder," a trilogy of adapted fairytales, is scheduled to premiere in Adelaide and tour, including as part of the 2026 Adelaide Festival.

Closure Announcement

Slingsby Theatre Company, an Adelaide-based performing arts organization co-founded by Artistic Director Andy Packer in 2007, will conclude operations after 20 years. The announcement comes after the company's third denial of multi-year federal funding from Creative Australia in 2023.

Funding Context

Artistic Director Andy Packer stated that without sufficient ongoing federal funding, the company could not maintain financial sustainability. He also highlighted broader financial challenges within the arts sector, indicating that many companies face risks due to current funding levels.

Packer noted that funding Slingsby would likely require reallocating funds from another South Australian company. He cited that Australia's expenditure on arts and culture, approximately 0.95% of GDP, is lower than the OECD average of about 1.35%.

Conversely, a spokesperson for Creative Australia reported that its funding levels have increased over the past decade, with $311 million allocated for the 2025-26 financial year. Slingsby currently receives multi-year state funding and has pursued entrepreneurial strategies for the past decade.

Final Production: "A Concise Compendium of Wonder"

The company's final major production is "A Concise Compendium of Wonder," a trilogy of theatrical works adapted from fairytales by the Brothers Grimm, Hans Christian Andersen, and Oscar Wilde. This production features three shows designed to be viewed individually or as an interconnected triptych, utilizing the same three actors and a transforming set.

Australian authors Ceridwen Dovey, Ursula Dubosarsky, and Jennifer Mills were commissioned to reinterpret these classic stories. Their adaptations focus on contemporary issues such as humanity's relationship with nature and climate.

The adapted fairytales include Hans Christian Andersen's "The Little Match Girl," the Brothers Grimm's "Hansel and Gretel," and Oscar Wilde's "The Selfish Giant." Specific reinterpretations are:

• "The Childhood of the World" by Jennifer Mills, depicting children navigating a famine-stricken world.
• "The Giant's Garden" by Ursula Dubosarsky, concerning children banished from a garden, adapting Oscar Wilde's "The Selfish Giant."
• "The Tree of Light" by Ceridwen Dovey, an adaptation of "The Little Match Girl" set on a moon colony in 3099, featuring the last remaining tree and audience participation within the stage structure.

Performance and Tour

"A Concise Compendium of Wonder" will premiere in a purpose-built circular wooden theatre, also known as The Wandering Hall of Possibility, located in the Adelaide Botanic Gardens.

Following its debut season in Adelaide, the production is scheduled for a three-week engagement in Whyalla on the Eyre Peninsula, with additional touring planned. It will also be performed as part of the 2026 Adelaide Festival. Funding for these farewell productions will utilize a combination of remaining federal funding, state government support, donor contributions, and company funds.

Artistic Focus and Legacy

Throughout its 20-year history, Slingsby Theatre Company primarily focused on creating works for young audiences and families, often reinterpreting fairytales. Its productions have explored themes of magic, imagination, death, loss, grief, and loneliness, frequently presenting children in challenging situations while aiming to convey a message of hope.

The company is known for its immersive theatrical environments and its approach of addressing both children and adults directly with its narratives. Artistic Director Andy Packer established Slingsby in 2007, inspired by a Danish production of "The Little Match Girl" in 2005.

Environmental Initiatives

During its farewell period, Slingsby will incorporate an environmental focus. The commissioned stories for "A Concise Compendium of Wonder" address contemporary environmental issues and climate anxieties, reflecting themes frequently observed in the company's school workshop programs.

To reduce its carbon footprint, the company plans to transport the set for "A Concise Compendium of Wonder" and other future tours exclusively via land or sea (rail, road, or sea). Upon Slingsby's closure, the custom-built theatre structure will be transferred for use by other companies or festivals, with its materials slated for recycling thereafter.

Farewell Timeline

Slingsby plans a prolonged farewell period, including its performances at the 2026 Adelaide Festival. The company's final event is scheduled to be a concert titled "Journey's End" in December 2027 at the Queen's Theatre, the venue where the company was originally launched.