The Sidney Myer Performing Arts Awards honour Sidney Myer

Sidney Myer

Sidney Baevski Myer was a Russian Australian businessman and philanthropist, best known for creating Myer, Australia's largest chain of department stores.-Early life:...

 a Jewish Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

n businessman and philanthropist

Philanthropist

A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...

 who established what is now the Myer Foundation

Myer Foundation

The Myer Foundation is a major Australian philanthropic organisation.The Sidney Myer Charitable Trust was established by the will of Sidney Myer who died in 1934 leaving one tenth of his estate for the benefit of the community. Myer's will was proved at £922,000...

. These awards seek to enhance the status of the performing arts in Australia

Performing arts in Australia

The Performing arts in Australia are an important element of the Arts in Australia and Australian culture.-Dance:Dance in Australia is diverse, ranging from The Australian Ballet to the Restless Dance Company to the many local dance studios....

 and recognise outstanding achievement in drama, comedy, dance

Dance in Australia

Dance in Australia includes a very broad variety of styles, from Indigenous Australian to the traditional Australian bush dance and from classical ballet, and ballroom dancing to contemporary dance and multicultural dance traditions from the 200 national backgrounds represented in Australia.Notable...

, music, opera

Opera

Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...

, circus

Circus

A circus is commonly a travelling company of performers that may include clowns, acrobats, trained animals, trapeze acts, musicians, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, unicyclists and other stunt-oriented artists...

 and puppetry

Puppetry

Puppetry is a form of theatre or performance which involves the manipulation of puppets. It is very ancient, and is believed to have originated 30,000 years BC. Puppetry takes many forms but they all share the process of animating inanimate performing objects...

. They do not include visual or plastic arts, crafts, film, electronic media or literature.

There are two Awards and a Prize awarded annually, an Individual Award, a Group Award and a Facilitator’s Prize, with recognition also provided to Indigenous Australian performers and facilitator’s in the period 2001 to 2003.

Awards

Year	Individual Award	Group Award	Facilitator’s Prize
2010	Paul Capsis Paul Capsis Paul Capsis is an Australian singer and actor, who is best known for his cabaret theatre roles. Capsis has Greek and Maltese heritage.Capsis has released two CDs called Paul Capsis Live and Everybody Wants To Touch Me...	Australian Art Orchestra	John Paxinos
2009	Julie Forsyth	Black Arm Band	jointly Mandawuy Yunupingu Mandawuy Yunupingu Mandawuy Yunupingu , born 17 September 1956, is an Aboriginal Australian musician, most notable for being the front man of the band Yothu Yindi.-Early life:...  and Footscray Community Arts
2008	Archie Roach Archie Roach Archie Roach is an Australian musician. A singer, songwriter and guitarist, he survived a turbulent upbringing to develop into a powerful voice for Indigenous Australians, a storyteller in the tradition of his ancestors, and a nationally popular and respected artist.- Biography :In his own words,...  and Ruby Hunter Ruby Hunter Ruby Charlotte Margaret Hunter was an Australian singer and songwriter. She was a member of the Ngarrindjeri Aboriginal nationality, and often performed with her partner, Archie Roach, whom she met at the age of 16, while both were homeless teenagers...	Big hART	Paul Petran
2007	Ros Warby	jointly The Song Company and Tasdance	Ian Scobie
2006	Nigel Jamieson	TaikOz	Bill Hauritz
2005	Benedict Andrews	Back to Back Theatre	David Bates David Bates David Bates may refer to:*David Bates , American contemporary music composer*David Bates , English cricketer and groundskeeper*David Bates , writer of books about William I of England and Odo of Bayeux...
2004	Rod Quantock Rod Quantock Rod Quantock is an Australian stand-up comedian and writer. He is known for his peculiar style of stand-up comedy, which is often politically driven, as well as being the face of bed retailer Capt'n Snooze for many years...	jointly awarded to: Melbourne Workers Theatre Melbourne Workers Theatre Melbourne Workers Theatre is an Australian theatre company from Melbourne, Australia. The company was founded in 1987 by Patricia Cornelius, Steve Payne and Michael White...  and Tracks Dance Theatre Tracks Dance Theatre Tracks is a dance theatre company based in Darwin, Northern Territory founded in 1994, although its beginnings lie in a community dance program in 1988. It is collocated with the Darwin Theatre Company, Corrugated Iron Youth Theatre and Brown’s Mart Community Arts...	Lee-Ann Buckskin
2003	Stephen Page Stephen Page Born in Brisbane in 1965, Stephen Page is a descendant from the Nunukul people and the Munaldjali clan of the Yugambeh tribe from southeast Queensland...  and Indigenous winner Kylie Belling Kylie Belling Kylie Belling is an Australian actress.She is best known for her television work. She played Sarah West in Prisoner and was also an original cast member of The Flying Doctors as Sharon Herbert.-External links:*...  Acrobat Acrobatics Acrobatics is the performance of extraordinary feats of balance, agility and motor coordination. It can be found in many of the performing arts, as well as many sports...	Sarah Miller and Indigenous Facilitator's Prize Lafe Charlton
2002	Lisa Gasteen Lisa Gasteen Lisa Kinkead Gasteen AO , is an internationally acclaimed Australian operatic soprano, renowned for her performances of the works of Wagner. She won the Cardiff Singer of the World competition in 1991...  and Indigenous Individual Winner Aaron Pedersen Aaron Pedersen Aaron Pedersen is an Australian television and film actor of Arrente/Arabana Australian Aboriginal descent.-Career:Prior to Aaron's acting career, Aaron plied his trade as a journalist with ABC2 at Elsternwick studios in Melbourne....	Urban Theatre Projects	Mary Vallentine and Indigenous Facilitator's Prize - jointly awarded to Lynette Narkle, Paul McPhail and David Milroy
2001	Paul Grabowsky Paul Grabowsky -Biography:Grabowsky was born on 27 September 1958 in Lae, Papua New Guinea; his father Alistair had lived in Papua New Guinea with his wife Charlotte since the 1930s working on oil rigs, building roads, flying planes and playing the drums...  and Indigenous Individual Winner David Page	Northern Rivers Performing Arts Inc	Ian Roberts Ian Roberts -Entertainment:* Ian Roberts , British DJ on Magic 1152 in Manchester* Ian Roberts , American actor and comedian* Ian Roberts , South African actor, playwright and singer...  and Indigenous Facilitator's Prize Richard Frankland Richard Frankland For the nonconformist minister, see Richard Frankland Richard Joseph Frankland is an Australian playwright, scriptwriter and musician. He is an Aboriginal Australian of Gunditjmara origin from Victoria. He has worked significantly for the Aboriginal Australian cause.-Biography:Richard J. Frankland...
2000	Lucy Guerin	Leigh Warren & Dancers Leigh Warren & Dancers Leigh Warren & Dancers is a contemporary dance company based in the South Australian capital of Adelaide. Formed in 1993 by Leigh Warren , the company has toured internationally and won several awards....	Jill Smith
1999	David Pledger	Strange Fruit Strange Fruit "Strange Fruit" is a song performed most famously by Billie Holiday, who released her first recording of it in 1939, the year she first sang it. Written by the teacher Abel Meeropol as a poem, it exposed American racism, particularly the lynching of African Americans. Such lynchings had occurred...	Liz Jones Liz Jones Elizabeth Ann Jones, known as Liz Jones , is a British journalist and writer.She originally followed a career in fashion journalism, but her work has broadened into confessional writing. Jones divides opinion...
1998	Nick Enright Nick Enright -Life:He was drama captain of St Ignatius' College, Riverview in 1964, where, like Gerard Windsor and Justin Fleming, he was taught by Melvyn Morrow. At that school, he won the 1sts Debating Premiership in both 1966 and 1967....	Australian Chamber Orchestra Australian Chamber Orchestra The Australian Chamber Orchestra was founded by cellist John Painter in 1975. Richard Tognetti was appointed Lead Violin in 1989 and subsequently appointed Artistic Director....	Stephen McIntyre Stephen McIntyre Stephen McIntyre is a Canadian mathematician, former minerals prospector, and semi-retired mining consultant who is best known as the founder and editor of Climate Audit, a blog devoted to the analysis and discussion of climate data...
1997	Robyn Nevin Robyn Nevin Robyn Anne Nevin AM , is an Australian stage and screen actress, and is considered by some as a doyenne of Australian theatre.- Early life :...	Playbox Theatre, Expressions Dance Company Expressions Dance Company Expressions Dance Company is an Australian contemporary dance company based in the The Judith Wright Centre of Contemporary Arts, in Fortitude Valley. It was founded in 1984 by Maggi Sietsma, Artistic Director and Abel Valls, General Manager...	Rhoda Roberts
1996	Peter J. Wilson	jointly awarded to Company B Company B (theatre) Belvoir is an Australian theatre company based at the Belvoir St Theatre in Sydney, Australia. Its Artistic Director is Ralph Myers.Belvoir receives government support for its activities from the federal government through the Major Performing Arts Board of the Australia Council for the Arts and...  Belvoir and Expressions Dance Company Expressions Dance Company Expressions Dance Company is an Australian contemporary dance company based in the The Judith Wright Centre of Contemporary Arts, in Fortitude Valley. It was founded in 1984 by Maggi Sietsma, Artistic Director and Abel Valls, General Manager...	Wendy Blacklock Wendy Blacklock Wendy Blacklock was an Australia-based theatre and television actor best known for her long-running role of Edith "Mummy" MacDonald in the 1970s television soap opera Number 96....  AM
1995	jointly awarded to Hannie Rayson Hannie Rayson -Biography:Rayson was born in Melbourne, Victoria and graduated from the University of Melbourne and the Victorian College of Arts. She has worked as a freelance journalist and editor in addition to her primary career as playwright and screenwriter. Rayson was the co-founder of the community...  and Paul Livingston Paul Livingston Paul Livingston, popularly known as his alter ego Flacco, is an Australian comedian who has regularly appeared on many television shows, predominantly on ABC TV and Network Ten, including Good News Week, The Sandman and Flacco Special, The Big Gig, DAAS Kapital, The Money or the Gun, The Fat and...	Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra The Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra is a symphony orchestra based in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. It is the smallest of the six orchestras established by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation .-Activities:...	David Blenkinsop
1994	Michael Kieran Harvey Michael Kieran Harvey Michael Kieran Harvey is an Australian pianist whose career has been notable for its diversity and wide repertoire. He is renowned for commissioning and performing new music. He has especially promoted the works of Australian composers, such as Carl Vine, all of whose piano music he has recorded...	Legs On The Wall	Julie Dyson
1993	Geoffrey Rush Geoffrey Rush Geoffrey Roy Rush is an Australian actor and film producer. He is one of the few people who has won the "Triple Crown of Acting": an Academy Award, a Tony Award and an Emmy Award. He has won one Academy Award for acting , three British Academy Film Awards , two Golden Globe Awards and four Screen...	Doppio Teatro Inc. and Bangarra Dance Theatre Bangarra Dance Theatre Bangarra Dance Theatre is an Indigenous Australian contemporary dance company founded in 1989 by Carole Johnson, an African-American and founding director of National Aboriginal Islander Skills Development Association . Bangarra is the Wiradjuri word meaning "to make fire".Stephen Page has been the...	Marguerite Pepper
1992	Meryl Tankard Meryl Tankard Meryl Tankard is an Australian dancer and choreographer who has a wide national and international reputation....	Chrissie Parrott Dance Company	Lindy Davies Lindy Davies Lindy Davies is an Australian actress, director and drama teacher. From 1995–2007 she was the Dean of the School of Drama at the Victorian College of Arts in Melbourne....
1991	Kim Walker Kim Walker Kimberly Anne "Kim" Walker was an American actress, perhaps best-known for playing the role of Heather Chandler in the film Heathers....	jointly awarded to Synergy Synergy Synergy may be defined as two or more things functioning together to produce a result not independently obtainable.The term synergy comes from the Greek word from , , meaning "working together".-Definitions and usages:...  and Chamber Made Opera	Phillip A'Vard
1990	John Beckett	Bran Nue Day Productions
1989	Sue Ingleton	The One Extra Company and Bharatam Dance Company	Sir Rupert Hamer Rupert Hamer Sir Rupert James Hamer, AC, KCMG, ED , generally known until he was knighted in 1982 as Dick Hamer, Australian Liberal Party politician, was the 39th Premier of Victoria, serving from 1972 to 1981.-Early years:...
1988	Neil Armfield Neil Armfield Neil Geoffrey Armfield AO is an Australian director of theatre, film and opera.Born in Sydney, Armfield was the youngest of three boys. The son of a factory worker at the nearby Arnott's biscuit factory he was brought up in the suburb of Concord adjacent to Exile Bay...	Salamanca Theatre Company	John Larkin John Larkin John Larkin may refer to:*John Larkin , Belfast-born legal scholar*John Paul Larkin , American jazz musician known as Scatman John...
1987	jointly awarded to Peter Wilson Peter Wilson Peter Wilson may refer to: * Peter Wilson , Scottish-born American footballer in the 1890s and early 1900s* Pete Wilson , American baseball pitcher...  and Richard Bradshaw Richard Bradshaw Richard James Bradshaw, O.Ont was a British opera conductor and the General Director of the Canadian Opera Company in Toronto....	Astra Chamber Music Society Astra Chamber Music Society The Astra Chamber Music Society is a concert organisation for choral music and contemporary performance, based in Melbourne, Australia and under the musical direction of John McCaughey....
1986	Chris Westwood Chris Westwood Christopher John "Chris" Westwood is an English footballer, currently playing as a defender for Wrexham.-Career:Westwood began his career at Wolverhampton Wanderers, where he scored once against Portsmouth, before moving to Reading. First team chances at both clubs were limited, and at the...	Flederman Ensemble
1985	Peter Oyston	Dance Works
1984	Jack Davis Jack Davis Jack Davis may refer to:* Jack Davis * Jack Davis * Jack Davis , Olympic hurdler* Jack Davis * Jack Davis...	jointly awarded to Circus Oz Circus Oz Circus Oz was founded in December 1977, with its first performance season in March 1978. Circus Oz was the amalgamation of two already well-known groups - Soapbox Circus, a roadshow set up by the Australian Performing Group in 1976, and the New Ensemble Circus, a continuation of the New Circus,...  and Sydney Dance Company Sydney Dance Company The Sydney Dance Company is one of Australia's most successful and well-known contemporary dance companies. The company was founded in 1969 as the dance-in-education group Ballet in a Nutshell by Suzanne Musitz , later changing its name to Athletes and Dancers, and Dance Company ...

External links

• Sidney Myer Performing Arts Awards