As part of its 60th anniversary, NIDA hosted an exclusive Diamond Anniversary Dinner dedicated to the founding of a NIDA Student Fund.
Over $115,000 was raised, thanks to some of the nation’s most prominent philanthropists and arts and education leaders.
The purpose of the new Student Fund is to remove financial barriers for talented prospective students to attend NIDA, and to support students to be able to take advantage of NIDA’s extensive TV, film and theatre connections, through experiences such as international placements and festival attendance.
NIDA Acting and Musical Theatre students provided entertainment throughout the Diamond Anniversary Dinner.
A very special form of support came from ARA Group, NIDA’s Principal Partner for Property Services, who announced a full scholarship for an Indigenous student across the whole three years of any Bachelor of Fine Arts course.
The great success of the night would not have been possible without such generous support from NIDA’s sponsors. Luxury fine jewellers House of K’Dor donated the resplendent 2.11carat diamond Solar Ring for auction.
Solar Ring donated by luxury fine jewellers House of K'Dor for NIDA's Diamond Anniversary Dinner auction.
Hosted by award-winning actor, writer, filmmaker and NIDA graduate Akos Armont (Acting, 2007), entertainment was provided throughout the evening by renowned alumni Hugh Sheridan (Acting, 2007) and Peter Cousens AM (Acting, 1978), rising star graduate Rachel Mayrick (Diploma of Musical Theatre, 2018) and current NIDA Acting and Musical Theatre students.
Award-winning actor, writer, filmmaker and NIDA graduate Akos Armont hosted the Diamond Anniversary Dinner.
NIDA CEO Jennifer Bott AO explained, ‘During the admissions period, our heads of department travel all around Australia, from Hobart to Darwin to Perth and back again, interviewing and auditioning diverse prospective students.
‘When they unearth an extraordinary talent, no matter their family background or financial capability, we need to be able to look them in the eye and promise that we can bring them to NIDA, where they will be supported as they strive to fulfil their talents.
‘The talent pool from which we select our elite cohort must not be restricted by individual financial situations. We must foster future generations of storytellers who can tell our stories with diverse voices.’
(L–R) Sibylle Jarosch, co-director of NIDA's Foundation Trust Andrew Banks, Andrea Banks and Jodie Noll.
One of the directors of the NIDA Foundation Trust, Andrew Banks, may be known to television viewers as one of the ‘sharks’ from entrepreneurial investment program Shark Tank. However, when he first came to Australia from England, he was interested only in acting and theatre, and studied with the Old Tote Theatre Company that preceded NIDA’s formation.
‘NIDA is one of Australia’s most important global cultural assets,’ Andrew Banks remarked. ‘It has the respect of the world, and to remain competitive with our global peers, we need to build a “war chest”: a large-scale student fund comparable to that possessed by the schools of drama at Yale, Carnegie Mellon and RADA.
‘We must invest in the excellence of our future generations – and keep one of our great cultural assets on par with global standard.’
Photographer: Christian Gilles