Beware Sydney Carnivale

[Prof Willie B]

Be very, very careful if approached by an organisation called "Carnivale" in Sydney, Australia. These people claim to be event producers and are trying to put together a festival under the same name.
One Melb. performer negotiated 3 very long days performance for Oct. this year on terms of 25% deposit with the balance on completion. The deposit was received and the artist flew to Sydney and did a superb job only to be told that she could not be paid on completion and that the cheque would be sent within 2 weeks. Today, Dec 19, she is still waiting to be paid. The artist even made an extremely generous donation to one of the event sponsors, a mental health support group. This sponor actually rang the artist the other day to thank her again and tell her where the donation had ended up. They were shocked to find she had not been paid and said they had paid the organisation long ago.

These people repeatedly ignored messages and then repeatedly said payment would be made within x period or on such and such a date. The CEO even suggested he was doing her a favour by trying to pay the money directly into her bank account, which he failed to do having apparently lost the acc. numbers. This guy also wrote that he had recommeded her for the job(untrue) and recently put "a coin" (generous, eh) in her hat after being impressed by her work in Swantston St. Melb.. The performer has not used a hat to collect her money for 10 years or worked in that pitch for at least 8 years.

These people are dishonest or incompetent, take your pick. Either way it is too much bullshit. The performer involved has been working professionally for 17 years and has an impeccable reputation worldwide. At least 300 of the members of these boards know her well, having employed or worked alongside her in Aust., Canada, Britain, NZ Europe or Japan.

Be very wary of these people.

[ 12-20-2003: Message edited by: Prof Willie B ]</p>

[emuprod]

Dear professor

I stumbled onto the forum pages while browsing arts pages. I do know who you are and who you represent.
I recently resigned as GM of Carnivale Multicultural Festival - Sydney.

I signed a confidentiality agreement that does not allow me to enlighten you further.

As the man who's life was and is committed to protect the artists above all I only can apologise and express my deep regrets for what happened to you. I feel deeply disturbed by the many negative and devastating news from other artists involved with this years festival.

Carnivale as and idea and an organisation supporting and enhancing the versatile multicultural Australian society is one great vision that needs all the support not only from artists but the broader communities now and in the future. So please do not give up your support for entities like Carnivale.

Please do not let one bad apple in the system poison you for life.
We are all replaceable - but without Artists there will be no Art.

Look into the future and not back. I think it is easier to avoid people who think Artists are to be satisfied by tossing a coin into their hat. The one who did that obviously lives in the wrong century.

Once again my warmest apologies and all the best for your future.

[Prof Willie B]

Hello Emu (I hope you don't mind me dropping the prod part, I can't help thinking of some sort of giant avian version of the cattle prod, sorry).

Your response leaves me dismayed and a little bemused. It's sad to hear that many other artists have been screwed around. The quality of the concept is not the issue, it is the standard of the organisation that is questionable. You have confirmed that the warning here is well warranted.
Don't worry, none of us would let one "bad apple" spoil what we do for us but if we isolate the apple it, it will rot by itself.

I also pondered the mathematical probability of you, of all people, "stumbling" across this particular page of p.net, just surfing, within about 48 hrs of the post going up and within about 6 hrs of the Carnivale office receiving a UBBFriend email (it's a facility of these boards, see third line top left hand corner of ths page). Sorry if I sound cynical. As for confidentiality clauses, you should know that they are null and void where illegal, dishonest or unethical activities are involved.

Thank you for confirming the need for this warning and encouragement for the future but if you had nothing to do with this debarcle then you have nothing to apologise for.

[Prof Willie B]

The latest news.
Yesterday, Mon., morning, the Carnivale office would have recieved the UBBFriend email and at 8.04am the artist received a second email stating the cheque was in Express(guaranteed overnight) mail. The first email said the cheque was in Express post 4 working days ago.

The cheque actually arrived about 2.30 this afternoon. It was postmarked late yesterday morning. MORE POWER TO P.NET/

Of course being an interstate cheque it probably won't clear until after the New Year and the office had the lost bank acc. details replaced(sent last Fri.) and could have tried make amends by at least a direct deposit.
It is hard to thank them for their efforts. Why do large corporate or publically funded interests think that solo or small artist groups are in a position the give them $100's often $1000's of free credit.

[ 12-22-2003: Message edited by: Prof Willie B ]</p>

[emuprod]

Dear Professor,

It is understandable that you must be very angry.
Please do believe that I only answered to your posting because my liability as a professional goes beyond a resignation.

Be also assured that this respond to you can not have anything to do with Carnivale since I left the office and had no contact with Carnivale staff at the office since 30 September.

As of mathematics: no it is not strange that an Arts person concerned about the state of the arts "stumbles" across an Arts page like yours.

You may sense that what happened at Carnivale urged me to seek further information about everything relevant in the Australian Arts Scene. My career in theatre was 35 years in professional theatre in Europe and I am still trying to comprehend the secrets of the Australian Theatre community - so I research, read and try to get a deeper insight.

But do not worry - what I learned is that it is time to go back to where an Artist is an honourable person and not someone you "toss a coin" at. My English is impeccable - but the language spoken in the Arts down under I do and will not understand.
It makes me speechless. So I will remain silent.

[Prof Willie B]

Mon Dieu! You do indeed deserve my deepest sympathy. Didn't anyone tell you? It is common for European translators to confuse the English term "the Arts" with the Australian "The Yarts".

"The Yarts", in Australia, are collection of myths or legends stemming from some distant tribal memories, a bit like Christmas really. The Yartist is a mystical creature that works about one day a year, doesn't eat (said to subsist entirely on nasty wine that flows continuously from a legendary spring called "The Yarts Opening"), is apparently in no need of financial support but magically produces beautiful things from nowhere for others to enjoy. Much like Santa.
Many of these stories are so ancient that they even pre-date televised sport. Of course, there are some creationist academics that believe there was nothing before sport and that the last thing God created on the sixth day was the Fox so that he could watch the football on Sunday.

As for "the Arts", 200 years of strict quarantine and new compassionate border protection measures by the Federal Gov't. have ensured that the people of Australia have not been, and will not be, exposed to this mysterious and frightening European pandemic. The Arts are know to be infective and addictive and we won't have that sort of stuff here, mate.

Our scientists have recently discovered that a culture can grow dangerous bacteria and new agencies (like Carnivale) have been established to prevent any culture from turning out WMDs (Wonderful Magical Dreams). Seems they've caught and silenced you.

There are, of course, a few pockets of culture remaining in widespread parts of the country but they are usually found quietly minding their own business in the back of someone's fridge. These communities are often tolerated when well advanced because, when the globe has blown in the fridge light, their pretty green glow helps you find your beer in the dark.

Don't be alarmed, they are alert and the rest of us live quietly in our fridges.

[ 12-23-2003: Message edited by: Prof Willie B ]</p>

[Dom]

A quick query for "emuprod"

I initially thought that you were but now take it that your pseudonym has nothing to do with a Sydney street theatre performer by the name of Michael Cowen aka "Emu". Is this right.

For the Prof, I was saddened but not surprised by your first post.
And quite amazed at the cheque "coincidence".

As Sydney grows in size so does the rift between those who work the streets as performers/buskers and all the arts/events management and festivals that either exist to justify the pitiful funding the arts get in this country or pop up as the latest "novelty" (Carnivale being in the former category). The respect and protocol that these organisations once had for outdoor performers is now a thing of the past and the bad treatment of your friend is sadly just another case.

Dom

[emuprod]

Well
so what do we do?
Burry our heads into the sand and wait until we feel something coming from behind? Even though I am not the street performer - EMU Productions is my very own company - taking care of my international play rights and other naughty artistic things I do. EMU was formed in Germany 20 years ago and is the abbreviation of Earnest with Fun ... no eggs, no stakes involved...

I am sorry - too much discussions, evaluations, papers, Swot’s and never enough resistance in the "Yarts".
Not enough telling the truth and getting rid of those Arts Administrators who are only there to make sur that there is no Art.
Lets yet have an other conference - an other volunteering gathering to discuss what cannot be discussed.

I am not known as one who gives up easily - I am more infamous for taring the roof off and let the sun shine to dry the rising damp.

I will continue to support - I am not here to teach since I do not know anything better than them many outstanding talents I met on this continent. Yes, I brought numerous Australian talents to Europe and had them perform in my many shows - but I am here now -
I am here to live and not just survive.

So to all of you: As long as we can not convince our politicians to let God be kind and give Greg Norman a chance as the lead in Man of La Mancha - we will not succeed to be recognised as serous people.

I always wanted to join the labour party and become Australia’s first Minister for Cultural Affairs - but then big John went to war and I was not able to raise my right hand and swear on the bible that I will be a good Australian. I'll do it later - hopefully not too late...

Have a great 2004 and keep on striving