Letter to Tasmanian Times
On Monday February 1, the NSW Minister for Trade, Tourism and Major Events, Stuart Ayres, announced the dates of a new festival to be called Sydney Sings.
It is a celebration of the human voice, as are thousands of festivals around the world. There is room for them all, for singing is a basic human impulse.
Before human beings could speak, they sang.
The dates of the new festival and a couple of elements thereof were mentioned in the Minister’s press release and in the Sydney Morning Herald, but no detailed program was announced.
And yet for some unaccountable reason, Mr.Tony Bonney, with whom I am unacquainted, chose to see sinister motives behind the bland details of name and dates.
Mr. Bonney, who it transpires is the director of Hobart’s annual Festival of Voices, telephoned the Deputy Arts Editor of the Sydney Morning Herald to accuse me of ‘stealing’ his event. Why did he not speak to me?
If he had done so I could have assured him that were I in need of inspiration I would look beyond Hobart.
I could also have assured him that, when announced in a couple of months’ time, the program for Sydney Sings will bear as much resemblance to a Festival of Voices line-up as I do to Leonardo di Caprio.
Perhaps Mr Bonney was seeking a little publicity oxygen for himself or his festival. Who knows? But I fear his kind of rash comment and wild claims of theft do little for the public perception of the arts or indeed for his own reputation.
Leo Schofield AM
Artistic Director,Brisbane Baroque
Artistic Director, Sydney Sings.
• Luke Martin in Comments: Oh, gawd, haven’t we heard enough from this bloke?
• Leo Schofield in Comments: Ah yes, Luke Martin. How soon we forget. Isn’t he the soi-disant tourism guru who never returns telephone calls, never keeps appointments and is so alert to the possibilities of a good idea that he didn’t even know the dates of the baroque festival and went to nothing. Too busy I suppose issuing daily press releases, the all-purpose pundit. if anyone qualifies for the sobriquet of ‘media nymphomaniac’ it’s good ole’ Lukester. His understanding of cultural tourism is on a par …
• Luke Martin in Comments: No, no one “exiled” Mr Schofield. He didn’t get what he wanted, chose to leave Tasmania, and has since seen fit to engage in some bizarre campaign to belittle the State and use forums like this to publicly settle scores against those he has grievances with. Grow up, Leo. Be a Gentleman.
• Leo Schofield in Comments: … Over the twenty-four festivals and major events for which I have had responsibility throughout Australia I have had the most cordial and helpful relationship with tourism authorities, starting with a remarkable collaboration with Bob Annells when he was head of Tourism Victoria. Both Queensland and NSW were equally enthusiastic.partners. It was only in Tasmania that I encountered the kind of aggressive indifference from bodies such as the ‘peak tourism authority’ whose interest you purport to represent. I am currently in Tasmania enjoying glorious weather and the generous, warm welcome from those those who know how much I did to promote this state and who lament the loss of an event destined on current evidence to be one of the southern hemisphere’s most visible and successful cultural attractions.
• Mark Temby in Comments: This story was done to death when it happened. It was reported Leo first heard of the funding cut from a journalist. Neither Mr Martin nor Mr Hodgman extended the courtesy of a phone call. Leo’s ego was probably quite bruised but the job of a politician or Tourism bureaucrat is one of networking. They failed. An honest personal observation on this thread is my amazement at the unprofessional language and attitude of Luke Martin as head of our Tasmanian Tourism authority in the public arena. Sometimes the position is greater than one’s personal anger or opinion and one needs to know when to put a cork in it.
• Luke Martin in Comments: In response to post 11. I’m not a ‘bureaucrat’. I work for an independent industry body, not the government. Judging by his comments, I’m also not sure if Mr Schofield is also confused on this matter. Referring to Tony Mayell, the ex head of Tourism Tasmania – different organisation. For the record, I actually checked our records today. No record of a single phone message, email or invite from Mr Schofield relating to his event. Ever. But enjoy your time in the State, Leo. It’s magnificent.
• Jane Rankin-Reid in Comments: … Are you sure Mr. Martin has or should have so much power to be making decisions about cultural funding, against social welfare spending needs? His is not an elected position after all, although it does require a government endorsement…If I were Luke Martin, I’d get a professional arts advisor position funded asap so that in his role, he would not be caught on the back foot again, nor would he need to add to the problem of perception as is currently occurring, by claiming that Leo’s phone calls were never received…I would love to list each and every government ministry, department, agency, or industry council in this state that does not answer or return phone calls…some never, some within a week, some with such ear burning hostility for one’s crime of daring to try to get through…What is clear here is that cultural entrepreneurs don’t feel their work is respected by the tourism industry’s representatives, which must change at every possible level. In comparison, Mr. Martin would not be seen evaluating local jam flavours or chosing between cheeses, all of which are also part of Tasmania’s allure for visitors. …
