Bunbury Council continues to support BREC

A five-year management agreement between Bunbury City Council and the region’s premier performing arts facility will ensure its sustainability, according to Mayor Gary Brennan.

The council has outlined a set of Key Performance Indicators for the Bunbury Regional Entertainment Centre in a bid to guarantee the facility continues to deliver a high quality service to the community.

The agreement includes the council committing to $420,000 in annual funding for the next five years with annual increases in line with CPI, plus up to $100,000 a year for capital expenditure.

BREC and the council worked collaboratively on the agreement with the KPIs to be reviewed on an annual basis.

They include that BREC will be required to host at least 20 local events a year and a minimum of two youth events.

Centre management must also engage with and host at least two indigenous or culturally and linguistically diverse events each year.

The agreement comes after the centre’s future was brought into doubt last year when the council considered reducing funding with aspirations to make BREC more self-sufficient.

Mr Brennan said there were still long-term goals to make the centre as “financially self-sufficient as possible” but for now the new agreement sets out a five-year plan.

“The last few years we’ve been endeavouring to reduce the subsidy to BREC,” Mr Brennan said.

“The reality is that BREC has had a downturn in corporate sponsorship because of the general economic conditions in the South West.

“So it’s a balancing act for them and I applaud them for what they do, they do a great job.

“It (the agreement) clearly sets out what the city expects the BREC board to do and the BREC board clearly understands what the city expects of it.”

BREC executive director Fiona de Garis said the agreement would allow the centre to continue growing the local performing arts and event industries.

“Over the next five years as we continue to bring people together to enjoy world class performances and cinema, have new experiences, explore their own creativity and debate new ideas, we will also be working hard to ensure a welcome for first-time theatre goers, young people and visitors,” Ms de Garis said.

“We are excited at the potential for future partnerships with other cultural institutions, local artists, thinkers and change-makers.

“BREC has always played a critical role in the cultural life of our community and this agreement ensures we can continue to do so,” Ms de Garis said.