Do you need a figurehead?

Patrons or ambassadors are de rigueur for many arts organisations, but what role do they play, and how do you secure their services?
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Mark Bridges, Ship’s Figure Head

High profile actor and entertainer Todd McKenney was recently announced as the new Patron of  Ensemble Theatre in Sydney, joining Georgie Parker in the role. Adelaide Fringe recently announced the appointment of British comedian Julian Clary (best known in Australia for his 1989-90 television series Sticky Moments) as the festival’s 2016 Fringe Ambassador, a role filled in previous years by comedians Kitty Flanagan and Paul McDermott.

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Richard Watts is ArtsHub's National Performing Arts Editor; he also presents the weekly program SmartArts on Three Triple R FM, and serves as the Chair of La Mama Theatre's volunteer Committee of Management. Richard is a life member of the Melbourne Queer Film Festival, and was awarded the status of Melbourne Fringe Living Legend in 2017. In 2020 he was awarded the Sidney Myer Performing Arts Awards' Facilitator's Prize. Most recently, Richard was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Green Room Awards Association in June 2021. Follow him on Twitter: @richardthewatts