News

Black Swan rejects conflict of interest concerns

Andrew Forrest’s Fortescue Metals Group being the principal sponsor of Black Swan State Theatre Company raises potential governance concerns, given that Forrest’s wife Nicola is the company’s Chair.

28 Feb 2020 12:00

Richard Watts

Performing Arts

Photo credit: Lubos Chlubny via Shutterstock.

The new Executive Director of Black Swan State Theatre Company, Rick Heath, has rejected concerns about a potential conflict of interest for the company in light of the relationship between the company’s Chair and its principal sponsor.

Fortescue Metals Group was announced as Black Swan’s new principal sponsor at the company’s 2020 season launch last year.

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Richard Watts

Richard Watts OAM is ArtsHub's National Performing Arts Editor; he also presents the weekly program SmartArts on Three Triple R FM. Richard is a life member of the Melbourne Queer Film Festival, a Melbourne Fringe Festival Living Legend, and was awarded the 2019 Sidney Myer Performing Arts Awards' Facilitator's Prize in early 2020. He received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Green Room Awards Association in 2021, and a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in June 2024. Photo: Fiona Hamilton. Follow Richard on Bluesky @richardthewatts.bsky.social and Instagram @richard.l.watts