The Minderoo Foundation is donating $30 million to West Australia's elite performing arts academy. The gift to the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) from Andrew and Nicola Forrest's charity, is believed to be the biggest donation to the performing arts in Australia. Graduates of the academy include Hugh Jackman, Frances O'Connor, Marcus Graham, William McInnes, Lisa McCune, Lucy Durack, Eddie Perfect and Tim Minchin.
The foundation is proud to support the next wave of groundbreaking artists from the academy, Dr Forrest said. "This will be the birthplace of ideas that motivate people, companies and governments to act, reassess their behaviours or start a movement," he said in a statement. The 25-year philanthropic partnership announced Monday includes a $23 million specialist fit-out of eight performance and rehearsal spaces at a new city campus.
The academy is relocating to Edith Cowan University's City Campus in the Perth suburb of Northbridge. The remainder of the money will be used to create an endowed fund to continue a visiting artists program that has been funded by the Minderoo Foundation for several years. Eddie Perfect is currently visiting Perth as part of the program, which is designed to bring top-level performers to the academy.
The donation builds on an $853 million investment in the new Edith Cowan University campus, from the state and federal governments and the university, through the Perth City Deal. The campus is currently under construc.
