About PASIG

PASIG is driven by the enthusiasm for Australia's performing arts that is inclusive of our unique indigenous heritage and our multicultural influences, as well as the traditions of English, European and American theatre.

• ensuring the development of coordinated national collecting policies and strategies for the performing arts
• enhancing public knowledge of Australia’s performing arts heritage through public documentation and display including use of the Internet
• improving access to Australia’s performing arts heritage
• increased cooperation between key stake- holders in performing arts heritage including collecting institutions, government bodies, performing arts companies, and key individuals
• exploring the role and nature of exhibitions in line with changing technologies

Anyone who is involved in collecting, preserving or researching Australia’s performing arts heritage is welcome to register their interest by contacting the Chairperson of PASIG.

Chairperson

The current Chairperson of PASIG is Richard Stone. Richard was formerly Manager of Australian Collection Development in the National Library of Australia, Canberra, where his brief included the development of the Library’s extensive collection of printed material relating to Australia’s performing arts. Richard retired from the National Library in May 2000 but has maintained his involvement in PASIG and his interest in Australia's performing arts resources and research.

Richard can be contacted at:
Email -  randj@webone.com.au
Tel - (02) 62812679
Mail - 28 Millen Street, HUGHES, ACT 2605

Since then meetings have been held which generally coincide with the annual conference of Museums Australia.

PASIG meetings have been held in Canberra (National Film and Sound Archive, February 1995), Brisbane (Queensland Performing Arts Centre, November 1995), Sydney (Sydney Opera House, October 1996), Canberra (National Library of Australia, March 1997), Sydney (State Library of New South Wales, February 1998), Melbourne (Victorian Arts Centre, October 1998), Adelaide (Adelaide Festival Centre, May 1999), Sydney (ScreenSound Australia/NIDA, April 2000).

• Scripts and scores including original author manuscripts, rehearsal versions, stage management versions, published editions
• Designs, drawings for sets, costumes, lighting : Set models: Costumes : Properties : Scenery – painted back-cloths : Furniture
• Printed and published material much of it ephemeral in nature such as programs, advertising flyers, subscription brochures, posters, invitations:
• Newspaper clippings and reviews:
• Films, videos : Sound recordings, tapes

Performing arts occur at all levels of Australian society – local, state, national – as well as on the international stage. They can be conducted on an amateur basis, or within the framework of an education system, by state subsidized companies, or by commercial companies.

They can be any one of a number of genres or a mixture of several – drama, comedy, opera, musical theatre, chamber music, orchestral music, choral music, rock music, street theatre, puppetry, circus, vaudeville, television, film, video, radio.

They can take place in a traditional proscenium theatre, a converted space, outdoors, in a tent, in a sports stadium…anywhere!

In addition to the complexity of the performing arts scene, the transitory nature of any theatrical, musical, or audiovisual performance makes the task of documenting it and collecting it particularly difficult.

Revised July 2002