Departure of all previous Directors and new Board appointments as Circus Oz looks to its future
MELBOURNE, 16 FEBRUARY 2022 — The Circus Oz Extraordinary General Meeting held on 16 February marks a new phase for Circus Oz, with the election of four new Directors and the new Board and Company Members look forward to working together to find the right place for Circus Oz as an organisation which holds such a significant position in our cultural landscape.
Bringing a depth of both governance and cultural sector experience, the new Board includes Regina Hill, Bryce Menzies and John Paxinos. Chad Albinger will occupy a position as a Company Member on the Board.
Circus Oz is an Australian icon and has a proud history of leadership in the circus arts in Australia and around the world. The Company continues to have a strong commitment to the agency of its people, the creation of original work that connects with the broadest possible audience, equity and social justice in the Australian and international community and to the wider circus sector. Circus Oz’ will be guided by these values.
Circus Oz has a broad and skilled network to draw on both within and outside of the cultural sector. The new Board will engage Company Members, supporters and stakeholders of the Circus in navigating Circus Oz!s future.
The new Board are:
Regina Hill is the Managing Director of Regina Hill Effective Consulting Pty Ltd and Effective Philanthropy. Regina has worked as a consultant for over fifteen years having been employed as a commercial consultant with a leading global consulting firm, AT Kearney, for four years before setting up her own consulting practice and co-founding Effective Philanthropy. She has experience working across the government, not for profit and philanthropic sectors, including work within community and professional arts, disability, mental health, aging, parenting and early childhood development, family services, education, training and employment, youth and adult justice, out of home care, Indigenous and community development and environment.
She is a Director of for profit and for purpose organisations, Caraniche and Collaboration for Impact, and the Archie Roach Foundation. She has previously been the Chair of the Women’s Circus. Regina has an MBA, Master of International Laws, LLB Hons and a BA (History and Economics).
Bryce Menzies has worked in entertainment law since 1984. He is currently a partner at marshalls + dent + wilmoth lawyers where he is head of the Entertainment Department. Bryce has been a recipient of the John Howie Award for Outstanding Leadership, Achievement and Service to the Victorian Screen Industry for his many of years of service as entertainment lawyer and producer. He has extensive credits as an Executive Producer of Australian films.
He has considerable governance experience in the cultural sector having served as: Chairperson – Melbourne International Film Festival Limited, Chairperson – Open Channel Co-operative Limited, Director – Australian Film Theatre Limited, Director – Australian Nouveau Theatre Limited, Member of the Board of Chamber Made Opera Inc, Director – South Australian Film Corporation, Chairperson – Australian Documentary Conference Inc., Member of the Victorian Government Multimedia Task Force, Director – Melbourne International Film Festival Limited. Director – Interact Events Limited, Director – Museum of Modern Art at Heide, Member of the
Board of National Screenwriters’ Conference, Member of the Board of Screen Tasmania, Member of the Board of Film Victoria, Member of the Board of ScreenWest Inc. He is currently a Member of the Board of Screenwest (Australia) Limited.
John Paxinos is the Managing Director of John Paxinos & Associates Pty Ltd, specialists in developing financially sustainable arts organisations. He established this firm in 1988 to provide management, consulting and financial services in the arts and cultural sector. In 1992 he cofounded Auspicious Arts Projects Inc, a not-or-profit organisation that provides a management partnership for Independent Artists. John has an MBA and was a co-founder of the CharteredAccounting firm, Paxinos & Habash Arts Tax in 2016.
John began his career in Arts Management in 1980 when he was appointed General Manager of the Murray River Performing Group and Flying Fruit Fly Circus in Albury-Wodonga, a role he held for six years. In his current role clients include arts conferences, arts services organisations, community arts organisations, festivals, film and TV production companies, venues and literature, performing arts and visual arts organisations.
Chad Albinger has a BA (Visual Arts). He has specialised in theatrical rigging primarily for contemporary circus. Chad works as a production and performance rigger, props designer, furniture, designer and fabricator. He has long and varied experience in all aspects of performance rigging from design and development stages, to rehearsal and performance.
Chad’s performance touring history since 1999 includes a wide range of venues from concert halls in opera houses to a multitude of regional theatres, exhibition and convention centres to basketball courts and public parks. He has worked extensively throughout Australia, as well as internationally in many countries including the U.S.A, the U.K., Italy, Mexico, New Zealand, Hong Kong, and Singapore. In addition to his rigging roles, Chad has been integral to the rigging and erection of the Circus Oz Big Top (1,300 seats). From 2007 – 2014 Chad performed on stage for Circus Oz in both group and solo acts and has previously acted as a member-elected Board Member.