Courtney Talbot's quest to break down boundaries and barriers

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Courtney Talbot believes in the power of philanthropy to bring the arts to the people.

"I love that it’s about making the arts as accessible to the entire community as possible and really breaking down those barriers," Courtney, Deputy Chair, Giving Committee, says.

"One of the things that really attracted me to the Giving Program and working with Brisbane Festival was that traditionally, 20 per cent of our programming was committed to free shows and events."

Thanks to the support of donors like Courtney, Brisbane Festival can facilitate more free events in local communities, meaning more people can engage with the arts on a grassroots level.

"Last year’s programming, because of COVID, ended up having 80 per cent of the program as free shows and events and I think this year it’s at least 50 per cent," Courtney says.

You just need to see how well-received Street Serenades is – it’s great to be part of something that is for everyone where there are no social boundaries or barriers.

Courtney has been active in the Giving Program since it started in 2016, forming part of her larger philanthropic works. She enjoys the ability to direct her donations to productions that she’d like to see developed for a wider audience.

She is an avid supporter of Queensland performance collective The Good Room which produced the heartfelt Let’s Be Friends Furever, exploring the bond between humans and dogs for this year’s Festival.

"It’s so exciting to be able to support The Good Room personally and the work they are doing, the shows they are putting out and how well-received they are by the community," Courtney says.

What really attracted me to this year’s show is I have a fur-child who is my world and so I loved that they were doing a dog show. It’s something different, it’s something fun, something enjoyable.

Being able to see productions like this, and others, come together in front of a live audience drives Courtney’s passion for supporting the arts in Brisbane.

Every dollar raised by the Giving Program goes towards developing new and innovative works for Brisbane Festival, contributing to the cultural vibrancy of the city.

"The money is well-utilised and well-spent on commissioning and supporting new work that otherwise wouldn’t get made and wouldn’t be part of the Festival," Courtney says.

"It really enriches the program, enriches what we can do out in the community. I think Brisbane Festival does amazing things for the Brisbane community and it’s something that anyone and everyone should be involved in."

Discover more about Brisbane Festival Giving Program and become a donor here.