Testimonials and Letters of Thanks

Thank you to the friends of the academy scholarship grant, that enabled me to fly to Victoria and take part in a dance secondment with Australia’s leading female choreographer Stephanie Lake. I was able to take part in a week of rehearsing for her new work “Manifesto,” which premieres at the Adelaide Festival next week. This was a fantastic week of growing and learning, and I am grateful for the support provided.

Karlia

I have been very fortunate enough to fulfil my secondment with Acting Consulting and Training Australia and New Zealand (ACT Australia). The entire experience was incredibly unique and rewarding; I feel very privileged to have been given the opportunity to work with such an incredible company and team of people. Read More

Simone - Arts Management

I am writing this letter to express my sincere gratitude for your generous financial assistance to my secondment. This $750 grant allowed me to fly to Sydney for a secondment with Erth Visual and Physical Inc., where I was educated on the creation of puppets and the performance of live puppetry.  read more

James - Performance Making

I would like to express my thanks and gratitude for the generous grant I received to assist my dance secondment with Strut Dance. This grant allowed me to participate in a two-week workshop with the Hofesh Shechter Company…read more

Krystal - Dance

To the Friends of the Academy, Thank you for the grant and your support to help me with me travels for my recent secondment in Townsville. I had a great time away, learning a lot about dance and different skills. I felt very welcomed and the company was surprisingly generous with their time and energy…read more

Gabrielle - Dance

Thank you very much for your generous grant towards the costs of my music festivals and trip. With the funds granted, I chose to extend my trip and flew to New York City and audited the Imani Winds Chamber Festival…read more

Stephanie - Musician

Thanks for the grant I received from you late last year to help support me on my design secondment. I have just returned from spending 4 weeks with Sydney Theatre Company…read more

Georgia - Set Design

I would like to thank you for presenting me with a Friends grant to offset my costs and allow me to complete my one week secondment with Sydney Dance Company. This experience was a life changing opportunity for me to connect with active members of the professional dance community…read more

Symone - Dance

I just wanted to write to you to thank you again for your kind grant which assisted me in getting to the Asia Pacific Bond conference. Not only did it give me a chance to perform a piece, and present a paper, it allowed me to see an incredible range of theatre being made by our neighbours in Asia…read more

Michael - Arts

Firstly, thank you so much for approving my application – it was a massive help in funding this trip and I am very appreciative. The week itself was really eye opening. Seeing the everyday life of a company member was an interesting experience…read more

Makira - Dance Student

I completed my secondment at the West Australian Opera, and I have learnt so much from this incredible organisation. The money that was so graciously given to me assisted in living expenses and transport to and from the opera each day…read more

Catherine - Arts Management

I would like to express my thanks for the grant I received from the Friends of the Academy that allowed me to go on secondment to ‘Dancenorth’ Ballet Company in Townsville last week…read more

Bethany - Dance Student

Thank you and the FOA for your wonderful generosity for the Grant towards my music opportunity in America. This grant allowed me to experience every thing the NYC music scene had to offer, as well as relieving all the stress of making it through the tour on a very tight budget…read more

Ingrid - Music Student

I am writing to you and the Friends of the Academy to share my story and to express my gratitude for the incredible support you have provided myself and the arts management degree over the past three years…read more

Angela - Arts Management

I am writing to thank The Friends of the Academy for the grant of $600 to complete the secondment unit of my WAAPA course (Bachelor of Performing Arts – Lighting)…read more

Kristie - Lighting

I would like to sincerely thank you for supporting me to travel to Launceston, Tasmania to complete my secondment with Tasdance, Tasmania’s flagship contemporary dance company…read more

Jo - WAAPA Dance Student

On Saturday 26th November, this money assisted me to attend a conference titled ‘Don’t Tell Me To Rest!’, held by the Australian Society for Performing Arts Healthcare (ASPAH)…read more

Daisy- WAAPA Dance Student

The Friends of the academy Award came at such a wonderful time since it has helped to purchase music and books that will be needed…read more

Hannah - WAAPA Music Student

I write this letter to thank you for giving me a Friends Grant that allowed me to travel to Melbourne and complete my secondment with Melbourne City Ballet for a week. This was a great experience which opened up my eyes to see what is out there in the dance industry and see how I am placed amongst other professional dancers…read more

Jessica - Secondment Melbourne City Ballet

I finished my secondment with Perth Festival last week, where I spent ten weeks within their programming department. Throughout the ten weeks, I learnt a range of skills as well as seeing classroom-learned-theory applied to real-life scenarios…read more

Anonymous - Arts Management

I would like to thank you sincerely for the funds granted to me in support of my Sydney Dance Company Secondment. My time with the company was immeasurably valuable both in terms of my artistic and personal growth…read more

Celina - Secondment Sydney Dance Company

I am writing to thank you and the Friends of the Academy once again for your support with helping me travel to Sydney recently. When I visited the theatre I thought I was much calmer than I had anticipated, and I was proven right, because as soon as the lights went down my heart began racing…read more

Zach - Writing

I have been playing with WAYO for three years and two years of being the principal bassoonist. I can describe how amazing the tour was, definitely the best musical experience I’ve had and a great way to celebrate the end of my Bachelor of Music degree…read more

Natalya - WAYO

I cannot thank you enough for your generous financial support that enabled me to travel to Sydney to compete in the ‘Genee International Ballet Competition 2016’…read more

Evelyn - WAAPA Dance StudentDance

I don’t think of you as just a committee that supports students, but rather friends of my own and a support group that fosters a family rather than just an institution…read more

Mercedes - WAAPA Music Student

As a third year student completing a Bachelor of Arts (Dance) at WAAPA, this year I had the opportunity to second with companies to gain first-hand experience in the profession…read more

Karen - WAAPA Dance Student

I am a graduating third year Arts Management student that recently completed my final year industry placement at Mullinars Casting Consultants in Melbourne…read more

Cameron - Arts Management

I have some lovely news to share with you. The Defying Gravity players have had a thrilling year, taking part in some fabulous projects…read more

Tim White - Senior Lecturer in Music

Before I begin I would like to thank you so so much for your generous contribution to my trip to Canada. It was an amazing experience that I won’t soon forget. The 6 WAAPA students that were fortunate enough to be given the opportunity to have such an experience took away very different things…read more

Daniel - WAAPA Student

On behalf of LINK Dance Company (4th Year Honours) Students Tanya Brown, Cheyenne Davis, Antonio Rinaldi and April Vardy we would like to thank the Friends of the Academy  for your generosity in contributing to our international tour…read more

LINK Dance Company

I would like to express my gratitude to the Friends of the Academy for generously supporting me in my travels to Brisbane for the Australian Percussion Gathering. The week has been one of the most incredible and inspiring weeks for me as a percussionist…read more

Nanna - Classical Percussion

I am a first year percussionist, and would like to express my gratitude to the friends of the academy for providing the financial assistance that has allowed to me travel to Brisbane for the amazing Australian Percussion Gathering (APG) in 2016…read more

Arund - Music

Thank you for your kind letter and enclosed cheque. I am very pleased to inform you that I had an excellent and informative secondment over the mid-semester break…read more

Eliza - Dance

I would like to share my sincere thanks for your generous grant to assist my Secondment at STRUT Dance…read more

Phillipa - Dance

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