Page 93 - Tropic Magazine Issue 18

TROPIC • ARTS

Movin’ on up

Cairns theatre company JUTE to make changes. To make change, into our beautifully refurbished venue.”
has a new brand and structure you need to accept the challenges Theatre - indeed all the arts - has long
you’ve experienced, learn from them
faced challenges in terms of finances
to match its renewed sense and then move forward. That started and funding, be it from government
of purpose. with a brand refresh. It was critical or the private sector. The challenge
for JUTE if the organisation was to is made more difficult in a regional
In Suellen Maunder’s own words, attract new investment and audiences city such as Cairns. “To attract bigger
it’s been a “challenging” period for and step more clearly into our regional dollars to our region, we have to tap
JUTE, to put it mildly. Over the past 18 leadership role.” into the philanthropic
months, the Cairns-based organisation Suellen says the new brand will speak space and most of
has restructured the company and to audiences locally, nationally and those organisations are
temporarily relocated its operations internationally. outside of Queensland,”
during major renovations on its home “Our first priority was to turn JUTE into Suellen said. “If you want
in the CoCA building on Abbott St. a renowned entity, with a nation-wide philanthropic support,
Now, a bright new era is set to begin presence that appeals to all the target you need to invest time
with the unveiling of JUTE’s bold demographics,” she said. “We present and money to build the
rebrand and a marketing push to an umbrella brand (JUTE) while more relationship first. It’s not
cement its place at the forefront of clearly articulating the broad range of a matter of just filling Suellen Maunder
Australian theatre. “JUTE has gone work the company undertakes (JUTE out a grant application.
through some massive changes and Creative Writing, JUTE Actors Studio, In the corporate space, it used to just
challenges over the past year and a JUTE Commissions, etc), whilst always be a transactional relationship but this
half but that hasn’t stopped us from maintaining the brand message and has changed. We want to take the time
continuously charging forward,” ethos. Now a new identity has been diving deep into their corporate values
Suellen told Tropic. “This is a testament developed, it will be implemented into and objectives, building a relationship
to our resilience and strength to a powerhouse campaign which will from there so that we are both gaining
keep supporting regional artists and include all mediums of advertising from the partnership before making
producing new work. Sometimes when and marketing in the print and digital the ‘ask’. Our new branding, which tells
you go through challenges you need realms and successfully lead us back the full story of the breadth of work
undertaken by JUTE, is an important
part of creating this understanding.
Locally, we navigate the issue of funding
by consistently connecting with our
community and telling our story and
listening for the opportunities.”
original logo new logo MORE: jute.com.au

JUTE’S STRATEGIC DIRECTION

CORE ARTISTIC ORGANISATION ORGANISATION ORGANISATION
PURPOSE VISION VISION VISION MISSION
JUTE is committed To change the JUTE is a regional JUTE will not rest until all JUTE will consistently
to the development world through champion for working the untold stories have collaborate with our
and employment of theatre. closely with all been told, until there is stakeholders and
regional artists and stakeholders to deliver no regional artist needing partners to ensure we
the production of new authentic Australian support and our audience continue to build cultural
work. stories and economic and community’s need capital for our region for
benefits to our region. for diverse stories is a thriving and vibrant arts
fully sated. and culture community.

93 • tropicnow.com.au