| Cancellation of 2010 Events |
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A message from the Executive Producer, Peter Sjoquist.
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12th February 2010
Dear students, teachers, parents and community members,
On Monday 8th February 2010 the Chairman of the Rock Eisteddfod Challenge® Foundation Board, Robert Wannan, wrote to schools advising them that Rock Eisteddfod Challenge® and J Rock™ would not be staged in 2010.
The Rock Eisteddfod Challenge® and J Rock™ Events have for many years secured the financial support of both State and Federal Governments as well as the Corporate sector to help pay for the production of the live and television Events and to subsidise student participation fees and venue ticket prices.
Since 1980, over 1 million young Australians have experienced the thrill, health and educational benefits of working and rehearsing together for many months to stage a production number in a professional venue.
During that time, the Events have delivered the following important messages and ideals: Quit, Smoke Free; Drinking; Where Are Your Choices Taking You?; Vitality; Know The Score; 100% In Control; Your Body Your Beat; Be Your Best; Smoking Sux; Keep Your Head Together; Drug Free; How Will You Feel Tomorrow?; Smarter Than Smoking; Smoke-Free; Choose Yourself; Quit For Life; I Decide; Rage Without Alcohol; Stay In Control.
In recent years the Foundation has been receiving reduced financial support in actual and real terms from some areas of government and the corporate sector which has made it necessary to increase the student participation fees and ticket prices. To their credit, this is not the case with the support offered to date by the Queensland Government and with IGA for 2010.
While the necessary increase in student participation fees has generally been supported, the Foundation has experienced a reduction in the number of tickets sold due mainly to higher ticket prices. The reduced income and increased dependence on ticket sales, the volume of which is uncertain, have significantly impacted on the financial viability of the Events.
We recognise that during the last 30 years the outstanding achievements of the Rock Eisteddfod Challenge®, and more recently J Rock™, would not have been possible without dedicated and wonderfully enthusiastic students, teachers and community supporters working together to achieve a common goal. Equally important to our success have been our generous sponsors and supportive government bodies who have also sought to encourage young people to adopt a healthy lifestyle.
We would like to thank everyone for the encouraging support they have provided this week.
We intend to pursue all options so that hopefully we can make the Rock Eisteddfod Challenge® and J Rock™ financially viable in the future and continue to provide students and others with the benefits of participating in the Events. We will report to you further in this regard and certainly before the end of the School year.
We wish you all the best for 2010.
Yours sincerely
Peter Sjoquist AM
Executive Producer |
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