Queensland Ballet reports a loss of AU$9.45 million in 2024 due to major donors' passing

Queensland Ballet reported a loss of AU$9.45 million in 2024, compared with a loss of AU$1.5 million the previous year.

The Brisbane-, Australia, based company put it mildly in the annual report released end-June 2025. The company said it experienced "a softening in our philanthropic giving".

The Limelight magazine said that Queensland Ballet was hit by "the death of two major philanthropic donors, including Kay Van Norton Poche, a long-time and very major supporter."

The company also experienced a leadership crisis last year. Leanne Benjamin, an ex-Royal Ballet principal, left the artistic director position in August after about six months into the job due to budget constraints.

However, Queensland Ballet now has a new artistic director, Ivan Gil-Ortega. The company and he seem to be quite upbeat moving forward.

"Despite these challenges, future pledges from our supporter family combined with a revisioning of our operations aligned with a refreshed vision in 2025, already paint a bright future ahead," the company annual report said.

An article of the In Daily news website dated 30th June detailed a press conference by Queensland Ballet's executive director, chief financial officer and Gil-Ortega. They seemed to very much positive about reversing the course.