Wednesday, 19 November 2025

 Meng Heang TAK (Clarinda) (19:23): (1438) My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Creative Industries, and the action I seek is for the minister to provide the latest update on Touring Victoria funding for 2026. There is always great interest in this funding stream in Clarinda district. We have some fantastic local businesses and tour companies, such as Nicholas Clark Management, a great local business that works in tour development, management and bookings across the state and across the country. I catch up with the company director Nic from time to time when he is in Melbourne, and it is always fantastic to hear about the brilliant creative work taking place in this company and the amazing performances that they have completed recently and have coming up.

I know that they have an exciting tour program proposed for next year, with visits planned across the state with performances, workshops and community engagement. I understand that next year they will also be visiting western regional Victoria, which will be exciting for some of my colleagues here. Their program is headlined by a tour of the Helpmann Award–winning Robot Song, which is featured in the 2026 Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority VCE playlist for secondary schools and fresh from a season at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in New York. As well there is innovative regional Victorian circus with The Farmy Farm, Level Up and In Common. Also return touring is my favourite, IMAGINE LIVE, adapted from the book by iconic Victorian Alison Lester OAM; Velveteen Rabbit, by the celebrated Born in a Taxi; and The Alphabet of Awesome Science.

The creative arts are alive in the electorate of Clarinda and across Victoria, and you can see that on display with Nic’s passion. I am really happy that Creative Victoria has supported projects in the Clarinda district previously and has delivered a lot of positive benefits locally in our community and across the state. I thank the minister and look forward to his response.