The Business Case

The theatre building will be owned by Q Theatre Trust. A separate company,
Q Theatre Limited, has responsibility for the successful operation and management of the theatre, leased to it by the Trust.

In a ten year period, studies have been undertaken (for example, by Deloittes, AUT and Horwath Asia Pacific Ltd) to assess Auckland’s theatre venue needs. A venue of the type proposed has been consistently identified as the priority for achieving a best balance of needs, sustainability and for allowing innovation.  Q Theatre and Auckland City Council continue to test the need and the proposal through focus groups and consultations.

The vision for this type of theatre has been tested and overwhelmingly endorsed by professionals in the performing arts since 1997.

NTi’s 2003 Business Plan, 2005 Strategic Plan and Q Theatre’s 2008 Business Plan, formed the basis for Auckland City’s decision to invest in the project.  Business plans are living documents and continue to be developed with key partners. However, principles of sustainability underlie the planning:

• flexibility presumes that no one company has anchor rights in the venue
• an entrepreneurial approach will support the development of the industry and ensure security of programming.
• an internationally-adopted best practice model will allow the new theatre to be flexible and able to respond to strengths and weaknesses within the industry.
• not-for profits, including arts organisations can not assume simple subsidy structures any longer and are likely to become more effective as they diversify income streams and become effective niche marketers.
• nevertheless, observation suggests that, over time, particular programmes, associations and loyalties will form with the theatre and that this “branding” will support the venue being both a home and a destination for the performing arts in Auckland. 

Independent Audits
Q Theatre continues to test the business case with the input of experienced practitioners, and strategic and business planning has been audited (by Ernst & Young, Deloitte’s and Positive Solutions) for Q / NTi and on behalf of Auckland City Council.

In July 2007, after evaluating Q Theatre’s Business Case, the international arts business specialist consultancy, Positive Solutions wrote in their report:
“It is unusual to find a theatre development project as thoroughly planned and as far advanced as Q Theatre, and we willingly endorse this project.”

In 2005, Covec Associates analysed NTi’s 2005 Strategic Plan from an economic development perspective and concluded that NTi had produced
“a robust and well-considered document [in which] we have a high degree of
comfort..” (Covec to Auckland City Council, October 2005)