Web Prophets and Polyglot Theatre became a winning team on Monday night when they won the Victorian AbaF SME (small to medium enterprise) Award for their collaborative partnership.  The Australian Business Arts Foundation (AbaF) Awards recognise outstanding practice in partnerships between businesses and arts companies across Australia.

The partnership between the St Kilda based website design & hosting company and interactive children’s theatre is now in its third year.

During this time Web Prophets developed an exciting new website for Polyglot Theatre which is used as a tool to promote Polyglot’s diverse performance schedule. Now an internationally recognised touring theatre company, Polyglot focuses on creating imaginative interactive theatre for children everywhere from tiny Victorian country towns to the world’s leading arts centres. 

The website developed by Web Prophets follows Polyglot’s signature creative approach, being bold and lively with common new media technologies utilised including heaps of photographs, video, Facebook and Twitter links as well as promoting Polyglot Theatre’s busy local and international touring program.

Through this partnership Web Prophets has been lucky enough to benefit from the creative influences of Polyglot Theatre including a private performance at Web Prophets’ 10th birthday party, ability to test and challenge staff’s creative abilities in the construction of the Polyglot Theatre’s website and through combined ‘Think Big’ sessions. The ‘Think Big’ sessions involve Polyglot and Web Prophets staff coming together four times a year to workshop concepts that move beyond the everyday of working practice, and require the team to challenge their creative juices and imagination.

The relationship between the two organisations was initiated between Simon Abrahams from Polyglot Theatre and Julia Topliss from Web Prophets. Simon and Julia had previously worked together when Simon was Marketing Manager at Gasworks Arts Park – in fact that partnership also won an AbaF Award in 2007.

The Polyglot Theatre and Web Prophets team will now join five other AbaF award winners as Victorian representatives at the national AbaF Awards to be held in Sydney on 21 October. Polyglot Theatre also won the Giving Award for its Ambassadors’ Circle annual giving program. Polyglot was the only organization to win two Awards.

The awards are run by the Australian Business Arts Foundation (AbaF), an organisation established by the Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts. The awards aims to promote private sector support for the arts.

“We are thrilled to be recognised for our work with Polyglot Theatre,” commented Web Prophets Director Julia Topliss. “Being a small team, I am a bit stunned that our work has been recognised at a state level, and obviously extremely thrilled that our partnership has produced such great results both for Polyglot Theatre and Web Prophets.”

“Polyglot is so proud to have one two AbaF Awards,” said Simon Abrahams, Executive Producer of Polyglot Theatre. “It feels the company is going from strength to strength as we continue to grow nationally and internationally.  We are so pleased that Web Prophets continue to come on the journey with us.”

Further information and comment:
Julia Topliss
Director
Web Prophets
t: + 61 3 9534 1800
e: julia@webprophets.net.au

Simon Abrahams
General Manager
Polyglot Theatre
e: simon@polyglottheatre.com
t: + 61 9827 9667
www.polyglotpuppets.com.au