The high-profile Sydney-based ensembles Taikoz and Synergy Percussion have announced a pause to mainstage performance in 2025 in the wake of news that their parent company, Percussion Australia, has failed to secure a grant from Create NSW in the latest funding round.

Taikoz: Natural Forces, July 2024. Photo supplied

In a message to company members and supporters, Percussion Australia outlined the “devastating” situation:

“Our grant request was recommended for funding by the assessment panel. However, the outcome was that we were not awarded funding; the available funding was exhausted before the list reached us. We are part of a cohort of arts companies that missed out, falling into the ‘unfunded excellence’ category.”

In the previous round of Create NSW grants, Percussion Australia was awarded $200,000. This year, zero.

“Due to the withdrawal of this core funding, we are not able to continue our current level of operations past the end of 2024.”

“We are not taking this lying down. On receiving the outcome, our due diligence, financial oversight and re-planning work determined that, while complete and immediate closure was a...