Whatever you do, just don't mention Adolf Hitler burlesque dancers.
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Arts Minister Joy Burch is about to begin the search for a producer to oversee the National Multicultural festival fringe event for 2015, after a year of controversy and recriminations surrounding 2014 director Jorian Gardner.
Ms Burch will on Friday call for expressions of interest for the role, with the successful organisation or individual to be chosen by a peer review panel and awarded a $20,000 budget from Arts ACT.
This year's festival was overshadowed by a February 7 performance which featured a female burlesque dancer dressed as Adolf Hitler, wearing gold wings and dancing to the song Gangnam Style.
The opposition labelled the performance anti-Semitic and questioned Mr Gardner's suitability to serve as producer.
His appointment was made without a tender process, as the contract fell below the required government threshold of $25,000.
Heated debate in the ACT Legislative Assembly in February saw Ms Burch defend the event and an official right of reply was given to Mr Gardner, a former WIN News Canberra and 2CC radio employee.
In May, it emerged that she was warned last year that aspects of the festival program might challenge audiences and were only suitable for adults.
Ms Burch said hundreds of artists and performers would take part in the fringe event in 2015 and she hoped the new appointment process wouldn't be subject to another political maelstrom.
An estimated 18,000 people attended the fringe in 2014, and the event attracts up to an additional $20,000 of in-kind support from the Multicultural Festival for staging, security and promotion.
"While the $20,000 budget is below the level necessary for a tender process, I hope that my decision to call for expressions of interest will prevent next year's fringe festival being highjacked by cheap political point-scoring at the expense of the producer's reputation," Ms Burch said.
"The fringe festival is an important event for established and emerging artists in the ACT. While the National Multicultural Festival is focussed on communities and families, the fringe by its nature is alternative and edgy."
She said the appointment process would see a dynamic producer take on the role.
Arts ACT will provide a producer's brief, including objectives and expectations for programming, funding criteria, audience expectations and time lines.
A deed of grant will be awarded to the successful applicant, who will also be expected to deliver other support and income.
Guidelines for the fringe call for it to be staged in the footprint of the larger festival which will be held on February 13-15 2015. The fringe could be focussed at one location or around the city.
The guidelines call for local arts and cultural organisations or members of Canberra's diplomatic community to consider joining the fringe festival.
Mr Gardner said on Thursday he was yet to decide whether or not to apply for the role again in 2015. He oversaw the fringe from 2003-2008 and again in 2014.
"I welcome the call from the minister to advertise the fringe position - although it is much later than I had hoped," he said.
Expressions of interest to Arts ACT close on August 4.