Thank You

“The death of net neutrality and RealTime in the same week was almost too much.”
Rebecca Conroy, Facebook, 15 Dec

A huge thank you for the multitude of phone calls, cards, emails and ever-escalating social media messages responding to the announcement that we’ve ceased regular publishing of RealTime. Some of you were “shocked,” “stunned,” even “gutted,” feelings we understand, but mostly, like us, you were sad but looking forward to the completion in 2018 of the enormous RealTime archive and a celebration of 25 years of freely accessible arts reportage.

The response — from arts audiences, artists, arts companies, organisations, publications and educational institutions — has been infinitely larger than anticipated and very rewarding, coming after years of never being sure how many of you were on track with us. Clearly more than we suspected.

It was especially gratifying to hear from non-artist readers for whom RealTime has provided awareness of works they would not otherwise have encountered from across Australia and beyond. Artists whose careers were supported or influenced by RealTime have expressed their gratitude.

Writers reflected on their years, in some cases decades, with us. Our special thanks to Ben Brooker and Matthew Lorenzon who posted affecting accounts on their blogs about working with RealTime, capturing some of the essence and joy of our collaborative venture. Former Assistant Editor and OnScreen Editor Kirsten Krauth who worked with us 1998-2002 posted a fond recollection on Facebook.

Very special thanks to our wonderful staff — writer and sales manager Katerina Sakkas, online producer Lucy Parakhina and writer and acting assistant editor (February-September) Lauren Carroll Harris — and our wise and compassionate Board of Management — Tony MacGregor, John Davis, Julie Robb, Urszula Dawkins, and Phillipa McGuinness. And to the Australia Council for the Arts its long-term support and understanding. We’ll be in touch in 2018.

Happy holidays, Keith & Virginia