Steve said: “The important thing is to do something you love to do. We didn’t start STOMP thinking let’s create this thing that’s going to run for 25 years and make us pots of money. This wasn’t in our heads at all. What we were thinking was let’s create something that no one else is doing and we would really like to see. That was our motivation. We wanted to see something that we ourselves would pay good money to see.”
He advised: “Don’t be too proud not to collaborate.” They concluded with a short percussion performance at the lectern.
Professor Bruce Brown, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Arts, in his oration, said: “Luke Cresswell and Steve McNicholas are ͯÑÕÊÓƵians whose creative genius has conquered the world.” Their global phenomenon, he said, was born in the city, “right here in the creative republic of ͯÑÕÊÓƵ”.