Our Founder

Jack Neary AM, OBE was the founder and inspirational driving force behind the formation of the Talent Development Project. Born in 1915, Jack grew up in Brooklyn, near the Hawkesbury River. Although entertainment was his passion, Jack started his working life as a young officer in the police force in the 1950s. During this time he formed a singing quartet called The Four Guardsmen, with three of his colleagues. The group enjoyed considerable success but eventually decided to go their separate ways, with Jack deciding that his future was to be a show biz entrepreneur.

Jack pioneered bringing international talent to Australia including Harry Secombe, the von Trappe family, Cliff Richard, Rolf Harris, Petula Clark, Bob Crosby and the Bobcats, Jack Benny and old-time screen hero and great singer, Nelson Eddy. It was, however, his signing of The Beatles for an Australian tour a year before they became famous, that earned his place as a premier figure in the Australian entertainment industry.

The 1970s saw Jack develop a major new Sydney venue as a replacement for the Rushcutters Bay Stadium. The result of his hard work is The Sydney Entertainment Centre.

In 1983, before the venue officially opened, the Centre invited an audience of 8,000 government school children to test the Centre's acoustics in a huge choral and instrumental concert. The talent impressed Jack so much that he was inspired to create an event, with professional production and direction, to showcase the talent of children in NSW public schools. With Bruce Harris as Executive Producer and Mary Lopez as Producer and Director, the annual Schools Spectacular, raised its curtain for the first time in October 1984 to thunderous applause.

It was because of the amazing success of the Schools Spectacular that Jack developed the idea of the TDP; a program where his many contacts from the world of show business would share their experience with the headline acts from the Schools Spectacular.

Again, with Bruce Harris and Mary Lopez by his side, Jack's vision for this extraordinary project was realised in 1991. The Talent Development Project operates out of the Sydney Entertainment Centre, and is now recognised as one of the most successful training and development programs in the music and entertainment industry.

Sadly, Jack passed on in 2000. His huge legacy lives on in the greatly enriched lives and careers of countless wonderfully talented young Australians.