2019 ANNUAL REVIEW 1
This page, clockwise from top left:
Sydney Symphony Under The Stars, photo by Victor Frankowski
Apollo 11 at Barangaroo, photo by Prudence Upton
ShĂ nghai MiMi, photo by Prudence Upton
Opposite, clockwise from top left:
Cover, from left:
Back cover, from left Lauren, photo by Richard Hedger
This page, clockwise fromMan top: Mimi, photo bySteph Prudence Upton; of Pity, photo WithShanghai The Iron Neck, Wong, photo by BewareJem Burton, photo by by photophoto by Victor Hedger Infinity, byFrankowski Victor Frankowski;Richard Festival Village, photo byRichard Victor Hedger Frankowski; Nakhane, photo Bowie, photo by Symphony Under The Stars, photo by by Victor Frankowski Richard Hedger, photo by
Beware Pity, photoOne by Jamie ofWilliams; Jamie Williams Pigalle, photo by Prudence Upton
Prudence Upton
Tim Kliendienst
Richard Hedger
photo The Iron Neck, Ursula Yovich,byphoto by Frankowski; Coral Arnold, photo Opposite, clockwise fromNick topCave: left:UNTIL, Man With photo Victor Nakhane, Festival Garden, photo by by Victor Frankowski Richard Hedger by Richard Hedger photo by Prudence Upton; Nick Cave UNTIL, photo by Victor Frankowski; La Passion De Simone, Victor Frankowski La Passion de Simone, Shawn Moriere, photo by photo by Victor Frankowski photo by Victor Frankowski Richard Hedger
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Orquesta Akokรกn, photo by Prudence Upton
CONTENTS A MESSAGE FROM WESLEY ENOCH 7 SNAPSHOT 2019 8 ARTISTIC VISION 12 ACCESSIBILITY 32 MARKETING 36 PARTNERSHIPS 46 PHILANTHROPY 50 COMMUNITY 54 SUPPORTERS 56 SPECIAL THANKS 58
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Le Gateau Chocolat, photo by Jamie Williams
A Ghost in My Suitcase photo by Prudence Upton
ALWAYS at Barangaroo Reserve, photo by Victor Frankowski
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Neneh Cherry, photo by Victor Frankowski
Wesley Enoch, photo by Victor Frankowski
Just before midnight on 25 January I was at Barangaroo Reserve witnessing some of the best memories I have of Sydney Festival 2019. After a 150-strong choir sang in local language and Yarn Australia facilitated an amazing yarning session that lasted for two hours with songs and heart-wrenching stories – there was a lull, and around one of the fires a spontaneous dance session started. Neville, a young graduate from NAISDA Dance College who was volunteering his time with the Festival, sat down amongst those gathered and started passing on dances he had been taught. As the clock ticked over to 26 January I witnessed a huge, diverse group of people dancing together. This was part of The Vigil at Barangaroo Reserve, an event that had 4000 attendees, including people who flew in from around the country to take part. Sydney Festival is charged with a responsibility to make meaning in a changing world and to bring Sydney together. We help create memories and present bold conversation starters that celebrate the city and help us prototype the kind of world we want to live in – a world that is diverse in viewpoints, accepting of difference, curious about the future and, above all, adventurous. In 2019, there really was something for everyone; from our ticketed program (which saw more than 100,000 attendances across the city) to a multitude of free, familyfriendly outdoor activities that celebrated the 1969 moon landing. We collectively rode to the moon and back with Fly Me To The Moon at World Square, bounced on Moon Drops at Darling Harbour and marvelled at the diverse heroes of space travel at Apollo 11 at Barangaroo.
We also delivered a huge number of world premiere seasons, with 20 new works developed by Sydney Festival and our partners. World premieres are a fantastic way to reflect the mood of a country and its artists, and unlike the best of invited international works (which have been touring for years), premieres are fine-tuned in the months leading up to a festival. Among Sydney Festival’s premiere seasons were One Infinity, A Ghost in My Suitcase and Shànghai MiMi, which all saw Australian and Chinese artists collaborate on new productions, and Counting and Cracking from Belvoir and Co-Curious, which played to sold out crowds at Sydney Town Hall. Over in the Spiegeltent in Hyde Park, Pigalle had its first-ever run while Dust and The Weekend by Henrietta Baird played to Sydney audiences for the first time at Carriageworks.
We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the people who help make Sydney come alive in January. Our Festival family is made up of dedicated volunteers who give their time and energy, expert staff, artists from around the world who share their artistry and vision, and of course the residents of Sydney plus our visitors who turn up to partake in Sydney Festival. We couldn’t do this without the assistance of our government partners – Create NSW, Destination NSW, Property NSW, Barangaroo Delivery Authority, City of Sydney and City of Parramatta – who, together with our corporate partners and Festival donors, allow us to share the Festival with a broad range of people across the city. A huge thank you. Love,
Many of these works told stories of our cultural diversity and the journeys taken to reach this country, and this was reflected in the diverse audiences we saw at our shows. This was the third year of our Indigenous program, Blak Out, with many stand out offerings including Man With The Iron Neck, Deer Woman, Biladurang, our extraordinary language program Bayala and the ALWAYS sculpture (designed by Jacob Nash). Perched on the slope of Barangaroo Reserve, ALWAYS was viewed by thousands of people and was shared across the country, cementing Sydney as a leader in these discussions. Western Sydney remains a strong focus for Sydney Festival as we work with our fantastic partners throughout the region. We look forward to stronger engagement with local audiences and artists in the coming years as we support more premieres and commissions. SYDNEY FESTIVAL 2019 ANNUAL REVIEW
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DAYS
VENUES
EVENTS
TURNOVER $19.8M
FESTIVAL ATTENDANCE
INCOME
TOTAL FREE
365,013
107,018
EXPENDITURE 44%
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INCLUDING STAFF
OPERATING COSTS
472,031
PROGRAMMING
28%
TOTAL ATTENDANCE
LOCAL GOVERNMENT & OTHER INVESTMENT
3,104
7% 21% OTHER CONTRA EXPENSES
20,446
20% STATE GOVERNMENT INVESTMENT
OUTDOOR CONCERTS & SPECIAL EVENTS LANGUAGE CLASSES, TALKS & WORKSHOPS
28%
MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS
299,169 42,294 INCLUDING BOX OFFICE, CATERING, VENUE HIRE & OTHER
INSTALLATIONS & VISUAL ARTS FESTIVAL GARDEN
OPERATING INCOME
25%
27% CORPORATE PARTNERSHIPS & PHILANTHROPY
FREE EVENTS
TOTAL TICKETED ATTENDANCE
53
113
PERFORMANCES
SNAPSHOT 2019
337
41
FREE EVENTS
INTERSTATE
6% REGIONAL NSW 8% OVERSEAS 8%
ANNUAL HOUSEHOLD INCOME UNDER $20,000 $20,001–$40,000 $40,001–$60,000
2%
AGE BRACKET 15–17
5% 9% 13%
$60,001–$80,000
15%
$80,001–$100,000
1% 7%
18–24
22%
25–34
34%
35–44
13%
$100,001–$125,000 $125,001–$150,000
10%
$150,001–$175,000
11%
$175,001–$200,000
SYDNEY 78%
9%
$200,001–$250,000
5%
MORE THAN $250,000
7.8% 8%
18%
45–54 55–64 65–74 75 +
11% 6% 1%
SYDNEY FESTIVAL 2019 ANNUAL REVIEW
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Counting and Cracking, photo by Brett Boardman
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WE PRESENT BOLD AND MEMORABLE EXPERIENCES THAT EXCITE AND UNITE SYDNEY IN JANUARY.
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WORLD PREMIERES & PREMIERE SEASONS
AUSTRALIAN EXCLUSIVES
AUSTRALIAN PREMIERES
964 ARTISTS 757
AUSTRALIAN ARTISTS
FROM
17 COUNTRIES
207
INTERNATIONAL ARTISTS
AUSTRALIA, CANADA, CAPE VERDE, CHINA, CUBA, ETHIOPIA, GERMANY, INDIA, IRELAND, NEW ZEALAND, NIGER, ROMANIA, SINGAPORE, SOUTH AFRICA, SWEDEN, UK, USA
THEATRE DANCE STORYTELLING MUSIC CABARET INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCES Copyright © Free Vector Maps.com
VISUAL ARTS
CIRCUS
TALKS & WORKSHOPS
CLASSES INSTALLATIONS
CLASSICAL MUSIC & OPERA
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SIMONE O’BRIEN, PARTICIPANT, CIRCUS & BEYOND: ARTS WORKERS FORUM
“THE TEAM AND I HAD A WONDERFUL TIME PERFORMING FOR AUDIENCES IN PARRAMATTA – IT WAS A SPECIAL SEASON” BEN KNAPTON, DIRECTOR, MALLAKHAMBINDIA
ARTISTIC VISION
“IT WAS A PRIVILEGE TO BE AMONG SO MANY GREAT MINDS, ARTISTS AND PEOPLE. THE GENEROSITY IN THE ROOM WAS VERY HEART-WARMING AND INSPIRING AND THE REACH FROM THE UK TO WESTERN SYDNEY WAS AN IMPORTANT REMINDER OF OUR RESPONSIBILITIES AS ARTISTS”
“SYDNEY FESTIVAL IS A SIGNIFICANT FORCE IN THE CULTURAL FRAMEWORK OF SYDNEY AND WE WERE PRIVILEGED TO HAVE BEEN A PART OF THE PROGRAM THIS YEAR” PETER RIX, PRODUCER, PIGALLE “SYDNEY FESTIVAL WAS A HIGHLIGHT OF OUR 2019 TOURING CALENDAR. THE CITY WAS UTTERLY STUNNING, WESLEY’S PROGRAMMING WAS VISIONARY AND THE AUDIENCES WERE WARM AND GENEROUS. WE SOLD OUT BEFORE WE EVEN OPENED SO I GUESS WE JUST HAVE TO KEEP COMING BACK!” KYLE PAGE, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR DANCENORTH, DUST
SYDNEY FESTIVAL 2019 ANNUAL REVIEW
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2019 PROGRAM SYDNEY FESTIVAL 2019 ANNUAL REVIEW
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This page, clockwise from top left: Paul Capsis with Jethro Woodward & The Fitzroy Youth Orchestra, photo by Victor Frankowski
Opposite, clockwise from top left: The Dollar Bin Darlings, photo by Prudence Upton
Deer Woman, photo by Prudence Upton
Lucibela, photo by Jamie Williams
Mulatu Astatke & Black Jesus Experience, photo by Victor Frankowski
Shànghai MiMi, photo by Prudence Upton
Les Filles de Illighadad, photo by Prudence Upton Le Gateau Chocolat: Icons, photo by Jamie Williams Festival Garden, photo by Victor Frankowski
Rock Bang, photo by Prudence Upton The Nutcracker and I, photo by Prudence Upton Daughter, photo by Victor Frankowski
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ALWAYS
AT BARANGAROO RESERVE Always was, always will be. Sydney Festival 2019 acknowledged First Nations custodianship of this land with three events and installations at Barangaroo Reserve. The ALWAYS sculpture – a huge outdoor installation of the declaration ‘Always’ by local Bangarra artist in residence Jacob Nash – stood to remind visitors that this land always was and always will be Aboriginal land.
ALWAYS at Barangaroo Reserve, photo by Victor Frankowski
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ARTISTIC VISION
THE VIGIL
AT BARANGAROO RESERVE In sight of the ALWAYS sculpture, an overnight vigil was held from dusk on 25 January until dawn on 26 January. This was a chance for all Australians to come together by campfire, hear stories of Country from Elders, reflect on the meaning of the day before the First Fleet arrived, and understand the impact that colonisation has had upon Australia.
The Vigil at Barangaroo Reserve, photo by Victor Frankowski
WAS AND WILL BE CONCERT
Spinifex Gum’s Marliya, performing at the Was and Will Be concert, photo by Jamie Williams
On the morning of 26 January from 8.30am, the Was and Will Be concert featured members of the Marliya choir from Spinifex Gum, storytelling by Elders from local community and a performance by Troy Brady.
SYDNEY FESTIVAL 2019 ANNUAL REVIEW
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ENGAGING WITH GLOBAL ARTISTS The 2019 Festival brought some international titans of art, theatre and dance to Sydney. Boundary-pushing German troupe Schaubühne Berlin presented the Festival’s flagship theatre experience, Beware of Pity – a collaboration with Complicité (UK) director Simon McBurney – while illusionist Geoff Sobelle returned to Sydney with HOME, his exceptionally clever and participatory meditation on the meaning of ‘home’ and the physical spaces we claim as our psychic sanctuaries. Canadian performers provided provocative theatre experiences in Daughter – a controversial journey into misogyny and toxic masculinity – and Deer Woman, an exploration of the violence perpetrated against First Nations women and girls in Canada. The Festival played host to a number of rare musical experiences from across the world. Trip hop and altpop legend Neneh Cherry returned to Australia; Cuban mambo big band Orquesta Akokán performed in Sydney for the first time; Ethio-jazz legend Mulatu Astatke visited for possibly his last ever Australian tour; and Niger ‘desert blues’ trio Les Filles de Ilighadad made their Sydney debut. In partnership with Carriageworks, we saw celebrated American artist Nick Cave present his most ambitious project yet – the immense, jaw-dropping installation UNTIL. And in a unique cross-collaboration, an acrobatic troupe from the edge of the Gobi Desert in China made their Australian debut in Shànghai MiMi, a celebration of 1930s Shànghai’s nightclub culture directed by Australian burlesque and cabaret legend Moira Finucane.
HOME, photo by Victor Frankowski
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ARTISTIC ARTISTIC VISION VISION
Man With The Iron Neck, photo by Victor Frankowski
A Ghost in My Suitcase photo by Prudence Upton
AUSTRALIAN STORIES 2019 was a big year for new Australian work with six works supported by the Major Festivals Initiative (MFI). Counting and Cracking explored the Sri Lankan-Australian migrant experience, swinging in time and place between Colombo and Sydney. Man With The Iron Neck saw the delicate and devastating subject of youth suicide in Indigenous communities play out on stage, while A Ghost in My Suitcase was a family-friendly adventure set in both Australia and China. Additional MFI works presented at the Festival were Dust, One Infinity and Spinifex Gum. More local stories were told via the world premiere of Brett & Wendy‌ A Love Story Bound by Art, which explored the partnership between Brett and Wendy Whiteley; poet and playwright Omar Musa’s personal experiences as a Muslim-Australian in Since Ali Died; and the diverse group of cross-platform Australian artists who delved into the concepts of Australian identity and nationalism in the exhibition Just Not Australian.
SYDNEY FESTIVAL 2019 ANNUAL REVIEW
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INDIGENOUS PROGRAM Sydney Festival’s Blak Out program returned with a diverse celebration of First Nations voices across theatre, dance, music and visual art. Dancer and Wiradjuri man Joel Bray invited audiences to an intimate encounter with his life story in Biladurang, performed partly in the nude and entirely in a hotel suite. The Sydney Opera House played host to Spinifex Gum, a musical collaboration between Marliya (a choir of young Indigenous women singing in English and Yindjibarndi) and The Cat Empire musicians Felix Riebl and Ollie McGill, with musical guests Briggs, Emma Donovan and Peter Garrett. Legs On The Wall showcased Man With The Iron Neck, an affecting work written by screen icon Ursula Yovich and co-directed by Josh Bond and Gavin Robins. The Bayala program returned for the third time, teaching Sydneysiders how to speak their local language; Blak Box – Four Winds at Blacktown Showgrounds gave voice to stories from Elders and young members of Blacktown’s Indigenous community; and ALWAYS and The Vigil were hallmark presentations at Barangaroo Reserve.
Biladurang, photo by Victor Frankowski
Spinifex Gum, photo by Jamie Williams
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ARTISTIC VISION
Counting and Cracking, photo by Victor Frankowski
NEW WORKS & NEW VOICES The Magic Mirrors Spiegeltent was transformed into a glittering Parisian nightclub for the world premiere of Pigalle, a disco-cabaret spectacular starring Marcia Hines, iOTA and artists from around the world. Sold-out performances and sing-alongs were standard fare for this show, which ran for the duration of the Festival. In Parramatta, Riverside Theatres was transformed into a 1930s jazz club, as cross-cultural collaboration Shànghai MiMi shimmered for its premiere performances. Eight years in development, and epic in both scale and scope, the debut play by S. Shakthidharan Counting and Cracking had its world premiere at Sydney Festival 2019 to glowing five-star reviews. Sydney Town Hall was converted into a Sri Lankan town hall for the performance – and the show investigated Australia’s reality as a country of migrants, and the ways that the country both changes and is changed by those who move here. First Nations playwright Henrietta Baird also made her theatre debut at the 2019 Festival with The Weekend, which explored the worlds of public housing, drug taking and family drama in Sydney’s Redfern and Waterloo suburbs. And the Yellamundie National First Peoples Playwriting Festival, where The Weekend was first workshopped in 2017, returned to Carriageworks to premiere stories by First Nations playwrights.
Pigalle, photo by Prudence Upton
The Weekend by Henrietta Baird, photo by Prudence Upton
Sydney Festival is committed to presenting new works in 2020 and beyond, and as such, partnered with Accessible Arts to launch the Disability Programming Initiative in 2019. The initiative invites artists with disability or who are Deaf to pitch projects for inclusion in the Festival program, and aims to increase the representation of artists with disability in the Festival. SYDNEY FESTIVAL 2019 ANNUAL REVIEW
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TO THE MOON AND BACK In 1969, humans landed on the moon. In 2019, Sydney Festival celebrated one of humanity’s greatest achievements with three interactive outdoor art installations: Fly Me To The Moon at World Square, Apollo 11 at Barangaroo, and Moon Drops at Darling Harbour. Fly Me To The Moon at World Square served as the hub for an ambitious goal – to bring Sydneysiders together to collectively cycle the 384,400 kilometres between Earth and the moon. The installation featured a flying bike sculpture, the Lunar Velocipede, created by local arts company Erth, as well as stationary bikes which visitors could use. On these bikes, Sydney residents and visitors alike added their pedalled kilometres to the total, watching as the distance accumulated on the screens above. Sydney pulled together impressively and completed the trip to the moon on 21 January, only 13 days into the Festival. At Barangaroo, giant orange astronaut sculptures sat on benches, bobbed in the harbour waters and hung from the sky for the Apollo 11 at Barangaroo project. QR codes next to the astronauts provided fascinating factoids about 11 diverse heroes of space exploration – from the African American mathematician whose calculations made the moon landing possible to the first Hispanic person to reach space. Moon Drops at Darling Harbour gave kids (and big kids) the opportunity to experience the nearest thing to weightlessness on earth, bouncing and playing on giant water-filled droplets.
Photo by Prudence Upton
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APOLLO 11 AT BARANGAROO
ARTISTIC VISION
Photo by Prudence Upton
MOON DROPS AT DARLING HARBOUR FLY ME TO THE MOON AT WORLD SQUARE
Photo by Prudence Upton
SYDNEY FESTIVAL 2019 ANNUAL REVIEW
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WESTERN SYDNEY Parramatta’s Riverside Theatres played host to some of Sydney Festival 2019’s blockbuster shows, including the Chinese jazz-circus-cabaret spectacular Shànghai MiMi; Theatre of Image’s telling of the turbulent love story between Sydney artists Brett and Wendy Whiteley; and the hilarious hard rocking circus from Circus Oz, Rock Bang. Across the road in Prince Alfred Square, Circus Comes To Town offered a big free weekend of circus workshops and performances including MallakhambIndia and Heliosphere. The weekend kicked off with a grand bicycle parade through Parramatta, led by penny farthing riders, unicyclists and creative kids who participated in free workshops to turn their bikes into flying machines. Casula Powerhouse saw its turbine hall come alive with the sounds of experimental art music for Suppression Dam, while over 10,000 people came out for an evening of free classical music at Sydney Symphony Under The Stars, hosted in Parramatta Park, The Crescent, and performed by the Sydney Symphony Orchestra.
Sydney Symphony Under The Stars, photo by Victor Frankowski
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ARTISTIC VISION Heliosphere in Parramatta, photo by Victor Frankowski
Shà nghai MiMi, photo by Prudence Upton
Circus Comes To Town, photo by Victor Frankowski
SYDNEY FESTIVAL 2019 ANNUAL REVIEW
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ShĂ nghai MiMi, photo by Prudence Upton
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TRANSFORMING SPACES Transforming public spaces is one of the key goals of Sydney Festival – making Sydneysiders and visitors look at the city in a new light and converting unexpected spaces into performance venues. Sydney Town Hall was converted into a Sri Lankan town hall for the debut of Counting and Cracking, while a suite in the QT Sydney became the setting for the intimate dance-theatre performance Biladurang. The public spaces at World Square, Barangaroo and Darling Harbour all became precincts for free public art as part of our celebration of the 1969 moon landing, whilst a forgotten military installation – the T5 fuel tanks in Mosman – was given new life as the home for a sound art project. Galleries at the State Library of NSW played host to Silent Disco; the cavernous turbine hall of Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre featured live performances by three international art music ensembles in Suppression Dam and the Art Gallery of NSW opened its doors after dark to welcome Australian and international composers for Masters of Modern Sound. And once again, buildings and spaces designed by Australia’s most famous modernist architect Harry Seidler hosted concerts by classical and electronic musicians as part of the Seidler Salon Series, including a unique underwater concert by harpist Mary Lattimore at the Ian Thorpe Aquatic Centre. Masters of Modern Sound, photo by Victor Frankowski
Mary Lattimore performs as part of the Seidler Salon Series, photo by Prudence Upton
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ARTISTIC VISION
City Recital Hall, photo by Jamie Williams
One Infinity, photo by Victor Frankowski
Sydney Opera House, photo by Jamie Williams
MULTIPLE VENUES In 2019 Sydney Festival programmed works in 53 venues across the wider Sydney region and Western Sydney. Carriageworks was a key hub again, with theatre, dance and music filling venues, and its public spaces hosting Nick Cave’s stunning installation UNTIL. Key theatre works were presented at Roslyn Packer Theatre (HOME and Beware of Pity) and Belvoir St Theatre (Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story and The Iliad – Out Loud), along with Riverside Theatres, which hosted Shànghai MiMi and a selection of family-friendly fun. The Sydney Opera House again proved the perfect space for theatre and music, with shows including A Ghost in My Suitcase and Spinifex Gum. Other venue partners in 2019 included City Recital Hall, University of Technology Sydney, Art Gallery of NSW, The Crescent, at Parramatta Park, the Museum of Contemporary Art, Artspace and 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art among others. Sydney Symphony Under The Stars, photo by Victor Frankowski Sydney Symphony Under The Stars, photo by Victor Frankowski
SYDNEY FESTIVAL 2019 ANNUAL REVIEW
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DISABILITY ACCESS Ensuring our entire community has access to performances is an essential tenet of Sydney Festival. In 2019, we offered Auslan interpreted performances, tactile tours, captioned and audio described performances. Our program brochure was produced in a wide variety of formats including braille, audio CD and MP3, and we created event programs in both PDF and Word large format. Our website included an accessibility filter to allow people to easily determine which performances provided specific forms of access, and we created videos in Auslan to ensure the Deaf community could find information in their own language. Advice via the Access and Inclusion Advisory Panel continued to enable the Festival to enhance inclusion and reduce barriers to access.
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3
1
3
AUSLAN PERFORMANCES INTERPRETED WITH AUDIO PERFORMANCES DESCRIPTION
CAPTIONED PERFORMANCE
TACTILE TOURS
52 28 VENUES WERE WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE
28 FULLY ACCESSIBLE WORKSHOPS (WITH SOCIAL STORIES AVAILABLE ONLINE)
A Ghost in My Suitcase, photos by Victor Frankowski
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1166 UNDER 30S TICKETS SOLD
867
TIX FOR NEXT TO NIX TICKETS SOLD
41 365,013 FREE EVENTS
ATTENDANCE AT FREE EVENTS
661
ARTS PASS TICKETS SOLD
ACCESSIBILITY
Box office at World Square, photo by Victor Frankowski
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DISCOUNTED TICKET OFFERS
ACCESSIBLE PRICING A number of pricing initiatives were implemented in 2019 to make Sydney Festival accessible to all. Along with free performances, workshops and experiences, our Tix for Next to Nix ticket booth returned to World Square to offer audiences $26 tickets to most shows. To develop younger audiences, we introduced under 30s pricing across many of our shows, and again partnered with Playwave to encourage young people to engage with the arts. We also offered discounted tickets to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community, and the arts sector through our Arts Pass.
Sydney Symphony Under The Stars, photo by Victor Frankowski
SYDNEY FESTIVAL 2019 ANNUAL REVIEW
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One Infinity, photo by Victor Frankowski
Sydney Festival’s 2019 marketing campaign kicked off in October 2018 and ran through to February 2019. With a new visual identity that highlighted the faces of Sydney, we painted the town red, blue and gold, and rolled out a successful campaign locally, nationally and in key international markets. Spanning television, outdoor, print, cinema and digital, the campaign delivered significant results and exceeded box office targets.
Box office at World Square, photo by Victor Frankowski
MEDIA PARTNERS Our media partners across print, outdoor, broadcast and digital regularly help us deliver an impactful campaign with outstanding results. Special thanks to our 2019 media partners including APN Outdoor, The Sydney Morning Herald, ABC Sydney, Torch Media, Time Out, Concrete Playground, Nonstop Media and The New York Times.
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MARKETING
MEDIA INVESTMENT BY CHANNEL
OUTDOOR
15%
TV
11% DIGITAL
18%
PROGRAMMATIC
9%
SEARCH
SOCIAL
18%
5%
PRESS
22%
2%
CINEMA
SMH Spectrum Lift Out
BROCHURES & COLLATERAL Photo by Victor Frankowski
Moon Guide, photo by Victor Frankowski
Festival Brochure, photo by Victor Frankowski
387,800
10,000
PIECES OF COLLATERAL CREATED
150,000
FESTIVAL BROCHURES
COASTERS
91,000
75,000
MINI GUIDES
WESTERN SYDNEY BROCHURES
CINEMAS
PEER TO PEER
27,750
POSTCARDS & FLYERS
1,050 MAGNETS
DIRECT MAIL
FESTIVAL VENUES
UNIVERSITIES
DISTRIBUTION CHANNELS
SHOPS
33,000
EVENT PROGRAMS
LIBRARIES LIBRARIES
COMMUTER HUBS
HOTELS
SUPERMARKETS
CAFES RESTAURANTS
SYDNEY FESTIVAL 2019 ANNUAL REVIEW
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WEBSITE We conducted testing on the 2018 Sydney Festival website to improve usability, and redesigned the 2019 site to provide a superior experience. The site’s navigation and filtering tools were streamlined, and users were able to explore our program more efficiently.
TOP 10 WEBSITE USERS WORLDWIDE
WEBSITE ACCESS
1.4% TOTAL
8%
CANADA, GERMANY, INDONESIA, JAPAN, SINGAPORE
1.2% UK
0.5% INDIA
34%
641k VISITS TO THE WEBSITE
58%
4%
89%
USA
AUSTRALIA
0.7%
NEW ZEALAND
VIA MOBILE
38
VIA DESKTOP
VIA TABLET
MARKETING
EMAIL ENGAGEMENT
91k
61
ENEWS SUBSCRIBERS
22.3%
PRE-EVENT EMAILS SENT
24.61%
68.4%
ENEWS OPEN RATE
CLICK TO OPEN RATE
OPEN RATE
10.6%
CLICK TO OPEN RATE
SYDNEY FESTIVAL SOCIAL MEDIA
140,575
161,000
45,100
1,391,310
52
189
DURING JANUARY 2019
AVERAGE IN JANUARY 2019
273,247
FACEBOOK FANS
TOTAL REACH
TWITTER FOLLOWERS
INSTAGRAM FOLLOWERS
STORIES
ENGAGEMENTS PER DAY
VIEWS (STORIES)
PAID SOCIAL DEMOGRAPHICS PAID SOCIAL RESULTS
AGE
GENDER
45
CAMPAIGNS
33% 47% MALE
53% FEMALE
12.7M
28%
20%
IMPRESSIONS
11% 5% 18–24 25–34 35–44 45–54 55–64
3%
60%
INCREASE IN ROAS YEAR-ON-YEAR
65+ SYDNEY FESTIVAL 2019 ANNUAL REVIEW
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SYDNEY FESTIVAL SOCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
AUDIENCE TWEETS “A Ghost in My Suitcase by @geckotweets @SydOperaHouse @ sydney_festival With an Asian/French/Australian protagonist, strong female supporting characters – rich with stagecraft, beautiful writing & deft performances: EXACTLY the work that should be shown at our iconic venue” @AugustaSupple “BILADURANG: Redefines ‘intimate show’. Truly excellent. Will be very high on my end-of-festival ranking. #sydfest” @SarahJHFletcher 40
“Today, I spruiked #ShanghaiMimi as the show to see at #SydFest this year - tonight, it got a STANDING OVATION. Kill for a ticket to this blissfully entertaining show” @VanBadham “#spinifexgum was an absolute salute to the extraordinary power of young indigenous women and their voices. Such an uplifting spectacle. Extraordinary talent that we need to foster and nurture. Bravo to you all. I cried with joy at your performance. #sydfest #1show #festivalfave” @BlackFellaFilms
3rd year in a row seeing the Symphony Under the Stars and it never disappoints! This year’s theme was the moon and celestial objects. 36 likes @chinhy
MARKETING
AUDIENCE SOCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
One of these things is not like the others. Apollo 11 at Barangaroo Fun Fact: Sydney Festival commissioned artworks and experiences as part of a city-wide commemoration of Apollo 11, the 1969 space flight that first put man on the moon. @chris_tadros 358 likes
Signing out of Sydney for now with one of the best recommendations this visit: @sydney_festival. @foodtravelinspired 1014 likes @luamarchi
1,715 likes
This work, ALWAYS, is as much about the future, as it is about the past. It’s also about respecting country, Australias ancestors the caretakers of this land and understanding that land and people are inseparable. @on_gardening_leave 356 likes
“Wow. Experiencing #CountingAndCracking with my parents will remain with me for the rest of my life. There were tears. I can’t find the right words to describe my emotions. It’s a mixture of happiness and sorrow. “Two languages, one country; one language, two countries”. #sydfest” @cosmicdancer1
“Saw Man With The Iron Neck tonight at the @SydOperaHouse. It was a really moving piece of physical theatre that “delicately & determinedly addresses the issue of suicide amongst young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, focusing on hope and solace” #mwtin @sydney_festival” @CourtneyAct
“Deer Woman at #sydfest is gripping, horrifying and utterly brilliant. I loved it, even though I felt so woozy I ended up singing All That Jazz in my head to make sure I didn’t faint or vomit” @Neutze SYDNEY FESTIVAL 2019 ANNUAL REVIEW
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5 4 7 , 4
FESTIVAL MENTIONS INÂ THE MEDIA
AUDIENCE REACH 63,392,149
5
TOP REFERRING ONLINE PUBLICATIONS WROTE
29 PIECES
WHICH DROVE
11,210
UNIQUE VISITORS TO THE WEBSITE
42
19%
24%
MEDIA COVERAGE IN AUSTRALIA NATIONAL 52% NSW 48%
MEDIA COVERAGE
11%
46% ONLINE
RADIO
TELEVISION
PRESS
HOME media call, photo by Prudence Upton
Sydney Festival’s 2019 publicity campaign launched in October 2018 with over 50 key media attending a specialist briefing and intimate preview performance, followed by a media call with the stars from some of our centrepiece shows. The coverage then averaged 139 mentions per week over the course of November and December and maintained interest in the lead-up to Christmas.
MARKETING
PUBLICITY
On 9 January 2019, our opening day, the Festival was splashed across Australia’s pages and screens and mentioned 580 times in print, radio, TV and online media. Throughout the Festival itself, artist interviews and over 270 reviews sparked audience conversation while unique images were captured at a variety of photo shoots and media calls. A media call highlight involved building a wooden house-like structure at Mrs Macquarie’s Chair to capture the essence of Geoff Sobelle’s large scale theatre production HOME; Sobelle sat meditating on Sydney’s skyline and drinking tea while media snapped and filmed from the rocks below.
1% 1% 1% 2% 9%
AUDIENCE SHARES OF MEDIA PIECES ON SOCIAL PLATFORMS
14% WEBSITE COVERAGE
31,400 2,371
72%
TOTAL 33,771
BASED IN AUSTRALIA
BASED IN EUROPE
BASED IN UNITED STATES
BASED IN NEW ZEALAND
BASED IN JAPAN
BASED IN CANADA
$27,767,557
OTHER
VALUE IN AD SPACE SYDNEY FESTIVAL 2019 ANNUAL REVIEW
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IN THE MEDIA
★★★★ “IMMENSE AND DEEPLY THOUGHT-PROVOKING” AUDREY JOURNAL ON NICK CAVE: UNTIL
★★★★ “IF IT’S POSSIBLE TO RELAY THE FEELING OF BEING CHILL AND FURIOUS AT THE SAME TIME, CHERRY HAS SOMEHOW MAGICALLY LOCATED THE SWEET SPOT” THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD ON NENEH CHERRY
★★★★
“AN INTENSELY REALISED, HIGHLY EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCE” LIMELIGHT ON BEWARE OF PITY
“A VISUAL AND AURAL DELIGHT” DANCE AUSTRALIA ON THE NUTCRACKER AND I
★★★★ “EXUBERANT, SPIKY AND MOVING, THIS RAZOR-SHARP PIECE CUTS TO THE QUICK” THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD ON OLD STOCK: A REFUGEE LOVE STORY
“THE SUBAQUATIC SOUNDSCAPE WAS WHERE WE FOUND BLISS... LIKE HEARING THE FIRST DROPS OF RAIN ON A SUMMER’S DAY; ROMANTIC, SURPRISING, AND A LITTLE UNSETTLING” TIME OUT ON MARY LATTIMORE 44
“IT’S ONLY JANUARY, BUT WE HAVE AN EARLY CONTENDER FOR THE BEST PLAY OF THE YEAR”
MARKETING
★★★★★
TIME OUT ON COUNTING AND CRACKING
“ONE SLEDGE I HEAR OFTEN LEVELLED AT THE THEATRE IS THAT IT’S “BORING”, BUT THE MOST STRIKING ASPECT OF THESE TWO SYDNEY FESTIVAL SHOWS IS HOW MUCH FUN THEY ARE” THE GUARDIAN ON BILADURANG AND HOME
★★★★½ “THE ILIAD OUT LOUD WAS EVERYTHING I’D HOPED IT WOULD BE: WONDERFUL TO EXPERIENCE THE TALE IN THE WAY HOMER INTENDED” ARTSHUB
“DEER WOMAN IS AN IMMENSE WORK OF POWER AND ARTISTRY” THE CONVERSATION
“LOCAL, MEANINGFUL, SOAKED IN REALITY AND BEAUTIFULLY PRODUCED, THIS IS THE KIND OF THEATRE AUSTRALIA NEEDS” THE DAILY TELEGRAPH ON MAN WITH THE IRON NECK
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Festival Garden, photo by Victor Frankowski
Ferrython, photo by Jamie Williams
Sydney Festival is not possible without the incredible support of our government and corporate partners and their commitment to ensuring we deliver a major annual arts and cultural event year-onyear that celebrates our city.
GOVERNMENT & COMMUNITY PARTNERS Our founding partners Create NSW and City of Sydney are instrumental in the Festival’s ongoing viability and success. Their investment in Sydney Festival enables us to deliver a diverse, high calibre, multi-arts program. Sydney Festival has been committed to programming in Western Sydney with an increased presence in Parramatta, supported by the City of Parramatta. Our major cabaret work this year, Shànghai MiMi, was staged at Riverside Theatre, and in its third year Sydney Symphony Under the Stars at The Crescent in Parramatta Park, was a truly remarkable free outdoor concert celebrating classical music.
Shànghai MiMi, photo by Prudence Upton
We continue to work collaboratively with Destination NSW to drive both interstate and international visitation to Sydney during January. Our combined efforts to promote Sydney as a desirable place to visit enhance Sydney as Australia’s ‘global city.’ Barangaroo Delivery Authority has partnered with Sydney Festival over the last four years to deliver extraordinary experiences in this new arts and cultural precinct. In 2019, Sydney Festival staged Apollo 11 at Barangaroo along with ALWAYS at Barangaroo Reserve and The Vigil at Barangaroo Reserve. Property NSW supported the Festival with the interactive installation Moon Drops at Darling Harbour, which attracted a family-friendly audience to the precinct. UTS returned as the knowledge partner of Sydney Festival, and expanded the UTS Big Thinking Forums in addition to producing educational content on key events and shows.
Sydney Symphony Under The Stars, photo by Victor Frankowski
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Indigenous Australia and Captain Cook: Setting the Agenda for 2020 UTS Big Thinking Forum, photo by Jamie Williams
PARTNERSHIPS Apollo 11 at Barangaroo, photo by Victor Frankowski
Moon Drops at Darling Harbour, photo by Prudence Upton
SYDNEY FESTIVAL 2019 ANNUAL REVIEW
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Festival Garden, photo by Victor Frankowski
CORPORATE PARTNERS China Southern Airlines is the exclusive international airline partner of Sydney Festival and has a long-standing history and relationship with the organisation. In 2019, China Southern Airlines supported our free program of events which are an integral component of the Festival, attracting both a diverse and largescale audience. In their second year as a partner, World Square became a major investor through the installation Fly Me To The Moon at World Square. This city-wide endeavour, to collectively cycle 384,400 kilometres to the moon, was achieved by cyclists donating their kilometres via technology platform Love to Ride, and through people actively participating in World Square (where 12 bikes formed part of the installation). We enjoyed a collaborative partnership with QT Sydney through Biladurang – an intimate performance for an audience of 20 that was staged in a hotel room. QT Sydney also hosted our 2019 media launch and a shoot for the Good Food Guide, with Marcia Hines gracing the cover. ARA Property Services came on board for the first time as a distinguished partner and supported our Blak Out program, while Hyundai provided the Festival with bright, co-branded vehicles to transport our artists around the city, and Meriton and Expr3ss! participated in the annual Ferrython race on Sydney Harbour. Sydney Festival welcomed back 4 Pines and Four Pillars as beverage partners, and were pleased to have Bunnamagoo come on board as an exclusive wine partner. Our media partners provide crucial support and help us promote the Festival. Special thanks to APN Outdoor, The Sydney Morning Herald, Torch Media, ABC, Time Out and Concrete Playground. We also work with a host of production partners whose services we couldn’t do without, including TDC and Chameleon Touring Systems. Wesley Enoch, photo by Victor Frankowski
Festival Garden, photo by Victor Frankowski
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PARTNERSHIPS Fly Me To The Moon at World Square, photo by Victor Frankowski
Festival Garden, photo by Victor Frankowski
Biladurang at QT Sydney, photo by Victor Frankowski
FESTIVAL FEASTS Our restaurant program, Festival Feasts, provides our audiences with unique dining offers during the month of January. In 2019, 24 restaurants across the Sydney CBD and Parramatta were part of the program and offered audiences the chance to enhance their Festival experience with a delicious meal. To learn more about Sydney Festival and partnership opportunities, please contact Brooke Ravens, Senior Corporate & External Affairs Manager on 02 8248 6565 or brooke.ravens@sydneyfestival.org.au SYDNEY FESTIVAL 2019 ANNUAL REVIEW
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YOU MAKE IT POSSIBLE Our sincere thanks to our private donors for their commitment to enriching the cultural life of our city. Our valued supporters are offered exclusive opportunities and events to enhance their Festival experience, which this year included an artists’ soiree hosted by principal philanthropic partner Peter Freedman AM, the Ballet & Art in Auckland trip and a visit to Government House.
EXCLUSIVE EVENTS
Fiona Martin-Weber, Peter Freedman AM, Elizabeth Laverty, photo by Jacob Brunnhage, courtesy of RØDE Microphones
ARTISTS’ SOIREE AT THE HOME OF PETER FREEDMAN AM
“SUPPORTING THE FESTIVAL HAS, AND CONTINUES TO BE, AN INSPIRATION AND DEEPLY SATISFYING EXPERIENCE” Peter Freedman AM
David Mathlin,Camilla Drover, Peter Freedman AM, Rhae Shaw, photo Jacob Brunnhage, courtesy of RØDE Microphones
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Peter Freedman AM with Shànghai MiMi cast and crew, Photo Jacob Brunnhage, courtesy of RØDE Microphones Dr Kerryn Phelps AM, MP, Peter Freedman AM, photo by Jacob Brunnhage, courtesy of RØDE Microphones
Paris Neilson, Wesley Enoch, Todd Buncombe
Dr Roger Allan, Marita Supplee
Studio, Sydney Tower David Kirk MBE, Dr Kathryn Lovric
PHILANTHROPY
DIRECTOR’S DINNER AT STUDIO, SYDNEY TOWER
Chris Tooher, Antoinette (Popsy) Albert
“ALL CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU WESLEY AND TO YOUR DEDICATED TEAM – WHAT A WONDERFULLY VARIED FESTIVAL YOU PRESENTED OFFERING SO MUCH TO SO MANY” Antoinette (Popsy) Albert PRE-LAUNCH DRINKS THE CHANCELLERY, UTS
“THE FESTIVAL IS BECOMING A BIG SYDNEY FAMILY. WE ARE DIVERSE. WE COME FROM DIFFERENT PLACES ON THIS PLANET. WE EMBRACE THE SAME AND DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES, BUT ABOVE ALL WE ALL SHARE OUR LOVE FOR THE ARTS, THE MAKERS AND THE ARTISTS” Maria Villa
Eduardo and Maria Villa, David Mathlin SYDNEY FESTIVAL 2019 ANNUAL REVIEW
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ARTISTS’ PARTY AT GOVERNMENT HOUSE
Wesley Enoch,His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Retd), Linda Hurley, Chris Tooher, photo by Prudence Upton
Peter Freedman AM, US Consul General Sharon Hudson-Dean, Wesley Enoch, Penelope Seidler AM, photo by Prudence Upton Ben Caplan, Jacqui and Richard Scheinberg AM, photo by Prudence Upton
BEWARE OF PITY OPENING NIGHT FUNCTION
Amanda Maple-Brown, Chris Shaw, Ros Packer AC
Mackenzie Shaw, Rhae Shaw, David Kirk MBE
Ray Wilson AO, Wesley Enoch, Anne Stanwix, William Kentridge, Chris Tooher
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PHILANTHROPY
“WE THOROUGHLY ENJOYED OUR TIME WITH YOU IN AUCKLAND – OUR DAY AT GIBBS FARM WAS TRULY MEMORABLE” Ros Hunyor
EXCLUSIVE TRAVEL OPPORTUNITIES Group shot, sculpture by Sol LeWitt
BALLET & ART IN AUCKLAND
Wesley Enoch
Elizabeth Laverty with The Dollar Bin Darlings
Final dinner group shot
JOIN THE FUN 2020 “AS FIRST-TIME DONORS WE WERE NOT SURE QUITE WHAT TO EXPECT. WE ARE DONORS FOR SEVERAL ORGANISATIONS SO WE CAN HONESTLY SAY THAT THE SPECIAL TREATMENT WE RECEIVED WAS EXTRAORDINARY” Dianne Finnegan For further details, visit sydneyfestival.org.au/support or contact Marita Supplee, Head of Philanthropy on 02 8248 6510 or marita.supplee@sydneyfestival.org.au SYDNEY FESTIVAL 2019 ANNUAL REVIEW
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The Vigil at Barangaroo Reserve, photo by Victor Frankowski
RECONCILIATION ACTION PLAN Sydney Festival is now six years into its Reconciliation Action Plan journey. We remain committed to working towards improving outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians by creating and fostering an organisational environment that cherishes respect, creates opportunity and builds cultural awareness. Sydney Festival has strong governance and leadership teams with two Aboriginal board members and the organisation’s first Aboriginal artist in the role of Festival Director. The Festival continues to explore opportunities to improve access and support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists and arts workers, and we thank all the Elders, artists and advisors that have helped guide us on this journey.
Nick Cave: Until Later panel discussion, photo by Victor Frankowski
ARTS INDUSTRY As a cultural leader, Sydney Festival is committed to fostering a strong and vibrant arts sector. In 2019, we ran our arts industry program for the sixth year, and rebranded it as the Arts Pass. Australian artists and arts workers were invited to apply, and 501 joined the program. Arts Pass holders could access reduced price tickets and attend special events to connect with fellow artists and arts practitioners. We also worked with our Circus Advisory Group for the third year, and ran Circus & Beyond: Arts Workers Forum, a three-day forum of ideas, conversation, provocation and collaboration – plus the panel discussion Talking Circus: Through Different Lenses.
INTERNS Sydney Festival hosted seven internship placements in 2019 for students attending New South Wales and Queensland universities across our marketing, programming and production teams. In addition, we hosted an intern as part of the Createability Internship Program, which creates opportunities for people with disability, and an Artsready Administration Trainee, who works with the Festival for 12 months. We were also thrilled to have a number of 2018 interns return to the Festival in paid roles in 2019, highlighting the Festival’s commitment to nurturing talent within our community. We extend a huge thanks to our 2019 interns, and look forward to seeing them continue to develop their skills over the coming years. 54
Sydney Festival staff, photo by Victor Frankowski
Sydney Festival would not be possible without our dedicated and generous volunteers, who contribute their time to engage with our patrons and help create better customer experiences. Volunteers predominantly act as ambassadors for the Festival, creating conversations with our audience as well as providing operational support at major venues and precincts. In 2019, the Festival’s volunteer program involved 275 volunteers who worked more than 1800 shifts. The most common reasons for volunteering are to be involved in the community, to create great experiences, and a love of Sydney Festival. We have a group of people who have volunteered for 20 years, and we have over 100 people who return to volunteer annually. This year, the program involved 24 team leaders who supervised volunteers across various Festival venues. The team leader program provides a great opportunity for graduates or young professionals to build their leadership and organisational skills. We would like to thank Eventeamwork who joined us for the seventh year to manage our volunteer program.
COMMUNITY
VOLUNTEERS
Sydney Festival volunteers, photo by Victor Frankowski
“During my time at Sydney Festival I was able to gain a much more in-depth view of how large-scale arts organisations and festivals operate, from seeing how the different departments and teams not only contribute individually, but also how they intersect and support each other. Another core learning experience was being involved in the Festival’s accessibility work and seeing how the arts can be opened up to include people who have traditionally been excluded. “The best part of my internship was being made to feel part of the team and working with amazing professionals and people. Something else that made it unforgettable was being able to access special moments such as a tactile tour for A Ghost in My Suitcase and dress rehearsal for HOME so that I could experience the type of work that Sydney Festival programs.” Thomas Hamilton – Createability Internship Program SYDNEY FESTIVAL 2019 ANNUAL REVIEW
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SUPPORTERS CORPORATE PARTNERS MAJOR PARTNER
SPECIAL DISTINGUISHED PARTNERS
DISTINGUISHED PARTNER
FESTIVAL LAWYERS
STAR PARTNERS
MEDIA PARTNERS MAJOR PARTNER
SPECIAL DISTINGUISHED PARTNERS
DISTINGUISHED PARTNERS
STAR PARTNERS
FBi RADIO
56
BUSINESS SUPPORTERS
CONTRIBUTORS
RESTAURANT PARTNERS
Alphabet Studio The Catering Project Hapag-Lloyd iTrip.com Nihao Media Staging Rentals & Construction
Artbank Australia CloudWave RDA Research Safety Culture Serenova
360 Bar and Dining Bopp & Tone Cafe Sydney Chefs Gallery Parramatta Chefs Gallery Town Hall Chophouse Parramatta The Dining Room, Park Hyatt Sydney
El-Phoenician Parramatta Endeavour Tap Rooms Gowings Bar & Grill INDU Kid Kyoto Kittyhawk La Rosa The Strand Madame Shanghai
Misfits Portside Rubyos Restaurant Seventeen The Malaya Toko Sydney Zahli Restaurant
PRINCIPAL GOVERNMENT PARTNER
STRATEGIC PARTNERS
Supported by Barangaroo Delivery Authority, a NSW Government Agency
STRATEGIC SPONSOR
SPECIAL DISTINGUISHED PARTNERS
DISTINGUISHED PARTNERS
COMMUNITY
GOVERNMENT & COMMUNITY PARTNERS PRINCIPAL PARTNERS
STAR PARTNERS S OF AME ATE RI ST
TE GEN ULA ER NS
THE UNITE OF D AL
SYDNEY ●
CA
CO
●
SYDNEY FESTIVAL WISHES TO THANK THE FOLLOWING INDIVIDUALS, FOUNDATIONS & ORGANISATIONS FOR THEIR GENEROUS PHILANTHROPIC GIFTS OVER THE LAST 12 MONTHS. PRINCIPAL PHILANTHROPIC PARTNER Peter Freedman AM MAJOR DONORS Consulate General of the United States of America CRM Foundation Neilson Foundation Rockend Scully Fund DIRECTOR’S CIRCLE Antoinette Albert Andrew Cameron AM and Cathy Cameron The Michael Crouch Family Peter Hunt AM The Martin-Weber Family Roslyn Packer AC
FESTIVAL HEROES Robert Albert AO and Libby Albert Altaire Productions Anonymous John Barrer Larissa Behrendt and Michael Lavarch AO Wesley Enoch Tom Hayward and Fiona Martin-Weber David Hazlett David Kirk MBE and Brigit Kirk Elizabeth Laverty Adam and Vicki Liberman Dr Kathryn Lovric and Dr Roger Allan David Mathlin and Camilla Drover
Julianne Maxwell Penelope Seidler AM Dr Jennifer and Peter Solomon ASSOCIATE PRODUCERS The Arcadia Group Marco Belgiorno-Zegna AM and Angela Belgiorno-Zegna Jonathan and Judith Casson Diane Eilert Roslyn and Alex Hunyor Dr Carolyn Lowry OAM and Peter Lowry OAM Robyn Martin-Weber John and Jo Millyard Victoria Taylor Villa & Villa P/L Kim Williams AM and Catherine Dovey Ray Wilson OAM
FESTIVAL LOVERS Anne Blau Damien Butler Paddy Carney Angela Clark Darren Dale Terry and Dianne Finnegan Christina Green Julian Knights AO Cheryl Lo Rajni and Pawan Luthra Sandy Martin Ann McFarlane Lyndall and Trevor McNally Mary Read Justine Roche Christopher Tooher John Walton
SYDNEY FESTIVAL BOARD PATRON His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Retd), Governor of New South Wales BOARD OF DIRECTORS Chair – David Kirk MBE Prof. Larissa Behrendt David Borger Andrew Cameron AM Paddy Carney Angela Clark Darren Dale Diana Eilert Matthew Melhuish (term ended Oct 2018)
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN Michael Crouch AC, Sir Nicholas Shehadie AC OBE
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SPECIAL THANKS
THE FOLLOWING COMPANIES AND PRODUCTIONS ACKNOWLEDGE THE SUPPORT OF: The Australian Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body.
Barking Gecko Theatre Company, Bridge of Dreams, CIRCA, The Chat, Counting and Cracking, Dust, Legs On The Wall, Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, One Infinity, Spinifex Gum, T5 Tank Sound Project, Talking Dance, The Weekend, Yellamundie National First Peoples Playwriting Festival
58
Presenting Partner Singapore Airlines, and their visionary major philanthropic supporters: Macquarie Group Foundation, Thyne Reid Foundation, Oranges and Sardines Foundation and Belvoir’s visionary Gamechangers. DAUGHTER Quiptake, Pandemic Theatre, and The Theatre Centre acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts, Ontario Arts Council, and Toronto Arts Council.
DEER WOMAN With support from the Canada Council for the Arts, premiered at the Kia Mau festival in Aotearoa. Rehearsal space received from Woodland Cultural Centre. The first development and public reading Art Gallery of NSW, Artspace, Belvoir, was at Native Earth’s Weesageechak Brett & Wendy... A Love Story Bound Festival. The first draft was written at by Art, Co-Curious, Bridge of Dreams, the 2017 Banff Playwright’s Lab. Legs On The Wall, Museum of FLY ME TO THE MOON Contemporary Art Australia, Opera Lunar Velocipede created by Erth Australia, State Library of NSW, Visual and Physical Inc. Sydney Chamber Opera, Sydney THE FUTURE IS FLOATING Symphony Orchestra, Talking Dance, Supported by the Province of British The Weekend, Yellamundie National Columbia, Canada and the British First Peoples Playwriting Festival Columbia Arts Council, Canada Council for the Arts, Artspace and 52 ARTISTS 52 ACTIONS produced by Other Sights for Artists' Supported by the City of Sydney, Projects. Copyright Agency Cultural Fund, Fabio Ongarato Design, Public Office, A GHOST IN MY SUITCASE Department of Local Government, Sport Thames and Hudson Australia and and Cultural Industries and Woodside. all of their Kickstarter supporters. HOME THE BEEHIVE Commissioned by Brooklyn Academy Produced by Philippa Bateman. An of Music (BAM), Arizona State Enigma Machine Production. Cocommissioned by Artbank and ACMI. University – Gammage, New Zealand Festival, Beth Morrison Projects and BILADURANG Edinburgh International Festival. ILBIJERRI Theatre Company, Simon Abrahams, Melbourne Fringe Festival HOME was funded, in part, by The Wyncote Foundation, Adam & Diane and Dan Koop. Max, Garth Patil, Wendy vanden BLAK BOX Heuvel and Jeanne Donovan Fisher Blacktown Arts, Blacktown City and received developmental support Council, Nelson Meers Foundation, Danpal Australia, Capral Aluminium, from LUMBERYARD Contemporary Performing Arts (formerly ADI). and Barangaroo Delivery Authority. Residency support has been provided BLOOD MONEY CURRENCY by MANA Contemporary, BRIC, EXCHANGE TERMINAL & Pennsylvania State University and ARTICLE 14.1 ArtsEmerson. HOME received support Primavera 2018 Exhibition Patron from the New York Theatre Workshop Cynthia Jackson AM and Australian annual Usual Suspects summer Government visual arts strategy. residency at Dartmouth College. BRETT & WENDY... THE ILIAD OUT LOUD A LOVE STORY BOUND BY ART Developed with the support of The Supported by Seaborn, Broughton Street Theatre Canberra, Sport for & Walford Foundation, Star Jove, Gordon Stalley and Professor Entertainment, City of Sydney, The University of NSW, The Brett Whiteley Elizabeth Minchin. LE GATEAU CHOCOLAT: ICONS Foundation and Lynne Clarke. Developed and produced by The Sick BRIDGE OF DREAMS of the Fringe. Supported by the School of the MALLAKHAMBINDIA Arts and Media, The University of In association with CIRCA. NSW, Sydney Improvised Music Association (SIMA), APRA AMCOS Art MAN WITH THE IRON NECK Music Fund and the PPCA Fund. The Balnaves Foundation (development & engagement partner), THE CHAT Indigenous Languages and Arts and Oznam Learning Centre, James the Major Festivals Initiative. Balunu Gilbert, Willoh S Weiland, Creative Victoria, RE Ross Trust, Besen Family Foundation (community engagement & duty of care), and Performing Lines Foundation, Australian Community (touring partner for future seasons). Support Organisation, La Boite Theatre and Malthouse Theatre. MOON DROPS Developed with Alt Group and COUNTING AND CRACKING Auckland Council Public Arts team. Belvoir would like to thank their
OLD STOCK: A REFUGEE LOVE STORY The National Arts Centre, Canada Council for the Arts, Arts Nova Scotia, the City of Halifax and the Nova Scotia Department of Communities, Culture and Heritage. ROCK BANG Supported by Creative Victoria. THE ROPES: AMRITA HEPI X ADRIAN PIPER Presented as a co-commission between Cement Fondu and The Lock-Up. SHÀNGHAI MIMI Supported by China Performing Arts Agency (CPAA) and the China Arts and Entertainment Group (CAEG). SILENT DISCO Supported by the State Library of NSW Foundation. SPINIFEX GUM Supported by the Ryan Cooper Family Foundation, the Lightfolk Foundation, and by Creative Partnerships Australia through the Australian Cultural Fund. SINCE ALI DIED First produced by Griffin Theatre Company, 11–14 April 2018 at the SBW Stables Theatre as part of Batch Festival. T5 TANK SOUND PROJECT Mosman Art Gallery, Mosman Council, Sydney Harbour Federation Trust, University of Sydney, University of Technology, and Centre for Media Arts Innovation. TALKING DANCE Supported by Woollahra Council and City of Sydney. THE WEEKEND The Ministry for the Arts Catalyst Fund. XIAO LU: IMPOSSIBLE DIALOGUE Produced and presented by 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art. This exhibition and associated programming is supported by the Australian Government through the Australia-China Council of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The exhibition Xiao Lu: Impossible Dialogue and related public programs are supported by the ARC Future Fellowship research project led by Dr Claire Roberts Reconfiguring the World: China. Art. Agency. 1900s to Now funded by the Australian Research Council (FT140100743) and the Faculty of Arts, School of Culture and Communication, at the University of Melbourne. YELLAMUNDIE The Ministry for the Arts Catalyst Fund. THANK YOU Accessible Arts, Coral and John Arnold, Rachael Azzopardi, City of Sydney, Morwenna Collett, Ione Davis, Sofya Gollan, Riana Head-Toussaint, Julie Jones, Greg Killeen, Vanessa Lucas, Malcolm Moir, Paul Nunnari, Vision Australia, Tina Walsberger, our volunteers and interns.
SYDNEY FESTIVAL STAFF 2019 FESTIVAL DIRECTOR Wesley Enoch
Ticketing Manager Tara Easlea-Harding Ticketing Systems EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Coordinators Christopher Tooher Sarah Toner, Emily Windsor FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION Ticketing Operations Head of Finance & Coordinator Administration Danniella Nocelli Katie Parker Guest Ticketing Coordinator Finance Manager Alyssan Russell Jennifer Stallard Media Ticketing Assistant Accounts Assistant Georgina Cook Julie Crawford Senior Corporate & Payroll Assistant External Affairs Manager Carina Mision Brooke Ravens Executive Assistant Sponsorship Managers Corey Zerna Mouche Phillips, Amalina Whitaker Administration Officers Georgie Hannam, Courtney Lewis Acting Sponsorship Executive Executive Projects Raymond Phan Coordinator Fiona Jackson Sponsorship Executive Jane You ArtsReady Trainee Dylan Lawrence PHILANTHROPY PROGRAMMING Head of Philanthropy Marita Supplee Executive Producer Vivia Hickman Fundraising Coordinator Joan Cameron-Smith Program Manager Stuart Rogers PRODUCTION Senior Producer Head of Production Pippa Bailey John Bayley Associate Producers Production Manager Kat Anastasiou-Bell, Clark Corby Andy Currums, Rebecca Gribble Project Managers Tom Riordan, Kate Williams Alycia Bangma, Indigenous Associate Nathan Da Cunha Producer Project Manager Georgia Mokak Parramatta Festival Site Designer Sophie Lukersmith Pip Runciman Project Manager Barangaroo Programming Administrator Dom Hamra Rebecca Gribble Venue Manager Festival Programming Associate Garden Rachel Grimes-Carmichael Gordon Rymer BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT & Logistics Manager MARKETING Alycia Stanley Head of Business Logistics Coordinators Development & Marketing Katie Moore, Sarah Jayne Amy Maiden Saunders Marketing & Digital Manager Project Manager Apollo 11 Alicia Kish Jade Muratore Publications Editor Project Manager World Nick Jarvis Square Thomas Pidd Marketing & Publications Coordinator Production Assistant Katie Jowett Ella Gordon Marketing Coordinator HOSPITALITY & CATERING Sarah Hunt Hospitality Manager Digital Marketing Coordinator Blake Smith Kathleen Smith Catering Consultant Communications Manager Fernando Motti Hugo Mintz FESTIVAL DESIGN AGENCY Publicists Alphabet Studio Isabella Feros, Sasha Haughan COPYWRITERS Publicity Coordinator Elissa Blake, Nick Jarvis, Caitlin Eames Katie Jowett, Lenny Ann Low Senior Graphic Designers Stef Mercurio, Anais Taylor MAGAZINE PRINTING PMP Printing Graphic Designer Brittney Griffiths VOLUNTEER MANAGEMENT Signage Coordinator Eventeamwork Rebecca Fortune
Clockwise from top: Camille O’Sullivan, photo by Victor Frankowski Ferrython, photo by Jamie WIlliams The Chat, photo by Prudence Upton. Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story, photo by Prudence Upton The Illiad – Out Loud, photo by Jamie Williams In The Heights, photo by Victor Frankowski Welcome Choir at World Square, photo by Victor Frankowski
Level 5, 10 Hickson Road The Rocks NSW 2000 Australia T +61 02 8248 6500 F +61 02 8248 6599 E mail@sydneyfestival.org.au sydneyfestival.org.au