WHAT A YEAR! Who could have guessed after the year that was 2020 that a Festival was even possible. I was talking to some international colleagues who remarked that Sydney Festival was the only Arts Festival in the world in January. Such a feat of planning, adaption, nimble decision-making and sheer luck at times. Though there were a number of show cancellations due to border closures the bulk of the program proceeded and included sold out hits. Sydneysiders were ready to embrace their city again and they came out in big numbers to The Headland. This new venue at Barangaroo Reserve was a great addition to the Festival providing a huge outdoor theatre stage for a wonderful array of performers – Katie Noonan, Paul Mac, iOTA, Paul Capsis, Sydney Symphony Orchestra and Bangarra all playing to in person audiences, and for people to watch at home. The Headland was also the venue for The Vigil which was broadcast live across the nation via NITV. The 2021 Festival was about inviting Sydney back to enjoy the city and embracing what opportunities we could to experience art. It was fantastic to be a platform for so many of our city’s arts and cultural jewels to shine in January. A big thanks to our artistic partners including the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra, Australian National Maritime Museum, Australian Design Centre, Artspace, Arjunan Puveendran, Bangarra Dance Theatre, Biennale of Sydney, Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre, Campbelltown Arts Centre, Carriageworks, Dance Makers Collective, Eishan Ensemble, Erth Visual and Physical Inc, Ensemble Offspring, Ensemble Theatre, Force Majeure, Griffin Theatre, Hayes Theatre, Janet Laurence, Jasmin Sheppard, Jeremy Rose, Jo Clancy, Jonny Hawkins and Nell Ranney, Museum of Contemporary Art, Moogahlin Performing Arts, National Theatre of Parramatta, Performing Lines, Philip Quast, PYT | Fairfield, Rhiannon Newton, Siren Theatre Co, Sydney Chamber Opera, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, The Walkleys Foundation, Sydney Film Festival,
Sydney Writers’ Festival, Sydney Fringe Festival, Sydney Chamber Choir, Sydney Dance Company, Sydney International Piano Competition, Seymour Centre, UNSW Galleries, Urban Theatre Project and Sweatshop, and many others. We were also able to play host to a few interstate companies including Circa, Arc Circus and Cluster Arts, Dead Puppet Society, Mitch Jones, Matthias SchackArnott and the team from MegaFun, Katie Noonan and friends, Michael Kantor and Kate Ben-Tovim. One of things I am most proud of is the Blak Out Program which featured some Festival highlights including Sunshine Super Girl, Spirit: a retrospective 2021, The Complication of Lyrebirds, Heartland, To Cook Cook or Not, Burrawa and a huge array of amazing visual arts from Megan Cope, Carol McGregor, Judy Watson, Archie Moore, Alick Tipote and the 30 artists showcased in Defying Empire: 3rd National Indigenous Art Triennial. From our amazingly dedicated volunteers who give their time and energy, to the many expert staff whose skills helped to realise one of the most complex cultural undertakings in the country, through to the hundreds of artists from Sydney and around the country who shared their artistry and vision with us, and of course the people of Sydney who attended in their hundreds of thousands to partake in Sydney Festival – thank you. We couldn’t do this without the ongoing generous support and investment of our government partners – Create NSW, Destination NSW, Infrastructure NSW, City of Sydney and City of Parramatta, and a huge range of venue partners including Carriageworks, Sydney Town Hall, Sydney Living Museums and many, many more. Together with our corporate partners and private donors, our supporters allow us to share the Festival with a broad range of people across the city. A special thank you to Peter Freedman of RØDE Microphones who pledged five million dollars to Sydney Festival
to amplify the voices of artists. Peter has been a great supporter of Sydney Festival over the years and his recent pledge is a great testimony to his belief in the power of artists to make a difference. I’ve never been one for farewells. In many Indigenous languages there isn’t a word for a permanent goodbye or farewell as there is always the hope of a time in the future when our paths will cross again, and we can reflect on what has happened in between. When I look back at the past five years, I think about the amazing works that Sydney Festival has commissioned (Counting and Cracking, Humans 2.0, Shanghai Mimi, Backbone, Two Crews, Anthem and many more), the achievements of the Blak Out program (The Vigil, The Season, The Visitors, The Weekend, Black Ties, Sunshine Super Girl and much more) and the sense of collaboration and collegiality with companies, venues and other festivals throughout the country. Sydney Festival has been the most rewarding and the most challenging professional experience of my life and in the way I inherited this role from the gifted Lieven Bertels, I am so excited to see the freshness and power of what Olivia Ansell will bring to her Sydney Festival. A huge thank you for all your support and care, and your dedicated participation in Sydney Festival. So, it is not farewell but see you next year when our paths cross in the foyer of Sydney Festival 2022 where I will be an excited audience member. A huge thank you to the whole team for making this 2021 Festival one to remember. Love,
SYDNEY FESTIVAL 2020 ANNUAL REVIEW
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