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About

Every January, Sydney Festival starts the new year with a bang, transforming the city with a bold cultural celebration based on critical ideas and cutting-edge art and performance.

The 2019 program, running from 9 –27 January, is adventurous and diverse, from cutting-edge international theatre such as Beware of Pity and HOME to glittering, raucous nights of music and cabaret like Shànghǎi MiMi and Pigalle.

Our Indigenous program BLAK OUT returns with powerful new theatre including Man With The Iron Neck and The Weekend, as well as art installations, music and dance-theatre by First Nations artists, and the third edition of our popular Indigenous language classes Bayala.

There’s a stacked contemporary music program featuring everything from a Cuban mambo band to feminist pop icon Neneh Cherry, glam-pop superstar Nakhane, experimental electronic composer Ben Frost and much more.

There’s also plenty to do and experience that doesn’t cost a cent, from the moon art installations at World Square, Darling Harbour and Barangaroo South to the return of the beloved Sydney Symphony Under The Stars in Parramatta Park and our Circus Comes To Town weekend in Prince Alfred Square.

Plus you’ll find free art installations at Carriageworks, the Museum of Contemporary Art, UNSW Galleries and Artspace, and free talks with artists and experts at UTS, NSW State Library and more.

Our accessible pricing policies for ticketed shows (including new Under 30s pricing for certain shows and Playwave pricing for 15 to 19-year-olds) means Sydney Festival is open to all, welcoming Sydneysiders and visitors from wherever they live.

Sydney Festival returns to Hyde Park with the Magic Mirrors Spiegeltent and Festival Garden, where you can drop in for a drink and some food before or after a Spiegeltent show, plus enjoy free until-late weekend parties with Sydney's fabulous DJing duo The Dollar Bin Darlings.

More than any other cultural event, Sydney Festival defines Sydney's personality. For over four decades we have presented international artists who guarantee headlines, and whose presence in Sydney adds to the Festival's buzz and prestige, including names like Björk, Brian Wilson, Grace Jones, Manu Chao, Elvis Costello, AR Rahman, Cate Blanchett, Ralph Fiennes, Robert Lepage, The Flaming Lips, Nick Cave, PJ Harvey, Peter Sellars, Sir Ian McKellen and David Byrne & St. Vincent. Some of the world's great companies – Wayne McGregor's Random Dance, Cheek by Jowl, Gate Theatre and The Wooster Group to name only a few – also share the Festival with the most exciting artists and companies in Australia.

Sydney Festival's audacious contemporary programming positions it at the forefront of arts practice in Australia and up there as one of the most wonderful festivals in the world. It’s your city and your festival.

HISTORY

Sydney Festival was originally conceived by the Sydney Committee, the NSW State Government and the City of Sydney with a view to attracting people into the city centre during the holiday month of January.

The first Festival took place in 1977 and it has since grown to become one of Australia's largest annual cultural celebrations with an international reputation for modern, popular and intelligent programming. In many ways it is probably still best understood as a celebration of Sydney, and its style and energy reflect the confidence, diversity and vigour of one of the world's most beautiful cities.

The Festival has a history of presenting Australian premieres, and many of Australia's most memorable productions such as Cloudstreet and Smoke & Mirrors have resulted from Sydney Festival's commitment to nurture local artists.

It has brought many of the world's great artists to Sydney including: Ariane Mnouchkine and Thèâtre du Soleil (Flood Drummers); Robert Wilson (The Black Rider); Robert Lepage (Far Side of the Moon, The Andersen Project, Lipsynch); Schaubühne Berlin (Hamlet, Beware of Pity); Netherlands Dance Theatre; James Thiérrée; Philip Glass; Ian McKellen (Dance of Death); Peter Sellars; Batsheva Dance Company; National Theatre of Scotland (Beautiful BurnoutBlack WatchAalst); Al Green; AR Rahman; Kneehigh Theatre (Tristan & YseultThe Red Shoes); Wayne McGregor's Random Dance (Entity) and Studio Wayne McGregor (Tree of Codes); Ludger Engels and Vivienne Westwood (Semele Walk); and Fabulous Beast (Rian).

FESTIVAL DIRECTORS

Wesley Enoch is Festival Director 2017–present

Previous directors were:
Lieven Bertels: 2013–2016
Lindy Hume: 2010–2012
Fergus Linehan: 2006–2009
Brett Sheehy: 2002–2005
Leo Schofield: 1998–2001
Anthony Steel: 1995–1997
Stephen Hall: 1977–1994


PATRON

His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Retd),
Governor of New South Wales

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

David Kirk MBE – Chair
Co-Founder and Managing Partner
Bailador Investment Management

David is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Bailador Investment Management and Chairman of listed companies Bailador Technology Investments, Trade Me and Kathmandu.  Prior to this, he was Chief Executive Officer of Fairfax Media. His previous experience also includes a period as an advisor to the Prime Minister of New Zealand. He is currently the Chairman of Trustees of Sydney Grammar School and sits on a number of other Boards and charitable organisations. 

David enjoyed a highly successful rugby career and captained the All Blacks to win the World Cup in 1987. He was awarded an MBE in 1987 and now lives in Sydney with his wife and three sons.


Prof. Larissa Behrendt 

Distinguished Prof. Larissa Behrendt holds the Chair of Indigenous Research at the Jumbunna Indigenous House of Learning at the University of Technology, Sydney. Larissa won the 2018 Australian Directors Guild Award for best Direction of a Documentary Feature Film for After the Apology. She also wrote and directed the Walkley-nominated feature documentary Innocence Betrayed. She has written and produced several short films. She is a graduate of UNSW and Harvard Law School. 

She has published numerous textbooks on Indigenous legal issues. Larissa won the 2002 David Unaipon Award and a 2005 Commonwealth Writer’s Prize for her novel Home. Her second novel, Legacy, won a Victorian Premiers Literary Award. Her most recent book is Finding Eliza: Power and Colonial Storytelling (2016, UQP). 

She is a board member of the Sydney Festival and a member of the Major Performing Arts Panel of the Australia Council. Larissa was awarded the 2009 NAIDOC Person of the Year award and 2011 NSW Australian of the Year. She is the host of Speaking Out on the ABC Local Radio and Radio National.


David Borger
Western Sydney Director
Sydney Business Chamber. 

David was appointed by the Chamber in 2012 to advocate for the needs of leading businesses in the Western Sydney area. 

In this role David sets the policy agenda by promoting discussion on issues that contribute to economic activity and growth in Western Sydney. He has been instrumental in the Badgerys Creek Airport, Powerhouse to Parramatta, and Sydney Olympic Park to Parramatta Light Rail advocacy conversations.

Prior to this, he served as Minister for Roads, Minister assisting the Minister for Transport and Roads in the NSW Government, Minister for Housing, as well as Minister for Western Sydney in the NSW government.


Andrew Cameron AM. 

Andrew has served on the boards of the Biennale of Sydney, Belvoir, SCAF, ACCA, and Melbourne Art Fair and Foundation. He was Deputy Commissioner for Australia’s presentation at the Venice Biennale, is currently Chair of the Foundation at Art Gallery of New South Wales, Chair of Artspace, and is a member of the International Council of the Tate in London – as well as sitting on the Tate Asia-Pacific Advisory Committee. 

He holds the position of Executive Chairman for a group of private businesses and has had previous careers in architecture and merchant banking. In addition, Andrew was made a Member of the Order of Australia in 2014 for significant services to the performing and visual arts.


Paddy Carney 
Partner
PwC Australia

Paddy is a member of the Global Board overseeing the PwC international network and chairs its Risk & Operations Committee. She is also a member of the Board of Partners of PwC Australia and chairs its Finance & Operations Committee. She has over 25 years' financial experience with PwC in the UK and Australia advising a broad range of clients with a focus on retail, consumer, hospitality and agribusiness. She is also a Trustee of the Historic Houses Trust of NSW (Sydney Living Museums) and a member of Chief Executive Women.


Angela Clark
CEO
Beem It

Angela Clark began her career as an investment analyst before joining global outdoor advertising leader JCDecaux as Managing Director of the Australian division, launching the company’s operations across four states. In 2003, Angela joined Macquarie Radio Network as CEO, leading the business to a listing on the Australian Stock Exchange in 2005. After five years, Angela left Macquarie Radio Network to pursue entrepreneurial opportunities, founding a number of digital media start-ups before joining ABC in 2011 as Director, Innovation and then as Director, Digital Network. 

Angela is currently the CEO of Beem It, a payments fintech founded by three banks, and was previously Executive General Manager of Small Business at the Commonwealth Bank. Angela has a held Directorships across multiple arts, media and sporting organisations and holds a BA in Politics, Philosophy and Economics from Oxford University.


Darren Dale
Producer
Blackfella Films

Since joining Blackfella Films in 2000 Darren has produced many award-winning factual productions for SBS including the landmark multi-platform history series First Australians, feature documentaries The Tall Man, Deep Water - The Real Story and In My Own Words, two seasons of the Logie Award-winning First Contact, plus the series DNA Nation, How ‘Mad’ Are You? and two seasons of Filthy Rich and Homeless.

In collaboration with acclaimed UK writer Jimmy McGovern, Darren has also produced, with Miranda Dear, two series and a telemovie of the Logie Award and AACTA Award-winning Redfern Now for ABC1. He also produced with Miranda Dear the telemovie Mabo, commissioned by the ABC to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the landmark High Court decision, and the crime drama Deep Water for SBS.

He was Executive Producer on the Logie and AACTA Award winning teen drama series Ready for This for ABC3.

Darren currently serves on the board of the Sydney Film Festival and was previously on the board of Screen NSW and the Council of the Australian Film, Television and Radio School (AFTRS). In 2012 he was the recipient of the prestigious AFTRS Honorary Degree.


Diana Eilert

Diana Eilert is a professional non-executive director. She is currently a director of ASX listed companies SuperRetail Group and Navitas as well as Domain and Elders. Diana also has extensive executive experience running large businesses – such as Suncorp’s entire insurance business – as well as recent digital experience gained in her three years with Newscorp, where she was also a director of real-estate.com.au.

Diana has a long-held enthusiasm for the Sydney Festival and in her executive career was one of the major sponsors under the GIO brand.


Media Releases and Enquiries

Media Releases

Sydney Festival Launches Australia's First Disability Programming Initiative


For more information and high-resolution images of Sydney Festival events, contact:

Hugo Mintz

Communications Manager
(02) 8248 6525 or 0431 837 838
hugo.mintz [at] sydneyfestival.org.au


Please note: media enquiries only.

Contact Us

If you have any feedback we'd love to hear from you.


Sydney Festival Office Details

Level 5, 10 Hickson Road
The Rocks NSW 2000
Australia

Phone: (+61) 2 8248 6500
Fax: (+61) 2 8248 6599
Email: mail@sydneyfestival.org.au


Ticketing and box office inquiries

Phone: 1300 856 876
Email: ticketing@sydneyfestival.org.au


Volunteering inquiries
Email: volunteer@sydneyfestival.org.au


Executive Office

Artistic Director
Wesley Enoch
execoffice [at] sydneyfestival.org.au

Executive Director
Chris Tooher
execoffice [at] sydneyfestival.org.au 

Executive Assistant
Corey Zerna
execoffice [at] sydneyfestival.org.au 

Fiona Jackson
Executive Project Coordinator
fiona.jackson [at] sydneyfestival.org.au


Programming

Vivia Hickman
Executive Producer
vivia.hickman [at] sydneyfestival.org.au

Pippa Bailey
Senior Producer
pippa.bailey [at] sydneyfestival.org.au

Tom Riordan
Associate Producer
tom.riordan [at] sydneyfestival.org.au

Kate Williams
Associate Producer
kate.williams [at] sydneyfestival.org.au

Andy Currums
Associate Producer
andy.currums [at] sydneyfestival.org.au


Georgia Mokak
Associate Producer
Georgia.Mokak [at] sydneyfestival.org.au


Business Development and Marketing


Amy Maiden
Head of Development & Marketing
amy.maiden [at] sydneyfestival.org.au


Alicia Kish
Marketing & Digital Manager
alicia.kish [at] sydneyfestival.org.au


Hugo Mintz
Communications Manager
hugo.mintz [at] sydneyfestival.org.au

Tara Harding
Ticketing Manager
tara.harding [at] sydneyfestival.org.au

Sarah Toner
Ticketing Systems Coordinator
sarah.toner [at] sydneyfestival.org.au


Anais Taylor
Senior Graphic Designer
anais.taylor [at] sydneyfestival.org.au


Development

Brooke Ravens
Senior Corporate & External Affairs Manager
brooke.ravens [at] sydneyfestival.org.au

Amalina Whitaker
Sponsorship Manager
amalina.whitaker [at] sydneyfestival.org.au


Jane You
Sponsorship Executive
jane.you [at] sydneyfestival.org.au

Philanthropy

Marita Supplee
Head of Philanthropy
marita.supplee [at] sydneyfestival.org.au

Joan Cameron-Smith
Fundraising Coordinator
joan.cameron-smith [at] sydneyfestival.org.au


Production

John Bayley
Head of Production
john.bayley [at] sydneyfestival.org.au

Clark Corby
Production Manager
clark.corby [at] sydneyfestival.org.au

Alycia Bangma
Project Manager
alycia.bangma [at] sydneyfestival.org.au

Blake Smith
Catering Manager
blake.smith [at] sydneyfestival.org.au

Fernando Motti
Catering Manager
fernando.motti [at] sydneyfestival.org.au


Finance and Operations

Katie Parker
Head of Finance & Administration
katie.parker [at] sydneyfestival.org.au

Jennifer Stallard
Finance & Administration Manager
jennifer.stallard [at] sydneyfestival.org.au

Julie Crawford
Accounts Assistant
julie.crawford [at] sydneyfestival.org.au

Georgie Hannam
Administration Officer
georgie.hannam [at] sydneyfestival.org.au


Dylan Lawrence
ArtsReady Trainee
dylan.lawrence [at] sydneyfestival.org.au

Faces of Sydfest

Since 2017, Sydney Festival’s brochure covers have focused on the faces of the Festival: the fans, the artists, the people behind the scenes and the people in the seats at the shows.

For the 2017 brochure we invited Festival fans to send in a self-portrait for the chance to be on the cover; for 2018 we asked Festival fans to get creative with a cover photo that used the Festival’s colours in an unusual, interesting, crafty and creative way.

The 2019 brochure also features a mix of avid Festival fans, volunteers, artists and creators, all shot by photographer Richard Hedger. Meet the Faces of Sydney Festival 2019 below.

Cover faces


Ursula Yovich
One of Australia’s most respected and beloved writers and performers on stage and screen, Ursula wrote and also performs in 2019 Sydney Festival show Man With The Iron Neck.



Bowie
Our youngest cover face, Festival-fan Bowie has been attending Sydney Festival shows since he was a mere four years old. We can't wait to see his picks for 2019! 


Coral Arnold
Coral is a valued member of Sydney Festival’s Access and Inclusion Advisory Panel. She has been a keen attendee at our events for many years, particularly those with audio description and tactile tours which provide equal access for audience members who are blind or have low vision.



Steph Wong
A close Festival-friend, Steph has worked with the Festival for a number of years, distributing our brochures and other flyers throughout Sydney and beyond.



Jem Burton
Jem’s been a huge Sydney Festival fan for two decades and manages to see between 10 and 15 shows every Festival. We're looking forward to seeing him everywhere we go in January!



Lauren
Calligrapher Lauren is another keen Festival fan, and has been joining us in January for many years.



Shawn Moriere
We love welcoming new and old friends alike to start their year with us! After recently making the move to Sydney from France, Shawn is super excited about experiencing his first Sydney Festival.



Richard Hedger
He's the man behind the lens and in front of it – Richard has been an avid Festivalgoer and Sydney arts fan for years; he’s also the creator of the book Telling Tales, which celebrates 40 years of gay liberation in Australia by capturing some of the LGBTI community's most intriguing and colourful members.
Work With Us

Please sign up to our enews or keep an eye on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to be the first to find out when roles become available.

Corporate Responsiblity

Disability Inclusion Action Plan

The Sydney Festival Disability Inclusion Action Plan (DIAP) supports the Festival's commitment to welcome everyone in Sydney, regardless of accessibility needs, and provides our organisation with strategic direction in addressing accessibility issues.

Download a copy of the 2017–18 Disability Inclusion Action Plan as a PDF or Word document. 

Reconciliation Action Plan

Sydney Festival's vision for reconciliation is to formally and informally engage with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists and communities, and to positively contribute to closing the gap between Indigenous and other Australians. 


The Festival will do this by committing to four key areas:

• respecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and cultures
• offering employment opportunities to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
• offering development and presentation opportunities to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists and arts workers
• building cultural awareness and understanding among our staff, stakeholders and audiences of the diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stories


Sustainability Vision

We have a vision to be the most sustainable major performing arts festival in Australia.To read our full vision of sustainability, download the PDF here.

Volunteer

Thanks to all our wonderful 2019 volunteers! We'll open applications for volunteers later this year – keep an eye on this page and make sure you're signed up to our receive our enews so you're the first in the know. 

Sustainability at Sydney Festival

Sustainability Vision

We have a vision to be the most sustainable major performing arts festival in Australia.

For several years we have been working towards making Sydney Festival a more sustainable event, with both big wins and big challenges. For example, we no longer offer disposable plastic water bottles – instead we give artists and staff reusable metal water bottles.

Offsetting our carbon footprint remains a large task, however the 2019 Festival sees us take another serious step towards fully understanding our impact, and identifying ways to minimise our impact and maximise the positive environmental, social and economic legacies of Sydney Festival.


Meeting our vision

With an estimated audience of 450 000, over 50 venues with performances by over 800 artists from Australia and abroad, the impact of resource consumption, waste creation, transportation, and greenhouse gas emissions is considerable.

In collaboration with our artists, venues, suppliers, staff, crew, volunteers and, importantly, with our audience together we can meaningfully reduce our resource consumption, waste creation, and our greenhouse gas emissions, so that together we meet our vision for a truly Sustainable Sydney Festival.

We will be enlisting your help to reduce our impact because; we believe that together we really can make a difference.

To read our full vision of sustainability, download the PDF here.

Unsubscribe

If you'd like to unsubscribe from Sydney Festival's e-mails, online advertising, or physical mail lists, feel free to e-mail us any time at mail@sydneyfestival.org.au specifying what communication you would like to stop receiving.



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