Sydney Festival 2014 Annual Review

THIS IS OUR CITY UPLIFTEDINSPIREDEXCITED IN REvIEw

John Grant at Paradiso at Town Hall, photo Prudence Upton.

“Sydney FeStival makeS uS proud to be a part oF our wonderFul city.”

Sydney FeStival patron, january 2014

2

“I just sat there thInkIng ‘I want to stay at sydney FestIval Forever.’ It’s just perFect.”

AmAndA PAlmer, elle mAGAZIne, 2014

CONTENTS

01 SYDNEY IN SUMMER 04

02 SNAPSHOT 06

03 AUDIENCE PROFILE 08

04 2014 ARTISTIC FOCUS 10

05 ACCESSIBILITY 22

06 SUSTAINABILITY 24

07 RECONCILIATION ACTION PLAN 26

08 MARkETINg, COMMUNICATIONS & DIgITAL STRATEgY 28

09 PARTNERSHIP HIgHLIgHTS 38

10 PHILANTHROPY, DONATIONS & vOLUNTEERS 42

11 SUPPORTERS 46

12 SPECIAL THANkS 48

Amanda Palmer, photo Jamie Williams.

sydney festival 2014 annual review 3

sydney in summer

A messAge from lieven bertels, festivAl director

01

Symphony in The Domain, photo Jamie Williams.

From Sacrilege, the Stonehenge-shaped bouncy castle by Jeremy Deller, to the gravity-defying installation Merchants Store at Darling Harbour and the amazing tricks of Band of Magicians in Parramatta, local and visiting families were treated to an eclectic choice of free and ticketed holiday entertainment.

Our 2014 Festival saw the return of many long-time strongholds including About an Hour at Carriageworks, two immensely popular free Domain concerts as well as our Paradiso concert club at Sydney Town Hall and our Parra Opening Party.

new was our Festival Village in Hyde Park with day and night-time programs in the Spiegeltent and in the Circus ronaldo Tent, as well as outdoor activities including a lawn library, the DiY cardboard creations of Boxwars and a variety of food and drinks options including the very successful Festival creations from Gelato Messina.

Sydney Festival 2014 was made possible through generous funding from the nSw Government supporting the Festival through arts nSw and Destination nSw – alongside the City of Sydney and the Parramatta City Council.

we were delighted to welcome our new principal sponsor The Star and leadership partners China Southern airlines and university of Sydney. Sydney Festival acknowledges the increased support of many private donors including our own Director’s Circle. Special thanks goes also to The Balnaves Foundation – who were a commissioning partner and associate Producer of Black Diggers – and to Peter and lou Freedman.

This 2014 Festival annual review documents the bright, sunshiny and art-filled month of January that Sydney Festival presented, whilst we already look forward to the next one.

lieven Bertels FeSTival DireCTOr 2013–16

Sydney Festival has an excellent reputation as australia’s foremost purveyor of arts and summer fun in that unique combination Sydneysiders love to share with all.

now in its 38th year, Sydney Festival plays a central role in australia’s rich cultural landscape and is a key factor in making Sydney an attractive city for visitors and locals alike.

with a strong focus on a colourful family program, Sydney Festival 2014 provided the ideal holiday destination, whilst more discerning performing arts lovers were treated to a diverse mix of international and australian premieres and exclusives across a wide range of genres.

Our 2014 Festival was more visible and more tangible than ever, with many great new partnerships, record-breaking media coverage and an ever-increasing audience engagement both across our Festival hubs and via social media.

Hot on the heels of last year’s fashion opera Semele Walk the 2014 Festival presented Sasha waltz’s Dido & Aeneas, a feast of contemporary dance and baroque music.

indigenous stories took centre stage in the aboriginal King Lear adaptation The Shadow King and in Black Diggers, a Sydney Festival partnership with Queensland Theatre Company, producing a play about indigenous soldiers in the australian army during the First world war. Classical music aficionados enjoyed exclusive concerts with international and local talent across nine centuries of music history, while indie music lovers discovered new and retro sounds, spanning 40 years and five continents.

Over two years, Sydney Festival has premiered 23 new australian projects, creating a prime outlet for local talent and showcasing home-grown work in our unique Festival context, increasingly attracting international audiences and international media.

above: lieven Bertels, photo Prudence upton.


02snapshot

Merchants Store, photo Jamie Williams.

THE MOST wONDERFUL SUMMER FESTIvAL IN THE wORLD

1,036ARTISTS AUSTRALIAN

EXCLUSIVES

10

AUSTRALIAN PREMIERES

WORLD PREMIERES

1341,101,115

VISITS TO ThE WEbSITE

445PERFORMANCES VE

NUES32

(INCLUDES ALL OUTDOOR)

MORE THAN 456,790 PEOPLEENJOYED 63 FREE EvENTS AS PART OF ThE 2014 PROgRAM (EXCLUDINg FERRyThON)

6,468 #SyDFEST hAShTAggED INSTAgRAMS (JANUARy)

ARTISTS FROM

COUNTRIES 19

18 DAYSSYDNEY FESTIvAL 2014 RAN FOR

STRONg SOCIAL MEDIA FOLLOwINg IN 2014

8,026 INSTAgRAM FOLLOWERS 91% gROwTH IN ThE PAST yEAR

2013 2014

2013 2014

2013 2014

48,451 TWITTER FOLLOWERS 43% gROwTH IN ThE PAST yEAR

58,886 FACEbOOk FANS 99% gROwTH IN ThE PAST yEAR

124,030TICkETS SOLD$18M

TURNOVER144 EVENTS

WERE63OF WhICh

FREE


audience profile

03

Parra Opening Party, photo Jamie Williams.

8

15.75%

7.35%

9.15%

12.90%

13.55%

13.25%

11.25%

7.90%

4.55%4.35%

85%

7%

5% 3%SYDNEY 85%

REgIONAL NSw 7%

INTERSTATE 5%

OvERSEAS 3%

< $20,000 4.35%

$20,001 – $40,000 4.55%

$40,001 – $60,000 7.90%

$60,001 – $80,000 11.25%

$80,001 – $100,000 13.25%

$100,001 – $125,000 13.55%

$125,001 – $150,000 12.90%

$150,001 – $175,000 9.15%

$175,001 – $200,000 7.35%

> $200,000 15.75%

HOUSEHOLD INCOME

vISITOR ORIgINSydney Festival and Destination nSw conducted a visitor survey across a number of events, both free and ticketed at the 2014 Festival. The survey was undertaken online and face-to-face, yielding more than 5,600 responses.Continuing a longstanding trend, Sydney Festival attracts a broad audience across free and ticketed events, covering all age and income brackets. Patrons aged 25–44 are most strongly represented, with 45–54 year olds following closely. 85% of attendees said they live in Sydney (predominantly in the city and inner South), with 15% visiting from further afield.

Factors influencing attendance at Sydney Festival events include the breadth and quality of programming, our new Festival village and the weather conditions.

25%

20%

15%

10%

5%

0AgE gROUP

15–2

4

25–3

4

35–4

4

45–5

4

55–6

4

65–7

4

AgE BRACkET

8.45%

24.10%23.45%

19.80%

15.75%

8.45%


2014 ARTISTIC FOCUS

04

10

OPERA AND CLASSICAL MUSIC

Sydney audiences warmly welcomed the return of opera and classical music to the Festival program in 2014. The visually splendid and somewhat contentious rendition of Henry Purcell’s Dido & Aeneas by Sasha Waltz & Guests was a majestic reworking of the opera, opening with dancers diving into an enormous aquarium on stage. Bound to attract attention and debate, it featured the exquisite baroque orchestra Akadamie für Alte Musik Berlin and Vocalconsort Berlin.

The Festival exclusively presented two concerts of the final Australian tour of The Hilliard Ensemble – one of the world’s most distinguished vocal chamber groups who have worked together for 40 years. Sydney audiences were delighted by a program of best-loved works, encompassing the sacred and the secular, and another program that included new works by Gavin Bryars and Nico Muhly – performed with Melbourne-based Renaissance music specialists Consort Eclectus.

Also in our classical music program, The Apollo Ensemble from the Netherlands performed rare treasures from the Jewish Baroque repertory live in the extraordinary heritage setting of The Great Synagogue; Sydney Chamber Opera premiered His Music Burns, a double bill of contemporary masterpieces by György Kurtág and George Benjamin at Carriageworks, and Akadamie für Alte Musik Berlin performed a sell-out concert at the City Recital Hall.

Finally, Symphony in The Domain was a triumph, with Simone Young conducting Sydney Symphony Orchestra and VOX Voices of Sydney Philharmonia Choirs performing Gustav Holst’s stunning orchestral suite The Planets, an astrological journey through the solar system. It featured John Bell reading from various Shakespearian plays.

Dido & Aeneas, photo Jamie Williams.

“SAShA WALTz’S EXPLOSIVELy IMAgINATIVE, DELIghTFULLy PLAyFUL PRODUCTION IS ROOTED IN DANCE AND ThE ALLEgORIES OF OUR OWN AgE. ShAPED by PRODUCTION PRACTICES OF MODERN ChOREOgRAPhy, ITS IMAgES SWIRL AND SURgE AS ThOUgh RECOVERED FROM A DREAM…”

PETER McCALLUM, THE SYDNEY MORNINg HERALD, 17 JANUARY 2014

11sydney festival 2014 annual review

Clockwise from top left: LIMBO, Festival village, photos Prudence upton; Ben Caplan, lady rizo, photos Jamie williams; Scotch and Soda, photo Prudence upton.

in the heart of Hyde Park, our new hub is an oasis of eats, beats and other treats. a mix of free and ticketed events for all ages at all hours, the village built on the successes of the longstanding Festival Garden and trebled in size, capacity and program. Performances appealing to a range of target audiences rolled out across the 600-seat Spiegeltent, the 300-seat Circus ronaldo Tent, the rekorderlig Gazebo, the City of Sydney lawn library, the fabulous Jeremy Deller installation Sacrilege, the Bandstand, Folk in a Box and many more.

Families flocked to the hub from morning to dusk to participate in free events including workshops, storytelling and games, or to have a bounce on Sacrilege. There were plenty of food options including a healthy selection of meals from Food Society and the specially crafted sculptural treats from Gelato Messina.

From dusk through to the wee hours of each morning, thousands of Sydneysiders enjoyed the convivial atmosphere of outdoor music, a quiet drink over dinner in the park, and a circus, cabaret or music event to remember.

FESTIvAL vILLAgE

“ThE FESTIVAL VILLAgE IS A FUN PARk FILLED WITh SURPRISES FOR ALL AgES”

THE SYDNEY MORNINg HERALD, 26 OCTOBER 2013


Pictured from top left to lower right: The Piper, photo Jamie williams; La Voix Humaine, FORKLIFT, All That Fall, photos Prudence upton; His Music Burns, photo louis Dillon-Savage; The Shadow King, Am I, photo Prudence upton; Apollo Ensemble, photo Jamie williams; LIMBO, photo Prudence upton; Black Diggers, photo Jamie williams.

NEw AUSTRALIAN THEATRE AND DANCE as well as presenting ambitious international dance and theatre works from companies including Toneelgroep amsterdam, The arches, Pan Pan Theatre and Kassys, Sydney Festival 2014 premiered a diverse range of new australian works.

To mark the eve of the centenary of the First world war, Sydney Festival collaborated with Queensland Theatre Company to produce Black Diggers at Sydney Opera House. Directed by wesley enoch and written by Tom wright, Black Diggers uncovered the contribution of First world war indigenous diggers, following their exceptional stories from their homelands to the battlefields of Gallipoli, Palestine and Flanders. Playing to full houses across the season, this new work generated enormous media attention and national interest.

Sydney Festival also collaborated with other major australian festivals to co-commission two critically acclaimed works: Shaun Parker & Company’s Am I, a collaboration between choreographer Shaun Parker and composer nick wales who created a compelling cult-like world with striking visuals and evocative sound; and Malthouse Theatre’s The Shadow King co-created by Tom e. lewis and Michael Kantor, a majestic reworking of Shakespeare’s King Lear speaking to the history and current circumstances of indigenous australia.

Other new works included the international collaboration between australian and uS producers, Band of Magicians at riverside Parramatta; My Darling Patricia’s evocative children’s theatre work The Piper; Performance 4a and Griffin Theatre Company’s combination of storytelling installation and great food in The Serpent’s Table; KaGe’s FORKLIFT; Sydney Chamber Opera’s His Music Burns; the dynamic, cross-cultural collaboration between lingalayam Dance Company and Taikoz in Chi Udaka; Karen Therese’s FUNPARK; and Belvoir and post’s Oedipus Schmoedipus.

“ThE STORIES OF ThE bLACk DIggERS... ARE FASCINATINg AND REVELATORy... AS ThE DEAD AND FORgOTTEN ARE MOURNED, TWO WORLDS hAVE, SLIghTLy UNEASILy, COME TOgEThER.”

JOHN McCALLUM, THE AUSTRALIAN, 20 JANUARY 2014

14

PUBLIC ART Major public artworks were a focus of the 2014 Festival, attracting large audiences to different sites in the city, transforming everyday spaces and engaging wide audiences in playful, interactive experiences. Jeremy Deller’s Sacrilege, an irreverent makeover of Stonehenge as a life-size bouncy castle transformed the northern end of Hyde Park in architectural juxtaposition with the gothic splendour of St Mary’s Cathedral. attracting thousands of people per day, Sacrilege was free to all and worked as a gateway to the Festival village located in the same precinct.

at Darling Harbour, a perspective-skewing interactive installation by argentinian artist leandro erlich delighted audiences with its invitation to defy gravity. Merchants Store looked like an ordinary 19th-century Sydney building from afar, until you saw people dangling from the windows, climbing up the walls and crawling over the roof. with a precisely positioned mirror and a building facade that’s actually a floor, audiences posted a flurry of selfies with a difference.

responding to the architecture and scale of Carriageworks, Christian Boltanski’s installation Chance invited audiences to witness lives unfolding, following the rhythm of births and deaths across the globe and to explore the idea that all human life is the result of chance.

Florentijn Hofman’s giant Rubber Duck made a return appearance, this time bobbing on Parramatta river in Parramatta Park.

Kaldor Public art Projects presented a trio of exquisite participatory works by Slovakian artist roman Ondák at Parramatta Town Hall, and artspace presented the interactive time-bending work The Very Near Future by Sydney media artist alex Davies.

This page, left to right:Chance by Christian Boltanski, Merchants Store by leandro erlich, photo Jamie williams; Sacrilege by Jeremy Deller.

Opposite page: Ockham’s Razor, photo Prudence upton.

“(SACRILEgE IS)...ThAT SPECIAL COMbINATION OF FACTORS ThAT FILLS gROWN ADULTS WITh ChILDLIkE gLEE AND SMALL ChILDREN WITh... ThEIR REgULAR gLEE.”

RIMA SABINA AOUF, CONCRETE PLAYgROUND, 20 JANUARY 2014

16

FAMILY PROgRAMS 2014 saw a renewed focus on family programming. The Festival Village provided the perfect context for family shows and workshops during the day and early evening. Circus Ronaldo, a renowned Belgian circus family, brought us La Cucina dell’Arte, a masterful blend of slapstick, circus and theatre that turned their tent into a gloriously chaotic pizzeria. This played alongside several Australian works: Tom Flanagan’s choreographed mayhem in his silent movie-esque Kaput; beatboxing virtuoso Tom Thum’s Beating the Habit; and Jens Altheimer’s topsy-turvy puppeteering of a pile of junk in Squaring the Wheel.

Meanwhile Boxwars conducted workshops in making weird and wonderful cardboard creations, the City of Sydney Lawn Library presented workshops and readings and Ali McGregor got the kids dancing to jazzy beats and trashy pop classics in JAzzAMATAzz!

Beyond the Village, we presented a well-received family program in theatre venues across the city. The world’s first magic supergroup, Band of Magicians performed to more than 6,000 people at the Riverside Theatre in Parramatta. Chicago Shakespeare Theater and Richard Jordan’s Othello: The Remix played alongside the whimsical aerial acrobatics of UK’s Ockham’s Razor at the Seymour Centre. At Carriageworks, The Piper, My Darling Patricia’s inspired retelling of The Pied Piper captured the imaginations and hearts of many young Sydneysiders.

“ThE PIPER IS …A FORMALLy INVENTIVE AND STIMULATINg PIECE OF ThEATRE.”

JASON BLAkE, THE SYDNEY MORNINg HERALD, 9 JANUARY 2014

17

“ChRIS ThILE FOLLOWED by AMANDA PALMER, I FEEL LIkE I JUST ATE TWO MAIN MEALS. MASSIVE bOWS TO yOU bOTh. WELL bOOkED @SyDNEy_FESTIVAL.”

CAROLINE PEgRAM, 18 JANUARY 2014

MUSIC again live music threaded through much of the programming in 2014. as well as presenting concerts by internationally acclaimed musicians including Chaka Khan, Sun ra arkestra, Matmos, ambrose akinmusire Quintet, Cat Power and Kurt vile – live music was the impetus for many Festival events.

Malian artists amadou and Mariam performed Eclipse – a very special event in total darkness, at the Sydney Town Hall, telling their story mixed in with songs spanning their illustrious back catalogue; Big Star’s Third was a live performance of the band’s legendary album, Sister Lovers, performed with its original string and wind orchestrations with a stunning line-up of guest artists; Mike Patton and lee ranaldo collaborated with local artists ensemble Offspring Xl and The Song Company to perform Hurricane Transcriptions and Laborintus II.

we co-presented with Sydney Opera House: the australian premiere of the new film Visitors by Godfrey reggio, Philip Glass and Jon Kane with the score performed live by Sydney Symphony Orchestra; and the world premiere of Shaun Parker & Company’s AM I with its original composition by nick wales performed live by an astounding array of Sydney-based musicians. also a world premiere, was the screening of Spirit of Akasha, channelling the magic of the ocean through music and film in a celebration of the classic surf movie Morning of the Earth, with a stellar line-up of live musicians.

The village was a hub of great music events presented in the Spiegeltent, the Circus ronaldo Tent, the Bandstand and tiny performance space for one: Folk in a Box. alongside seasons of circus cabaret, LIMBO featuring the live score of Sxip Shirey and Scotch and Soda with the feisty Crusty Suitcase Band, amanda Palmer and lady rizo performed to sold-out crowds. Daily concerts ranged from international funk and soul by lee Fields & The expressions to nomadic tribal jams by Bombino, and from icelandic electronica of Samaris to italian funk disco by australian musician Donny Benét and The Donny Benét Show Band.

2014 also saw a return of Paradiso at Town Hall, our Festival club and terrace bar, presenting eight nights of contemporary music artists ranging from the heartfelt songs of John Grant, to the vibrant Japanese death jazz sound of Soil & Pimp Sessions, and the new wave tango artists Orquesta Tipica Fernandez Fierro.

Clockwise from top left:Cat Power, John Grant, photos Prudence upton; Eclipse, photo Jamie williams; Chris Thile, Chaka Khan, photos Prudence upton; Big Star’s Third, photo Jamie williams.


The Festival’s ongoing partnerships in western Sydney continued to grow in 2014. Over 11,786 people took to the streets and parks of Parramatta for the free Parra Opening Party. The main stage in Prince alfred Park buzzed with international stars such as Ben Caplan, Bella Kalolo and lee Fields. a line-up of local and international DJs and bands kept Church Street dancing from the la Toosh stage while pop-up performances by Zin, Barking Spider, maybe (___) together, waratah Drumcorps, Hot Dub Time Machine, ambrose akinmusire and the ukes of Today surprised and delighted crowds. at the heart of Parra Opening Party 2014 was Boxwars, a rampaging parade of cardboard warriors. For a week before the event, 30 local volunteers worked with the Boxwars team to create a motorcade of cardboard dune buggies and Mad Max-inspired costumes. under the creative direction of rowan Marchingo and with a sound track designed by Bob Scott, the 30 volunteers and performers marched their elaborate creations down Church Street, culminating in a high-energy battle in Prince alfred Park.

Contemporary art was a major part of the 2014 Parramatta program. in collaboration with Kaldor Public art Projects, Sydney Festival presented Project 28: roman Ondák, a major international exhibition at the Parramatta Town Hall. 8,516 people visited the exhibition and extensive public program that included 14 artists’ talks, 11 exhibition tours and nine workshops. in addition to roman Ondák’s exhibition, Florentijn Hofman’s 15 metre-high artwork Rubber Duck amazed visitors in Parramatta Park. in the digital arts sphere, information and Cultural exchange presented a sell-out tour of sacred sites in western Sydney. The Calling was a sonic and digitally curated bus tour visiting the Gallipoli Mosque, St Mark’s anglican Church, Yeshe nyima Tibetan Buddhism Centre and the Murugan Hindu Temple.

at riverside Parramatta the Festival launched a new cabaret venue in the lennox Theatre. Designed by Parramatta local and former Pop Up Parramatta artist Josep Berenguel, this venue hosted a series of sell-out concerts including Bombino, amadou & Marian, Chris Thile, John Murry, edwyn Collins and Orquesta Tipica Fernandez Fierro. in the main theatre, the world premiere of Band of Magicians opened to astonished crowds, as four of the world’s hottest young magicians collaborated for the first time.

PARRAMATTA

Clockwise from top left:Project 28: roman Ondák Measuring the Universe, photo Jamie williams; Parra Opening Party, photo Prudence upton; lee Fields & The expressions, Boxwars, photos Jamie williams; Rubber Duck, photo Prudence upton; Bombino, Parra Opening Party, photos Jamie williams.

20

accessibility05Accessibility is central to the Sydney Festival ethos. It is reflected in the commitment to free events, affordable ticket pricing and geographic reach, with particular reference to the extension of activities to Western Sydney.

22

ATTENDANCE AT FREE EvENTS FESTIVAL VILLAgE * 158,532 SACRILEgE 70,773 MERChANTS STORE 48,401 SUMMER SOUNDS IN ThE DOMAIN 43,080 SyMPhONy IN ThE DOMAIN 25,900 CITy OF SyDNEy LAWN LIbRARy 17,000 Sky TERRACE 16,797 PARRA OPENINg PARTy 11,786 RUbbER DUCk 10,050 PROJECT 28: ROMAN ONDÁk 8,516 bOXWARS 3,450 FUNPARk 1,100 ThE VERy NEAR FUTURE 939 MEET ThE MAkERS 70 * Festival village attendance figures were recorded after 4.30pm only. This is a requirement for the licensee.

AFFORDABLE OPTIONSTo ensure Festival events are accessible to people of all income brackets, the Festival offers a range of free and lower-cost events. This year 63 free events ran across multiple genres, throughout Sydney and Parramatta. Some ticketed performances were also broadcast free-to-air via ABC and FBi Radio. As in previous years, our festival within the Festival, About an Hour, was priced at $35 per ticket throughout, and a number of special community offers were made for individual shows.

Tix for Next to Nix continues to be an important cornerstone of the Festival’s commitment to ticket affordability. Every day, for every show, tickets were available from the Festival Village box office for $25. In 2014, 2,075 tickets were sold as part of Tix for Next to Nix.

Sydney Festival is also committed to delivering affordable options in a range of other ways. In the lead-up to the 2014 Festival, Happy Hour was introduced on Fridays for an hour from 12 noon where tickets were offered online at half price to selected events. We also introduced a new Industry Arts Card for artists and arts workers to access an allocation of $35 tickets to all Festival events.

DISABILITY ACCESSWe welcome all visitors to Sydney Festival events and make every effort to ensure that the program is accessible to all. This principle is not predicated on legislative or regulatory requirements, but rather on the recognition that Sydney Festival is for everyone, regardless of accessibility needs.

We aim to offer the public clear and easily obtained information about accessibility at Festival events. We also work with external organisations and venues to provide the highest possible levels of accessibility.

For patrons with a vision impairment, we continued to offer a braille brochure, tactile tours and audio-described performances (Black Diggers, Dido & Aeneas) as well as a braille program for Amadou and Mariam’s Eclipse. For people with a hearing impairment we provided a Festival audio brochure, open captions on all Festival Thinking videos on our website and a live-captioned performance of Bullet Catch.

Sydney Festival has a Disability Action Plan, available via our website and the Human Rights Commission website.

Rubber Duck, photo Jamie Williams.


sustainability06

24

tHe sUstainaBility fOrUMSydney Festival worked with airbnb, university of Sydney, Fairfax, City of Sydney, Collaborative Consumption, Sydney Business Chamber and Sydney’s own Garage Sale Trail to present the Festival’s third Sustainability Forum at City recital Hall. it was hosted by lauren anderson, Chief Knowledge Officer at Collaborative lab.

The forum provided an enlightening discussion about sustainability and the direction of our ever-changing, fast-paced world, with a focus on collaborative consumption. referring to the shift in consumer values from ownership to access, entire communities and cities around the world are now using network technologies to do more with less by renting, lending, swapping, bartering, gifting and sharing products on a scale never before possible.

Sydney Festival’s vision is to be the most sustainable major performing arts festival in australia.Following a full diagnosis taken by sector specialists in 2012, the Festival set long-term targets to progress towards meeting sustainability goals, which include compliance with the new international standard ISO 20121 Events Sustainability Management Systems.

in May 2012 we nominated a Sustainability Manager and a Sustainability Committee whose focus it was to set and implement a range of sustainability strategies across all Festival departments.

actiOns in 2014 inclUded:• promotion of more sustainable transport

options to Sydney Festival patrons through the provision of bike racks, and encouraging the use of public transport, cycling or carpooling

• waste reduction through the use of recycled materials, including the compulsory use of compostable and recyclable food service ware by Festival caterers, provision of reusable cups at Festival bars, use of recycled paper at the Festival office, refillable water bottles and water stations

• recycling of materials including Festival signage, cooking oil from Festival venues, use of a worm farm at the Festival village and harvesting of rainwater from The Domain stage canopy for use in the royal Botanic Gardens

• printing on sustainably sourced paper stock with printers that meet independently assessed performance measures.

Opposite page: Sustainability Forum, photo ernest Fratczak.

This page clockwise from top: Sustainability Forum, Green Villages: Grow Food in Small Spaces workshop in the Festival village, City of Sydney bicycle parking, photos ernest Fratczak.


INDIgENOUS ART AND CULTURE hAS ALWAyS hELD A SPECIAL PLACE WIThIN ThE SyDNEy FESTIVAL PROgRAM. OVER ThE yEARS, ThE FESTIVAL hAS CELEbRATED AND PROFILED ThE TALENTS OF RESPECTED ARTISTS, LEADERS AND COMPANIES.

Reconciliationaction Plan

07

26

In July 2013, Sydney Festival launched its first Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP). 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.

We do this by committing to: respect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and cultures; offer employment opportunities to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people; offer development and presentation opportunities to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists and arts workers; and build cultural awareness and understanding among our staff, stakeholders and audiences of the diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stories.

The Sydney Festival RAP Working Group, led by the Executive Director, is made up of eight members of staff representing each Festival department. The Working Group meets quarterly and consults with our Indigenous business and arts partners regularly for guidance and advice. Our current RAP is focused on promoting employment opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples across all areas of the Festival.

Indigenous art and culture has always held a special place within the Sydney Festival program. Over the years, the Festival has celebrated and profiled the talents of respected artists, leaders and companies. As we develop ideas, the Festival consults with local organisations such as Sydney’s Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council, the City of Sydney Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Group and specific project-based reference groups.

In 2014, we were proud to initiate, co-commission and produce Black Diggers in close collaboration with Queensland Theatre Company. This included building relationships and setting up an Indigenous Reference Group with individuals and representatives from groups such as the Babana Men’s Group, the Indigenous Liaison Officers at the Australian War Memorial, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Veterans and Services Association, individual returned service men, historians and others.

The Festival presented the work over 10 days for an audience of more than 5,000 people including free and discounted community tickets to ensure Indigenous audiences were able to experience the work. We also presented a free talk featuring Wesley Enoch, Dr Jackie Huggins AM FAHA and Gary Oakley.

Further to this, the Festival was thrilled to present The Shadow King with its all-Indigenous cast including Tom E. Lewis, Jimi Bani, Jada Alberts, Selwyn Burns, Frances Djulibing, Rarriwuy Hick, Damion Hunter, Kamahi Djordon King, Natasha Wanganeen and Bart Willoughby.

Indigenous artists were also integrated into many other Festival programs including: as part of About an Hour we presented Marrugeku’s Gudirr Gudirr, a solo dance piece by Dalisa Pigram with visuals by Vernon Ah Kee; City of Sydney’s Lawn Library in the Festival Village featured workshops and storytelling by Matt Doyle; and both Domain concerts featured projections of Daniel Boyd’s exquisite History is Made at Night.

In 2014, we employed two Indigenous interns and other contractors in administration. The Music Programming Internship, supported by APRA’s Song Cycles Program was taken up by Thalia Skopellos and the Programming Intern (Theatre and Dance) position, supported by Arts NSW was held by Louana Sainsbury. We were delighted to welcome back a previous Indigenous intern, Leah Flanagan, as a receptionist during the period of the Festival.

Black Diggers, photo Jamie Williams.


MARkETINg AND ADvERTISINgBrandingThe 2014 Festival built on the original design concept which had a strong focus on our strapline “This is our city in summer”. This year’s design injected colour and movement with the addition of four Festival characters who appeared across all campaign collateral and venue signage.

tHe caMPaignThe 2014 Festival’s marketing, communications and digital campaign ran for almost six months with an early announcement, in collaboration with Destination nSw, of Sasha waltz & Guests’ Dido & Aeneas on 8 august 2013. Sydney Festival’s Parramatta program was announced on 22 October and the full Festival program was launched on 23 October.

Printed cOllateral and distriBUtiOn200,000 copies of the main Festival brochure were printed. a further 450,000 pieces of print collateral were produced, including brochures for the Parramatta program, themed collateral and event-specific leaflets and posters. The main Festival brochure was distributed via Sydney Festival’s postal database, Festival venues, information booths and at targeted locations across the city. additional print was distributed through targeted channels, peer-to-peer activity and to Festival audiences in January.

Fairfax Media became Sydney Festival’s media partner in 2014 and produced a special Festival supplement which was inserted into The Sydney Morning Herald (with a distribution of 250,000 copies) the week Festival tickets went on sale.

marketing, communications & digital strategy

08

28

Opposite page: Sydney Festival brochure, photo Jamie williams.

This page, clockwise from top: Sydney Festival 2014 Program launch, photo Jamie williams; Sydney Festival flags; Sydney Festival brochures; Festival attendees reading Festival village flyers, photo Jamie williams.


Press advertising•national newspaper:

The Weekend Australian.

•Major metropolitan newspapers: The Sydney Morning Herald, The Sun Herald, The Daily Telegraph, The Sunday Telegraph and MX.

•local newspapers: The Manly Daily, Rouse Hill Stanhope Garden News, Parramatta Holroyd Sun, St Marys Mt Druitt Star, Hills News and Blacktown Sun.

•specialty street press: The Music, The Brag, Cult, SX Weekly, Blaze, Gay Summer Guide, Melbourne Community Voice, Queensland Pride, Feast Festival Magazine, Australian New Express Daily and Indian Link.

•Magazines: Art and Australia, Dance Australia, Limelight Magazine, The Monthly, RealTime, Radius Magazine, Sneaky Magazine and Sydney Alumni Magazine.

tv, radiO, cineMa advertising and PrOMOtiOns•tv: Channel 7, 7mate, Channel v, MaX

and STuDiO Tv.

•radio: aBC 702, aBC radio national, aBC Classic FM, FBi radio, Fine Music, Smooth FM and indian link.

•cinema: Palace Cinemas.

Online advertising •Online display advertising: The Sydney

Morning Herald, Concrete Playground, The Monthly (Shortlist), artsHub, Kidspot, Dance australia, Gay news network newsletter, inthemix, The Music, Fine Music and indian link.

•google adwords: we ran our largest ever Google adwords campaign between august and January to promote individual shows as well as e-news sign-ups, gift vouchers and to generate Festival awareness.

•facebook advertising: 87 campaigns to targeted audiences.

Media and MarKeting PartnersHiPsSydney Festival benefited greatly from a range of media partnerships with:

• aBC• adshel• aPn Outdoor • Empire Magazine• evolution Publishing (lGBTQi Community)• executive Channel• Fairfax Media• FBi radio• Fine Music (radio)• Foxtel (Channel v and Max)• New Express Daily (Chinese Community)• rova Media• STuDiO Tv• Time Out Sydney.

lieven Bertels speaking at the Festival village launch, Hyde Park, photo Jamie williams.

30

BOOK BEFORE 23 OCT to save 10% aND ReCeIve a CoMPLIMeNtaRY GLass oF MoËt & ChaNDoN* oN the DeCk at the staR eveNt CeNtRe beFoRe oR aFteR the show. *dRinK vOuChERs will aRRivE wiTh yOuR TiCKETs.

SASHA WALTZ & GUESTS

didO & aEnEas

sydnEy lyRiC aT ThE sTaR16–21 JaNuaRYtICkets $85–$199

On salE nOwTiCKETmasTER 1300 723 038sydnEyFEsTival.ORg.au/didO

Full FEsTival PROgRam annOunCEd 23 OCTOBER

Only in sydnEy!

gREaT TiCKET &

aCCOmmOdaTiOn

dEals availaBlE

PARADISO AT TOWN HALL

Modular:Juan atkins MoveMent / roland tings Wordlife / softWar 17 January

Kurt Vile & the ViolatorsFBi NiGht22 January

Future ClassiC:JaCques renault Medlar touCh sensitive Wave raCer24 January

Soil & “PimP” SeSSionS25 January

SyDneyfeStIvAl.ORg.Au | 1300 856 876

16–25 JANUARY | SYDNEY TOWN HALL | 18+ vENUE

John Grant+ John Murry 16 January

Orquesta tipica Fernandez FierrO 18 January

Mick Harveyintoxicated Man19 January

GeorGia anne Muldrow & dudley Perkinswith dJ roMes 23 January

SOLD OUT

Pictured: Am I, Shaun Parker & Company, Sydney Opera House, 9–12 JanuaryPhoto: Michelle Aboud

TICKETS ON SALE NOW!SYDNEYFESTIVAL.ORG.AUSAVE UP TO 15% WITH A MULTIPACK

WORLD PREMIERE

BAND OF MAGICIANSSYDNEYFESTIVAL.ORG.AUSYDNEY FESTIVAL 1300 856 876|

| 02 8839 3399RIVERSIDE THEATRES

JUSTIN FLOM | JAMES GALEA | NATE STANIFORTH | JUSTIN WILLMAN

THE FACES OF MODERN-DAY MAGIC COME TOGETHERTO CREATE A SHOW THAT’S LOADED WITH MIND-BOGGLINGILLUSIONS AND DAZZLING DECEPTIONS.

RIVERSIDE THEATRES9–19 JANUARyTICKETS FROM $55FAMILy TICKET $180(2 ADULTS & 2 CHILDREN)

SUITABLE 7yRS+

A soft treAd, jAmes gAleA &BArBArA meyer production.

VISITORS

“A BOLD, BEAUTIFUL, UNIQUELY MOVING CINEMATIC EXEPERIENCE” STEVEN SODERBERGH

FROM THE MAKERS OF KOYAANISQATSI

BOOK TICKETS I SYDNEYFESTIVAL.ORG.AU I 1300 856 876

PRESENTED BY SYDNEY FESTIVAL AND SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE

A FILM BY GODFREY REGGIO, PHILIP GLASS AND JON KANE WITH SYDNEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA USA/AUSTRALIA | AUSTRALIAN PREMIERE

A live presentation in association with Columbia Artists Management LLC PHOT

O: S

TILL

FRO

M G

ODFR

EY R

EGGI

O’S

VISI

TORS

. COU

RTES

Y OF

CIN

EDIG

M

23 & 24 JANUARY AT 8PMSYDNEY OPERA HOUSETICKETS FROM $55

EVEREST THEATRE （EVEREST劇院）SEYMOUR CENTRE （西摩中心）1月22日至24日晚8點1月25日下午2點及晚8點$42/$38悉尼藝術節 1300 856876西摩中心 0293517940sydneyfestival.org.au/lao

陝西方言演出，配有中文及英文字幕

老腔的傳統來自塵土飛揚的中國西北平原陝西省。被譽為東方古老的搖滾樂，老腔是在爭鬥激烈的皮影戲陪襯下，豪迈粗犷充滿生命張力的民間音樂。

悉尼藝術節和悉尼大學孔子學院呈獻老腔（陝西老調）中國

老腔（陝西老調）

悉尼藝術節和悉尼大學孔子學院呈獻

JOHN GRANT | JOHN MURRY | JUAN ATKINS MOVEMENT | ROLAND TINGS | WORDLIFE SOFTWAR | ORQUESTA TIPICA FERNANDEZ FIERO MICK HARVEY | KURT VILE & THE VIOLATORS GEORGIA ANNE MULDROW & DUDLEY PERKINS DJ ROMES | JAQUES RENAULT | TOUCH SENSITIVE MEDLAR | WAVE RACER | SOIL & “PIMP” SESSIONS

PARADISOAT TOWN HALL

16–25 JANUARY | SYDNEY TOWN HALL | 18+ VENUE SYDNEYFESTIVAL.ORG.AU | 1300 856 876

FRIDAY 10 JANUARY, 6–11PMPARRAMATTA CITY STREETS AND PARKS

PARRAMATTA OPENING PARTYFEATURING:LEE FIELDS & THE EXPRESSIONSHOT DUB TIME MACHINEBELLA KALOLO / BEN CAPLANA MAD MAX-INSPIRED BOXWARS PARADEAND MUCH, MUCH MORE!

IT’S FREENO BYO ALCOHOL, NO GLASS. FOOD AND

BEVERAGES ON SALE THROUGHOUT THE EVENT.LEAVE THE CAR AT HOME, FOR DETAILED PUBLIC TRANSPORT INFORMATION VISIT 131500.COM OR CALL 131500.

SYDNEYFESTIVAL.ORG.AU/POP

BOOK TICKETS | 1300 856 876 | SYDNEYFESTIVAL.ORG.AUSAVE UP TO 15% WITH A FESTIVAL MULTIPACK

THIS IS OUR CITY IN SUMMER

QUEENSLAND THEATRE COMPANY / SYDNEY FESTIVALDIRECTED BY WESLEY ENOCH

WORLD PREMIERE

BLACK DIGGERS

STRUT & FRET, UNDERBELLY PRODUCTIONS AND SOUTHBANK CENTRE | AUSTRALIA

LIMBOMALTHOUSE THEATRE | AUSTRALIA

THE SHADOW KING

A SOFT TREAD, JAMES GALEA AND BARBARA MEYER PRODUCTION | AUSTRALIA/USA

WORLD PREMIERE

BAND OF MAGICIANS

SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE18–26 JANUARY

THE SPIEGELTENT FESTIVAL VILLAGE AT HYDE PARK8–26 JANUARY

CARRIAGEWORKS BAY 1723–26 JANUARY

RIVERSIDE THEATRE10–19 JANUARY

BLACK DIGGERS

A QUEENSLAND THEATRE COMPANY & SYDNEY FESTIVAL PRODUCTION AUSTRALIA

17–26 JANUARYDRAMA THEATRETickets from $62sydneyoperahouse.com02 9250 7777Additional fees may apply

THE UNTOLD STORY OF WWI AbORIgINAL DIggERS ON THE EVE OF THE CENTENARY OF gALLIPOLI.

Phot

o: A

aron

Tai

t

WORLD PREMIERE

TICKETS ON SALE NOW!SYDNEYFESTIVAL.ORG.AUSAVE UP TO 15% WITH A MULTIPACK

Pictured: LIMBO, The Spiegeltent, Festival Village in Hyde Park, 8–26 JanuaryPhoto: David Solm

THIS IS OUR CITY IN SOUND

BUY A MULTIPACK AND SAVETICKETS ON SALE NOW

AMANDA PALMER9-19 JANUARY, 7.30PMTHE SPIEGELTENT

MATMOS15 JANUARY, 8PMCITY RECITAL HALL ANGEL PLACE

TYONDAI BRAXTON

HIVE +CANYONS & DANIEL BOYD

100 MILLION NIGHTS21 JANUARY, 8PMSYDNEY OPERA HOUSE

BIG STAR’S THIRD23 JANUARY, 8PMENMORE THEATRE

SPIRIT OF AKASHA25 JANUARY, 7PMSYDNEY OPERA HOUSE

SYDNEYFESTIVAL.ORG.AU | 1300 856 876

EDWYN COLLINS19 & 21 JANUARY, 5.30PMTHE SPIEGELTENT

THE STAVES22 & 23 JANUARY, 5.30PMTHE SPIEGELTENT

SINKANE24 & 26 JANUARY, 5.30PMTHE SPIEGELTENT

PARADISO AT TOWN HALL

BUY A MULTIPACK AND SAVETICKETS ON SALE NOW

JOHN GRANT+ JOHN MURRY 16 JANUARY

MODULAR:JUAN ATKINS MOVEMENT ROLAND TINGS WORDLIFE SOFTWAR 17 JANUARY

GEORGIA ANNE MULDROW & DUDLEY PERKINSWITH DJ ROMES 23 JANUARY

KURT VILE & THE VIOLATORSFBi NIGHT22 JANUARY

FUTURE CLASSIC:JACQUES RENAULT MEDLAR TOUCH SENSITIVE WAVE RACER24 JANUARY

MICK HARVEYINTOXICATED MAN19 JANUARY

SOIL & “PIMP” SESSIONS25 JANUARY

ORQUESTA TIPICA FERNANDEZ FIERRO 18 JANUARY

SYDNEYFESTIVAL.ORG.AU | 1300 856 876

16–25 JANUARY SYDNEY TOWN HALL18+ VENUE


DiDo & AeneAs

SO FRENCHY SO CHIC IN THE PARK18 January

16–21 January

THIS IS OUR CITY IN SUMMER

FUll pROgRaM laUNCH 23 OcTObErMUlTIpaCk pRESalE 24-27 OcTObErgENERal ON SalE 28 OcTObEr

SYdNEYFESTIval.ORg.aU

PHOT

O: S

O Fr

ENcH

y SO

cHi

c

BOOK BEFORE 23 OCT to save 10% aND ReCeIve a CoMPLIMeNtaRY GLass oF MoËt & ChaNDoN* at skY teRRaCe at the staR eveNt CeNtRe beFoRe oR aFteR the show. *dRinK vOuChERs will aRRivE wiTh yOuR TiCKETs.

a ChOREOgRaphiC OpERa


DiDo & AeneAsausTRalian EXClusivE

Full FEsTival pROgRaM annOunCEd 23 OCTOBER

sydnEy lyRiC aT ThE sTaR16–21 JaNuaRYtICkets $85–$199

On salE nOwTiCKETMasTER 1300 723 038sydnEyFEsTival.ORg.au/didO

What did you think of the show?We’re looking to you to help us build a definitive shortlist of this year’s top Festival Picks to be published in the SMH.

Upload your reviews & photos at smh.com.au/sydfest or share with us using #smhpickthis

FESTIVAL VILLAGE AT HYDE PARK

THE FESTIVAL VILLAGE IS AN OASIS OF EATS, BEATS AND OTHER TREATS.

IT’S THE PERFECT PLACE TO KICK BACK IN THE AFTERNOON SUN OR KICK ON INTO THE BALMY SUMMER NIGHTS.

SYDNEYFESTIVAL.ORG.AU/VILLAGE

FREE PROGRAMPROUDLY MADE POSSIBLE BY

THE SHADOW KINGMALTHOUSE THEATRE AUSTRALIA


ABOUT AN HOURPRESENTED IN ASSOCIATION WITH CARRIAGEWORKS

CARRIAGEWORKS | 16–19 JANUARY

What did you think of the show?We’re looking to you to help us build a definitive shortlist of this year’s top Festival Picks to be published in the SMH.

Upload your reviews & photos at smh.com.au/sydfest or share with us using #smhpickthis


SCOTCH AND SODACOMPANY 2 AND THE CRUSTY SUITCASE BAND AUSTRALIA

THE CRUSTY SUITCASE BAND

The Crusty Suitcase Band makes you itch in your seat, as the instrumentation of clarinet, saxophone, trombone, trumpet, jazz guitar, double bass and drums sets the room alight with the razor sharp horn lines and masterful solos from the backbone of the Sydney jazz underworld. Usually tearing up the dance floor, this outfit – spearheaded by Ben Walsh with Eden Ottignon, Justin Fermino, Matthew Ottingon and Lucian McGuiness – moves into a new direction as it takes to the realm of the theatre. The Crusty Suitcase Band blends Balkan horn lines with hip-hop, funk, jazz, reggae and Ethiopian-infused melodies to make an eclectic musical experience that will stick with you long after last drinks and the doors close.

BEN WALSH Co-Artistic Director, Musical Director & Performer

Ben Walsh is the highly accomplished musician, percussionist, composer and performer behind The Bird, The Orkestra of the Underground, Loop Zero, and with the master percussionist Bobby Singh, Circle of Rhythm and Dha. Ben is also the co-director of – and a performer in – the Tom Tom Crew.

Career highlights include: a nomination for Best Score at the prestigious Green Room Awards, 2007; composing and performing the score for My Bicycle Loves You (Sydney Festival, Perth International Arts Festival), which earned him a Helpmann-Award nomination for Best Musical Direction; and performing the score to Shaun Tan’s The Arrival, with The Orkestra Of The Underground, to a sold-out audience at the Sydney Opera House.

Ben was a member of the Japanese taiko drumming group TaikOz and worked for six years with Ian Cleworth and master drummer Eitetsu Hayashi, extensively training in the Wadaiko drum form.

COMPANY 2

Company 2 is a Brisbane-based multi-disciplinary performing arts company led by Chelsea McGuffin and David Carberry. The collective of artists working under Company 2 are passionate about circus, dance and music. They are dedicated to creating work that engages audiences and pushes boundaries, all while exploring the potential of the magic of circus and live music.

FESTIVAL VILLAGE AT HYDE PARK

THE FESTIVAL VILLAGE IS AN OASIS OF EATS, BEATS AND OTHER TREATS.

IT’S THE PERFECT PLACE TO KICK BACK IN THE AFTERNOON SUN OR KICK ON INTO THE BALMY SUMMER NIGHTS.

SYDNEYFESTIVAL.ORG.AU/VILLAGE

THE SHADOW KINGMALTHOUSE THEATRE Ph

oto:

Rob

ert F

rith,

Art

Dire

ctio

n: C

hase

& G

alle

y

THE GREATEST OF ALL EPICS ABOUT NATION, IS FINALLY AN EPIC ABOUT OUR NATION.

THIS IS OUR CITY INSPIREDSEDUCED ELATED IN SUMMERFE

STIV

ALVI

LLAG

EIN

HYD

E PAR

K

THIS IS OUR CITY EXCITED EnCHanTED UPLIFTED In SUMMERFa

MILY

Imag

e: J

oshu

a M

orris

THIS IS OUR CITY TUNING INPRESSING PLAY TAKING OFF IN SUMMER

MUS

ICIm

age:

Zol

tan

Blaz

er

cOntent distriBUtiOn and BrOadcast•aBc classic fM: Hilliard ensemble

(two concerts), Chris Thile and akademie für alte Musik Berlin.

•aBc radio national: Bombino, Colin Stetson, Orquesta Tipica Fernandez Fierro and the Sustainability Forum.

•fBi radio: John Grant + John Murry, Matmos and Samaris.

OUtdOOr advertising and signage• 635 street flags in the City of Sydney,

Darling Harbour and Parramatta.

•428 weeks (equiv) of aPn Outdoor digital and static advertising across Sydney, Parramatta, Canberra and Melbourne sites.

•134 weeks (equiv) of adshel street furniture and digital advertising sites across Sydney and Canberra.

•Two external supersites, digital displays and welcome banners at Sydney airport.

•1,347 weeks (equiv) of rova Media taxi backs in Sydney, Canberra and Brisbane.

•executive Channel digital foyer advertising in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney.

• information columns in Sydney CBD, The rocks and Parramatta.

This page: Festival village program towers in Hyde Park; Parramatta Town Hall; Black Diggers screen at Sydney Opera House; Festival village aPn outdoor advertisement, enmore.

Opposite page clockwise from top: Dido & Aeneas advertising in Flinders Street, Melbourne, photo aPn; Spirit of Akasha exhibition, Sydney Opera House Concert Hall foyer; Festival village triffid, Town Hall; aPn outdoor advertising, Darlinghurst; accor staff and screens; Jukebox at Sydney Festival 2014 Program launch; adshel advertising screen, wynard Station; Festival Village information stand, St James Station; Big Star’s Third advertising, TiTle Surry Hills; Parramatta triffid, photo ernest Fratczak.

32

DIgITAL STRATEgYSydney Festival has continued to develop its digital activities in 2014, with partners across various sectors integrating their campaigns.

sydney festival MOBile WeBsite and aPP fOr iPHOnein 2014, one in three visits to the Sydney Festival website was via a smartphone, rising to 39% of all web traffic during the Festival. as well as developments to the mobile-optimised website to ensure quick navigation and relevant content, a heavy emphasis was placed on developing a mobile-optimised ticket buying experience.

The Festival also updated its app for iPhone. as well as event information and lists of hotels and restaurants, the app’s functionality included daily ticket deals, an interactive map with geo-location capabilities and an integrated Festival planner.

kEY STATISTICS 1,101,115 VISITS TO ThE WEbSITE (23 OCT–26 JAN)

4,733,373 PAgE VIEWS (23 OCT–26 JAN)

47% OF WEb TRAFFIC CAME VIA MObILE AND TAbLET DEVICES, WITh MObILE ALONE ACCOUNTINg FOR 39% OF WEb TRAFFIC IN JANUARy.

19% OF WEb TRAFFIC CAME FROM OUTSIDE SyDNEy

6,554 #SyDFEST hAShTAggED TWEETS (JANUARy)

5,496 TWEETS MENTIONINg @SyDNEy_FESTIVAL (JANUARy)

6,468 #SyDFEST hAShTAggED INSTAgRAMS (JANUARy)

73,797 E-NEWS SUbSCRIbERS

50,486 TWITTER FOLLOWERS (43% gROWTh IN ThE PAST yEAR)

58,778 FACEbOOk FANS (99% gROWTh IN ThE PAST yEAR)

8,088 INSTAgRAM FOLLOWERS (91% gROWTh IN ThE PAST yEAR)

sOcial MediaSocial media continues to be a key aspect of Sydney Festival’s digital strategy, providing a number of real-time customer service and engagement platforms. 2014 saw our instagram and Facebook communities double, as well as a 43% growth in Twitter followers.

a campaign to promote the use of the #sydfest hashtag saw it printed on ticket stock, t-shirts, bathroom doors and mirrors, as well as outdoor signage.

Many 2014 Festival artists embraced sharing Festival experiences with their online audiences, most notably amanda Palmer, lady rizo and performers from Band of Magicians and Folk in a Box.

Partners also embraced the Festival on social media with City of Sydney and Destination nSw’s Chief Funster leading the way with their coverage. Tourism australia also shared two images of the rubber Duck in Parramatta via their hugely popular instagram account.

The university of Sydney developed an online Festival Hub, featuring unique video content and student reviews, as well as Twitter and instagram aggregation. The Sydney Morning Herald also featured an aggregated Twitter feed and audience reviews on their site.

This page and opposite page: 2014 Festival social media screen grabs.

34

Printnational and local print media remained extremely interested in Sydney Festival, with 643 articles in the national press including major daily newspapers, monthly magazines, free street press, regional and local newspapers, and specialist publications.

as in 2013, The Sydney Morning Herald was the leading publication with 103 articles printed from October to January, with additional coverage and extended reviews hosted on their website and syndicated nationally across Fairfax mastheads.

Time Out Sydney was a major supporter of Sydney Festival, with 16 major features and mentions in its December–January issue alongside further interviews, event listings and reviews online.

local street press titles The Brag and The Music each printed special Sydney Festival editions with exclusive covers and considerable coverage, as well as reviewing and photographing events during the Festival.

PUBLICITYSydney Festival 2014 attracted extensive press coverage in australia and around the world. a total of 5,042 Festival-related reports ran across print, online, television and radio.The publicity campaign began in July 2013 with the announcement of Sydney Festival’s reconciliation action Plan and the Festival’s new principal partner, The Star.

The Festival launched its centrepiece show, Dido & Aeneas, in advance of the main program, to allow early promotion of the event to overseas and interstate markets. a morning tea launch event hosted by Destination nSw with invited guests across government, industry and media was well attended and generated considerable early interest in Sydney Festival ahead of the main three-month campaign which commenced late October.

OnlineOnline media produced the most coverage of Sydney Festival with 2,005 reports captured by media monitors (and many more outside of this).

Coverage included a new partnership with The Guardian australia who sent visiting journalists to Sydney to generate 76 podcasts, interviews and reviews. artsHub, Time Out Sydney, The Conversation, Concrete Playground and The au review were also particularly supportive of Sydney Festival.

36

radiOradio continued to be an important vehicle for promoting the Festival with 755 reports captured by media monitoring, along with countless mentions on community radio stations which are not included in these figures.

702 aBC Sydney was the top performer as usual, with 52 interviews including 12 live in-studio performances, and a total of 133 reports across the station. interviews, live performances, guest present segments, reviews and mentions were spread across radio national, aBC Classic FM, triple j, aBC Dig radio, 2ue Sydney, 2GB radio, SBS languages, Koori radio, 2Ser radio, FBi radio and other community stations.

televisiOn in 2014, television coverage increased significantly, with a total of 1,639 local and syndicated reports, compared to 1,048 in 2013.

aBC news and commercial television stations responded well to the Festival village and the free, family-oriented program, with 22 weather crosses to Sydney Festival sites and seven breakfast and morning television interviews with Sydney Festival artists.

Sydney Festival coverage on aBC, SBS and commercial news stations was also considerable, including anne Maria nicholson’s news documentary feature on Black Diggers, which was syndicated widely across aBC platforms.

SBS Studio’s Festival Tv continued to have a valuable impact, filming 16 Festival shows and installations which were shared as mini-episodes online and packaged into three half-hour shows, which aired on Foxtel throughout January.

Oposite page: amanda Palmer, Festival village Media Call, photo Prudence upton.

This page clockwise from top left: Pr newswire Festival moment, Times Square new York, photo Pr newswire; liMBO cast, Festival village media call, photo Prudence upton; John Murry at 702 aBC Sydney, photo Julia lenton.

kEY RESULTS5,042 FeSTival-relaTeD arTiCleS aCrOSS PrinT, Online, raDiO anD TeleviSiOn

105,896,351 aCCuMulaTeD auDienCe/CirCulaTiOn

$17,567,065 in auSTralian aDverTiSinG SPaCe raTe value

Pr neWsWireBuilding on the success of previous years, Sydney Festival once again used Pr newswire, an international online distribution service, to target media outlets in the uSa, uK and asia. The custom-built portal for Sydney Festival allowed international media to gain access to releases, pictures and videos. in 2014, there were 79,334 unique visits and 17,160 unique page visits to the micro-site. Online views of Festival videos more than doubled from 38,448 in 2013 to 79,334 this year.

Pr newswire also posted a Festival image on their electronic billboard in new York’s Times Square during peak hour for one week in January.


PartnershiP highlights

09

38

THE STARWe welcomed The Star as Principal Sponsor for a four-year term (2014–2017). This partnership demonstrates The Star’s commitment to Sydney and provides the opportunity to showcase the wide range of services, from restaurants to bars, clubs and retail, to Festival patrons.

In 2014 this included a new Festival venue Sky Terrace, offering sweeping views west towards the Sydney Harbour Bridge, with an eclectic program of entertainment programmed by Sydney Festival. The Star hosted a number of major events from networking drinks to the Opening Night Party, in addition to providing wonderful hospitality in The Domain associated with The Domain concerts.

NEw PARTNERSIn addition to The Star, 2014 also saw many new partnerships. This included mobile devices manufacturer Huawei, luxury car brand Audi, leading accommodation provider Accor, Australia’s preeminent car service provider NRMA, global brand AussieBum, as well as international accommodation platform, Airbnb.

We also entered into new partnerships with Fairfax Media, Channel 7, Indian Link and Adshel. These partnerships significantly added to the wide range of media coverage and marketing promotions Sydney Festival attracted.

zip Industries continued its sponsorship of the Festival at the Distinguished Partner level, providing Festival audiences with sustaining and refreshing water at Festival events in The Domain and Hyde Park and showcasing its HydroTap.

Sydney Festival would like to thank our generous, loyal and hardworking partners.Each partnership is tailored to the needs of the partner, responding to the key business and communication objectives. We provide all partners with the opportunity to create unique campaigns that connect with the Festival’s loyal and engaged audience members.

Summer Sounds in The Domain, photo Daniel Boud.


PRINCIPAL PARTNERSarts nsWas one of the founding partners in 1977, arts nSw has been instrumental in Sydney Festival’s ongoing success. The relationship involved significant core funding as well as some specific project funding such as Black Diggers.

additionally arts nSw’s support of many performing arts companies and venues, while indirect, is highly beneficial to the Festival.

city Of sydney along with arts nSw, the City of Sydney was a founding partner of the Festival in 1977. in 2014 their support of the Festival was enhanced with activations including free bicycle parking, outdoor library experiences and assistance with the Festival’s sustainably forum.

LEADERSHIP PARTNERS cHina sOUtHern airlinesChina Southern airlines celebrated its third year of sponsorship of Sydney Festival. The sponsorship saw China Southern as the Festival’s Official airline Partner. The partnership involved a highly successful alignment with The Domain concert series and Dido & Aeneas.

University Of sydney The university of Sydney continued its leadership Partnership with the Festival providing access to university venues, the Seymour Centre and The Great Hall, producing and hosting video content (Festival Thinking series) that provided an academic analysis of key Festival productions. The university also hosted Festival content on a specially created micro-site.

ParraMatta cOUncilThis was the third year of an expanded Parramatta program featuring a range of international exclusives. The investment in the program helped provide programming across a 10-day celebration. The investment is matched with specific support from the nSw Government with the aim to enhance Parramatta’s position as the geographic centre of Sydney and the third biggest economic zone in australia.

The broad program included free outdoor events encouraging family attendance, large free public installations, an eclectic music program in the lennox Theatre at riverside Parramatta as well as the popular magic supergroup Band of Magicians at the riverside Theatre, which drew audiences from across Sydney and further afield.

destinatiOn nsWDestination nSw supported Festival productions which were ‘Only in Sydney’, to attract visitation to our city. These productions included Dido & Aeneas, akadamie für alte Musik Berlin, apollo ensemble, Hilliard ensemble, Hurricane Transcriptions, Merchants Store, Eclipse and La Voix Humaine.

in addition, Destination nSw promoted the Festival though its extensive marketing campaign promoting Sydney and nSw in summer to various key markets in both digital and traditional media planning.

FAST FESTIvAL FEASTSnow in its 14th year, the Fast Festival Feasts program saw thousands of Festival-goers take advantage of pre-theatre meal deals at our partner restaurants. The program included 30 restaurants in the Sydney CBD, inner west and Parramatta areas. Supported by an extensive marketing campaign across print and digital platforms, the Fast Festival Feasts program, supported by Time Out Sydney, continues to be a huge success.

“#SyDFEST bEAUTIFUL MOMENT AT LAWN LIbRARy WhEN A yOUNg gIRL SAID ‘MUM, hAVE yOU gOT yOUR LIbRARy CARD? I LOVE ThIS bOOk!’ #FREEbOOkS.”

ELISSA BLAkE, JOURNALIST, 21 JANUARY 2014

Clockwise from top left: The Star signage activation; anZ activation, The Domain; Yellowtail activation, Festival village; Ferrython; City of Sydney lawn library; rekorderlig in the Festival village; audi activation, Festival village; Zip Hydrotap water station; Sol in the Terrace Bar, Paradiso at Town Hall; Huawei, Festival village; Festival info booth, Martin Place. all photos ernest Fratczak.

40

philanthropy, donations & VolUntEErs

10

42

Donations at our Free eventsWith the support of Sydney Festival volunteers, attendees to The Domain concerts and the big free inflatable installation Sacrilege were invited to make a donation to Sydney Festival. People making donations were given a sticker to thank them for their donation – I (heart) Sydney Festival.

Corporate partners further encouraged donations by rewarding donors with free giveaways including picnic blankets and water bottles.

associate ProDucersAssociate Producers are one of four levels of Sydney Festival philanthropists. They make an annual contribution of $5,000. Festival Lovers make a contribution of $1,000, Festival Heroes $10,000 and Director’s Circle $20,000. In most cases the contributions are put towards the running of the Festival, but there are some contributions that are directed towards certain projects.

Some examples include:

• oneofourlong-standingsupportersassistedwith the presentation of the Apollo Ensemble in The Great Synagogue

• anothersupportedthepresentationofEclipse at Sydney Town Hall

• manyAssociateProducers,togetherwithThe Balnaves Foundation, supported Black Diggers

• oneoftheseassistedinsubsidisingticketsto the Indigenous community

• anewfamilyfoundationsupportedtheTix for Next to Nix program.

Board Member and Festival Hero, Ashley Dawson-Damerhostedacocktailreception in November for Festival philanthropists and prospective supporters.

Sydney Festival is a registered charity and all donations are tax deductible. Please contact Malcolm Moir, Head of Development, for further information.

We are pleased to see an increase in the support the Festival receives from individuals both in the form of significant philanthropy as well as through smaller donations at our big free events.

Opposite page: Festival volunteers at The Domain, photo Ernest Fratczak.

This page from top: Bev and Uncle Harry Allie, Clover Moore, Peter Moore at the Black Diggers Opening Night function; Lieven Bertels addressing attendees at the Black Diggers Opening Night function, photos Prudence Upton.


vOLUNTEERSa team of 346 volunteers worked across 1,790 shifts from October’s main program launch through to australia Day. with roles ranging from creating artist packs and staffing info booths to collecting donations at our big free events and managing queues at major public artworks, Sydney Festival’s army of volunteers helped make this year’s event possible.

eventeamwork came on board for their second year of managing the Festival’s volunteer program. They did an exceptional job at managing the recruitment and shift scheduling while keeping the team motivated and engaged.

Clockwise from top left: Ticket booth in the Festival village, photo ernest Fratczak; Parra Opening Party, photo Prudence upton; volunteers at Summer Sounds in The Domain, photos ernest Fratczak.

44

sydney festival 2014 annual review

11 SUPPORTERS

PrinciPal sUPPOrters

leadersHiP Partners

MajOr sUPPOrters

star Partners

gOvernMent and cOMMUnity Partners

distingUisHed Partners

STRATEgIC PARTNER

PRINCIPAL gOVERNMENT PARTNER

fOUndatiOnsSydney Festival wishes to acknowledge the following Foundations who have supported us over the last 12 months:

The Martin-weber FamilyThe nelson Meers

Foundation

dOnOrsSydney Festival wishes to thank the following individuals for their generous donations over the last 12 months:

directOr’s circlePresident: Michael Crouch aO

Members:anonymous (1)antoinette albertPeter FreedmanPeter Hunt aMroslyn Packer aOrebel Penfold-russell OaM

festival HerOesanonymous (1)robert albert aO and

libby albertJonathan Blakeman and

Dr Heather worthThe Hon. ashley

Dawson-DamerDr Kathryn lovric and

Dr roger allenDavid Mathlin and

Camilla DroverMatthew and alex MelhuishJohn Messara aMlang walker

assOciate PrOdUcersGillian appletonandrew Cameron aM and

Cathy CameronSusan CarletonJonathan and Judith Cassonros and alex HunyorDr Carolyn lowry OaM and

Peter lowry OaMJulianne MaxwellPenelope Seidler aMvictoria TaylorKim williams aM and

Catherine DoveyPeter Young aM and

Susan Young

festival lOverslieven Bertels and

Mieke lapauwangela BowneCarolyn Crawfordvirginia GordonJennifer HoleJohn Kaldor aM and

naomi Milgrom Kaldor aOadam MaxMary readDr. Jennifer SolomonChristopher TooherTrawalla FoundationSam and Judy weissFiona winning

46

cOrPOrate Partners

PrinciPal Partner

OFFICIAL AIRLINEleadersHiP Partners

sPecial distingUisHed Partners


star Partners

FeSTival lawYerS

Media Partners

restaUrant Partners360 Bar and Diningananas Bar & Brasseriearia restaurantBallaBavarian Bier CaféBlaCK by ezardCafé Mix at Shangri-la

Hotel Sydney

cOntriBUtOrsavant CardBar CocoClifton ProductionsClosed loopCoates HireJoe ButtonMotorola rental DirectPr newswireroses OnlySecure Parking

Cafe Sydney Chefs GalleryChophouseel-PhoenicianFood SocietyGarden BuffetGlass Brasseriela rosa The StrandOpera Kitchen Sydney

star Partners

MajOr sUPPOrter


sPecial distingUisHed Partners

T A X I M E D I A

ALL THINGS INDIAN. IN AUSTRALIA

Puntino TrattoriaQ Diningred lantern on rileySailors ThaiSaké restaurant & BarSokyoSteel Bar and GrillThe Cut Bar & GrillThe Dining room at Park

Hyatt Sydney

The Morrison Bar & Oyster room

The Sydney Mint CaféThe woodsventuno Pizzeria

e ristorante

PrOfessiOnal PartnersHapag lloydPureprofilerDa researchwoolcott research


12special thanks

the following companies and productions acknowledge the support of:

artspaceBelvoir Black Diggersensemble OffspringGriffin Theatre Companyinformation and Cultural

exchangeKaGeKaren Therese and FunParK lingalayamMalthouse TheatreMarrugekuMy Darling PatriciaPerformance SpaceQueensland Theatre CompanyShaun Parker & Company Sydney Chamber OperaSydney SymphonyTaikOz

artspace BelvoirBlack DiggersCarriageworksensemble OffspringGriffin Theatre Companyinformation and Cultural

exchange lingalayamMy Darling PatriciaPerformance SpaceProject 28: roman OndákShaun Parker & Company Sydney Chamber OperaTaikOzall tHat fallarts Council of irelandaM ialexandra and lloyd Martin

Family Foundationalliance Française de Sydney Bankstown arts Centre City of Sydney Creative Practice lab, School

of the arts and Media, unSw

embassy of France in australia Seymour Centre The university of Sydney

BlacK diggersair Chief Marshal angus

Houston, aC, aFC (ret’d)aunty verna Koolmatrieaustralian war Memorialrobyn archerBrisbane FestivalColin wategoDr Jackie Huggins aM FaHaGarth O’ConnellGary Oakleyuncle Harry alliePastor ray MinnieconProfessor lisa Jackson

Pulver aMBUllet catcHCreative ScotlandMade in Scotlandcadavre eXQUisCo Producers: Kunstencentrum vooruit in Gent, Kunstencentrum Buda in Kortrijk, Culturgest in lissabon, Mousonturm in Frankfurt and Zürcher Theaterspektakel Festival in Zürich. Fonds Podiumkunsten and vsbfondsfestival villageCarlos GomesMark HammerfOrKliftarts Centre Melbournearts Promotion Centre FinlandBesen Family FoundationCirKO: Center for new CircusCity of YarraJudith wright Centre of

Contemporary art’s Fresh Ground artist-in-residence initiative, made possible through arts Queensland

Toyota Material Handlingvictorian Government through

arts victoriafUnParKarts radar Bidwill uniting ChurchMount Druitt learning Groundurban neighbours of Hope gUdirr gUdirrCity of Melbourne through

arts Houseles Théâtres de la ville de

luxembourgThe Shire of Broome, western

australiaThe western australian

Department of Culture and the arts

Theater im Pfalzbau, ludwigshafen, Germany

i, MalvOliO Brighton FestivalSingapore arts FestivalOcKHaM’s raZOrarts Council englandTurtle KeyPrOject 28: rOMan OndaKCopyright agency

Cultural FundKaldor Public art Projectsnaomi Milgrom FoundationThe Balnaves FoundationrUBBer dUcKParramatta Park TrustsacrilegeGreater london authorityscOtcH and sOdaarts Queenslandlady Torpedo ProductionsThe Judith wright Centre

for Contemporary artsTop ShelftHe PiPerCarriageworksTerrapin Puppet TheatreCountry arts Sa (varcoe’s

Foundry residency Program)

Creative Practice lab, School of the arts and Media, unSw

The university of Sydney – Department of Performance Studies

Shopfrontarts Centre MelbourneMalthouse TheatretHe sHadOW KingThe Tom Kantor Fund Bell Shakespeare rachael Maza and all at

ilbijerri, Brown’s Mart, Bula’bula arts Centre,

Fleur Parry and Djilpin arts Centre

Kyle Morrison, anousha Zarkesh, rolf de Heer, nigel Jamieson, Josh Bond, Patrice Mazzone, Miranda Tapsell, Trevor Jamieson, uncle Jack Charles, lisa Maza, Melodie reynolds, Josephine ridge, Michael Stevens, Stephen armstrong, Catherine Jones, Jennifer Gulbransen

sydney festival PatrOnHer excellency Professor

Marie Bashir aC CvO, Governor of new South wales

BOard Of directOrsPresidentThe Hon. Barry O’Farrell MP

Premier of new South walescHairClover Moore,

lord Mayor of SydneydirectOrsThe Hon. George Souris MPMonica BaroneSimon CorahMatthew MelhuishSam weissGeoff wilsonalternate directOrsThe Hon. ashley Dawson-

Damer (for The Hon. Barry O’Farrell MP)

Mary Darwell (for The Hon. George Souris MP)

ann Hoban (for Monica Barone)

sydney festival stafffestival directorlieven Bertelsexecutive directorChristopher Tooherfinance and OPeratiOnsHead of finance and Operations Tanya BushaccountantCaroline Brosnan PayrollCarina Misionexecutive assistantrachael Mcnallyexecutive Projects coordinatorFiona Jacksonadministration OfficerJulie Crawfordreceptionistsleah Flanagan Jessica SullivanPrOgraMMingHead of ProgrammingFiona winningProducer, Major Outdoor eventsvernon GuestProgram ManagerDanni ColganProgramming associateadam McGowan

special Projectsloretta BusbyProject ManagerMichelle Kotevski Music coordinatoralicia Kish assistant Music Programmer Marty Doyle Programming coordinatorSam Hawker Program administratorione Davis Music Programming internThalia Skopellostheatre and dance Programming internlouana SainsburyMarKeting and cUstOMer servicesHead of Marketing and customer services Tina walsbergerdeputy Head of MarketingDerek GilchristMarketing coordinatoraimee Huxleydigital Marketing ManagerJulia Thomasdigital Marketing assistantJen MackiePublicity ManagerMary Stielow PublicistsJessica Keirle, Julia lentongraphic designerCamille Manleysignage coordinatorKate williamsticketing and customer services ManagerKatinka van ingenticketing systems coordinator Carmel Mayticketing guest services coordinatorrichard Coxticketing Operations coordinatoralana Hicks ticketing assistantsandrew Dillon ashleigh Garwood develOPMentHead of developmentMalcolm Moir senior sponsorship Manageranna Matthews

sponsorship ManagerBrooke ravenscorporate Partnerships coordinatorJane YouOperations coordinatorJo Horsleydevelopment coordinator – researchJulia Johnstoncorporate Partnerships executiveamalina whitakercorporate PartnershipsCourtney Miller PrOdUctiOnHead of ProductionJohn BayleyProduction ManagerMick Jessopcatering and sustainability ManagerFernando MottiHospitality coordinatorMorgan McKinlayProduction coordinatorsalycia Bangma elise BrokenshaProject coordinator – Parramattawhitney eglingtonProduction assistantrita Khayattransport coordinatornathalie Taylor crewing coordinatoralexandra KennettdOMain staffdomain ManagerTim Packsite ManagerCorey O’Malleydomain coordinatorMalinny ChengelectriciansCraig adamsonian Godfreyfestival design agencyalphabet studiovOlUnteer ManageMenteventeamworktHanK yOUaccessible arts, Cheryl elvey, City of Sydney aboriginal & Torres Strait islander advisory Panel, Jodie Choolburra, John Chase, Matt Jones, Michael abbott, rebecca Bourne-Jones, ricky lyons, uncle Chicka Madden, uncle Max eulo, vision australia.

48

“I hAVE TO SAy, EVEN by My hIgh STANDARDS, ThIS #SyDFEST IS ShAPINg UP AS ThE bEST IN My MEMORy.”

JEz FLETCHER, 14 JANUARY 2014

Festival Village, photo Jamie Williams.

sydney festival 2014 annual review

level 5, 10 Hickson road The rocks nSw 2000 australia

t +61 2 8248 6500 f +61 2 8248 6599 e [email protected] sydneyfestival.org.au

PRINCIPAL CORPORATE PARTNERPRINCIPAL CORPORATE PARTNER

Sydney Festival 2014 Annual Review

Documents

Transcript of Sydney Festival 2014 Annual Review