Darwin Festival Annual Review 2018

2018 ANNUAL REVIEW

DARWINFESTIVAL.ORG.AU

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DARWIN FESTIVAL ANNUAL REVIEW 2018

01.

Festival Park Duane Preston

CONTENTS 2018 AT A GLANCE

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MOST SUCCESSFUL DARWIN FESTIVAL EVER

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OUR AUDIENCE

9

OUR STORY

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FESTIVAL PARK & AURORA SPIEGELTENT

12

40 YEARS OF NORTHERN TERRITORY SELF GOVERNANCE

15

CELEBRATING FIRST NATIONS EXCELLENCE

16

INTERNATIONAL ENGAGEMENT

19

NORTHERN TERRITORY ARTISTS

20

THEATRE & DANCE

22

MUSIC

24

CABARET, CIRCUS & COMEDY

25

VISUAL ARTS

26

FREE, FAMILY & FILM

27

EDUCATION PROGRAM

28

MARKETING & MEDIA

30

PARTNERS

36

ECONOMIC IMPACT

40

SECTOR ENGAGEMENT

42

VOLUNTEERS

46

FRIENDS OF THE FESTIVAL

47

SUSTAINABILITY

48

ACCESSIBILITY

49

FESTIVAL TEAM

50

Darwin Festival takes place on the land of the Larrakia people.

We wish to pay our respects to the traditional custodians of this Country and to their ancestors. As the Festival welcomes contemporary artists and art from around the world, we also celebrate the continuing culture of the Larrakia.

CONTENTS

FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS

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2018 AT A GLANCE

18 228 performances across

31 venues

103 61% tickets sold

average ticket price

2017 36,669

105,178 attendances

DARWIN FESTIVAL ANNUAL REVIEW 2018

(^5,350 attendees on 2017)

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out of 169 ticketed shows

$34.62

ticketed shows sold out

44,191

total sold out performances

2016 20,933

Darwin Festival was delivered by

93 120

employees

volunteers

703 ARTISTS 57%

400 participants Northern Territory

37%

261 participants Interstate

6%

42 participants International

70

corporate partners, foundations and funders

Net Promoter Score

28,659 visitor nights generated

Net Promoter Score (NPS) is a performance index out of 100.

$6.7M visitor expenditure

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Festival Park Duane Preston

2018 AT A GLANCE

77.1

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DARWIN FESTIVAL ANNUAL REVIEW 2018

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“DFest18 was amazing! I felt there was something for everyone – from my 7 year old son to my 67 year old father – we all had a ball”

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Young Hearts Run Free Duane Preston

MOST SUCCESSFUL DARWIN FESTIVAL EVER We are proud to have presented the most artistically and financially successful season ever of Darwin Festival for the people of the Northern Territory.

We further invested in our local arts sector through the creation of the critical engagement program Front Row in partnership with Brown’s Mart Theatre. And, once again, we invited Northern Territory artists to submit their creative works for presentation in our artistic program.

The 2018 program of 228 free and ticketed events challenged, inspired, relaxed, provoked and entertained, and our audience responded with presence and passion.

A record 703 artists participated in this year’s Festival, including 400 Northern Territory artists, the highest number of artists and performers ever presented in a single season.

More than 105,000 people joined us to celebrate our city. An incredible 103 of 169 ticketed shows sold out. New box office records were set with 44,191 tickets sold, the highest number of seats sold in our four-decade history.

And it all comes down to teamwork.

We extended a warm, tropical invitation to national and international visitors to join us to share in our hot August nights. Our national campaign invited southerners to escape grey winter days for tropical winter nights and they did, with 4% positive growth recorded in interstate and international visitation. One in five visitors originated from beyond the Territory, generating $6.7 million in direct visitor expenditure and 29,000 bed nights.

Thank you to our corporate, foundation and funding partners, in particular our Partner in Excellence Darwin International Airport. Without our partners’ belief in the value we bring to our community, we would simply not be able to achieve ongoing success.

We would like to thank our Principal Partner, the Northern Territory Government, and our Local Government Partner, the City of Darwin.

Thank you to our 120 volunteers supported

by Power and Water, to our contractors and suppliers, and to our artists for illuminating 18 magical nights with sequins and light.

Thank you to our chair and board for their stewardship and support.

To our 93 full-time and seasonal staff, thank you for your teamwork, talent and primal energy.

This year’s success belongs to you.

Felix Preval Artistic Director

Next year, we turn 40.

See you then for more HOT AUGUST NIGHTS.

Winner Best Major Festivals & Events 2017 Darwin Festival

Winner 2018 Best Live Event in the NT Darwin Festival

MOST SUCCESSFUL DARWIN FESTIVAL EVER

Emily Mann CEO

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Photo: Connor Askham

DARWIN FESTIVAL ANNUAL REVIEW 2018

Photo: Glenn Campbell

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Photo: Duane Preston

64%

Palmerston

Darwin

1%

17%

From another Australian State or ACT

6%

Darwin Rural Area

Elsewhere in the NT

3%

From another Country

GENDER

24%

75%

Men

Women

of visitors from intrastate, interstate and overseas said Darwin Festival was their main reason for visiting

9.5

0810 Alawa, Brinkin, Casuarina, Coconut Grove, Jingili, Millner, Moil, Nakara, Nightcliff, Rapid Creek, Tiwi, Wagaman, Wanguri

DAYS

Average time interstate and overseas visitors spent in Darwin for the Festival

9,347 tickets

of our audience attended Festival Park without seeing a performance (free or ticketed) for an average of 2.9 NIGHTS

NIG

HTC

LIF

F B EAC H

SU

B NA ARI

E

0810

FA N A AY B E NIE B CH

0820

FANNIE BAY VEST

EYS B EACH

12%

AC H

44%

POSTCODE WITH HIGHEST TICKET SALES

CA

MIN

DIL

BEA

CH

DARWIN FESTIVAL ATTENDANCE BREAKDOWN BY AGE

CULLEN BAY

3%

25-34

22%

35-44

19%

45-54

20%

55-64

23%

65-74

10%

75+

2%

NAVY PATROL BOAT BASE

DOCTORS GULLY

L

DARWIN CITY

A ME

15-24

RO

O

CH

BEA

DARWIN WHARF PRECINCT

0820 Darwin, Winnellie, Fannie Bay, Larrakeyah, Stuart Park, East Point, Woolner, Ludmilla, The Gardens, Eaton, Coonawarra,

8,001 tickets

Bayview, The Narrows

TOP 3 REASONS FOR ATTENDING DARWIN FESTIVAL

AVERAGE VISITOR ATTENDED 4.7 EVENTS

To see acts that don’t usually come to Darwin

To relax and escape

To spend quality time with family & friends

OUR AUDIENCE

OUR AUDIENCE

9%

AUDIENCE ORIGIN

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OUR STORY

DARWIN FESTIVAL ANNUAL REVIEW 2018

Darwin Festival, Australia’s most northern and only tropical arts festival was born out of the devastation of Cyclone Tracy, which tore through Darwin on Christmas Eve 1974 destroying more than 70% of Darwin’s buildings.

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As rebuilding progressed, in 1977 the Northern Territory Director of Health Dr Charles Gurd suggested celebrating the town’s revival with a festival that would draw the community together and reflect the optimism of those determined to rebuild. The Bougainvillea Festival was held in July 1979 on the first anniversary of the granting of self-government for the Northern Territory.

In the early years, the Bougainvillea Festival featured events such as the Bougainvillea Queen of Quests competition, home garden contests, a Grand Parade with floats and decorated bikes, sporting events, birdman rally and a mardi gras.

In the 1990s, the Festival changed focus with a greater emphasis on community arts and cultural performances. In recognition of Darwin’s distinctive multicultural population, Indigenous communities and Asia Pacific cultural groups were encouraged to become more involved.

In 1996, the annual celebration changed its name to the Festival of Darwin before evolving once again in 2003 to Darwin Festival, to better reflect its growing local and national status. Darwin Festival established itself as a multi-arts festival presenting a variety of works that reflected Darwin’s unique cultural mix.

In 2004, Darwin Festival was invited to join the Confederation of Australian International Arts Festivals, engaging in closer dialogue with the other major Australian multi-arts festivals and commencing presentation of international works.

2009 saw significant changes and new initiatives within the Festival, including the expansion of events into the city centre through the establishment of the now much-loved Festival Park precinct, the creation of The Lighthouse – the Festival’s own unique purpose-built venue – and the introduction of an annual call-out for Northern Territory artists to submit proposals for consideration in the Festival program, an unusual initiative for a curated arts festival.

Increasing in size and scale, in 2018 the Festival attracted 105,000 visitors and demonstrated $6.7 million in direct visitor expenditure to the Northern Territory economy.

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Now a vibrant arts and cultural event with a broad, dynamic and innovative program, the Festival is presented in spectacular outdoor venues that take advantage of Darwin’s blissful dry season weather. The Festival reflects Darwin’s position at the Top End of Australia, its unique Indigenous and multicultural population, and its close proximity to Asia, while at the same time showcasing some of Australia’s finest performers.

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Festival Park Duane Preston

OUR STORY

01.

The Teskey Brothers Duane Preston

02.

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FESTIVAL PARK THE HEART OF DARWIN FESTIVAL The beating heart of Darwin Festival, Festival Park drew unprecedented crowds across this year’s event.

Opening with a heartfelt Welcome to Country by Auntie Bilawara Lee joined by the One Mob dancers, Festival Park offered free entertainment served with the best local food vendors and drinks from the Coopers Garden Bar under festooned night-time skies.

Free activations, installations and performances played a key role in generating the collective energy at the Festival Park hub alongside the main venues The Lighthouse, Brown’s Mart Theatre and Club Awi. The little people enjoyed emBARK!, our mini festival for mini humans, and engaged with the roving flock of human sheep in CORPUS’ Les moutons. The

colourful talking see-saws of Pivot made a philosophical playground of the Festival Park lawns, enticing children and adults alike to ride and chat with these incredible machines and, over on the wall of The Lighthouse, local artist Naina Sen’s stunning projection work Face to Face celebrated the diversity of citizens in Darwin.

A range of local bands and musical ensembles rocked the Festival’s free music stage, the Rimfire Energy Bamboo Bandstand, while outdoor community dance performances brought colour and heart to Festival Park on weekends at sunset in our Dancing in the Park series.

Festival audiences remained engaged as Festival Park transformed around them: glittering, gorgeous, warm and endlessly welcoming – a reflection of Darwin’s spirit.

RIMFIRE ENERGY BAMBOO BANDSTAND ARAFURA WIND ENSEMBLE BEN EVOLENT BAND BON TEMPS DANIEL J TOWNSEND DESTRAIT EPI(C)PHANNYS JAMES DAMIEN JORDAN RAVI MANDY GARLING MELANIE GRAY PHOEBE WEAR RACHEL RACHEL SILK VILLAGE THE BOATS ASHORE

DARWIN FESTIVAL ANNUAL REVIEW 2018

TRES TOROS

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AURORA SPIEGELTENT THE HOTTEST NEW ENTERTAINMENT PRECINCT This season The Aurora Spiegeltent found a new home under twinkling lights on The Esplanade, within comfortable walking distance of Festival Park.

Patrons relaxed in the new spacious venue with a refreshing drop from the al fresco bar and a tasty Asian street-food bite from Little Miss Korea while enjoying the seabreeze and sunset views across Darwin Harbour.

The creators of BLANC de BLANC, Strut & Fret Production House, returned with the sizzling hot cabaret show LIMBO. Audiences were whisked into a netherworld of acrobatics, contortion, stunts and illusions set to a live musical score.

More then 12,000 ticket buyers flocked to see LIMBO at The Aurora Spiegeltent across the 22-show run.

OUR 2018 TRADERS CUCINA SOTTO LE STELLE DAMASQUINO CAFÉ & RESTAURANT HANUMAN JERRY’S SMOKEHOUSE LITTLE MISS KOREA NEEDLE IN A HAYSTACK RUBY G’S CANTEEN & BAKERY TRAMPOLINE

FESTIVAL PARK & AURORA SPIEGELTENT

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01.

Festival Park Duane Preston

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Aurora Spiegeltent Duane Preston

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LIMBO Glenn Campbell

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DARWIN FESTIVAL ANNUAL REVIEW 2018

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40 YEARS OF NORTHERN TERRITORY SELF GOVERNANCE In 2018, the Northern Territory celebrated the 40th anniversary of self governance. To mark the occasion, Darwin Festival presented a suite of works showcasing the spirit of multiculturalism and democracy at the heart of Territory life.

Created by artists Madeleine Flynn and Tom Humphrey, Pivot made a philosophical playground of the Festival Park lawns. Festival-goers young and old joined in a tête-a-tête mediated by semi-intelligent talking see-saws. Programmed to consider all words that it hears, Pivot reflected the views of those who contributed to the conversation.

Northern Territory artist Naina Sen’s stunning projection work Face to Face celebrated the multicultural diversity of the citizens of Darwin.

Sen profiled a cross-section of 40 Darwin residents in a series of intimate video portraits, looped together and projected onto The Lighthouse nightly. Face to Face explored ideas of place, belonging and memory as well as the evolving identity of a city and its people.

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Face to Face Foldback Magazine 02.

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Pivot Glenn Campbell

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Congress Glenn Campbell

40 YEARS OF NORTHERN TERRITORY SELF GOVERNANCE

And citizens were invited to visit our seat of power for a celebration of our city and democracy in Congress. Performance makers All The Queens Men matched eight local citizens with eight professional wordsmiths to collaborate on their inspiring ‘first speech’ to Parliament. Congress presented an egalitarian portrait of Darwin, demonstrating that people really do have the power.

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CELEBRATING FIRST NATIONS EXCELLENCE

DARWIN FESTIVAL ANNUAL REVIEW 2018

A proud leader in the presentation of First Nations work, Darwin Festival’s annual program focus reflects the importance of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) culture to life in the Northern Territory and Australia.

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The 2018 Darwin Festival First Nations program was well received by audiences, with works presented by Australian, New Zealand and Canadian artists and performers to great success. Nineteen Festival events had Indigenous artists in lead creative positions as writers, directors, producers or lead performers.

01.

RPM vs Bad Apples Glenn Campbell

Alongside cornerstone events the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Awards, the National Indigenous Music Awards and Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair, Darwin Festival presented an array of Australian First Nations works across a variety of genres.

Highlights included Joel Bray’s intimate performancedance work Biladurang and an epic night under the stars featuring three generations of Indigenous country music legends in the Santos Opening Night Concert Buried Country. From Circus Oz’s Blackflip program, Chasing Smoke saw an inspiring ensemble of young Indigenous circus artists share their tales through acrobatics, storytelling and aerial routines, while story blended with music in Lighthouse shows by the Stiff Gins and Jessie Lloyd’s Mission Songs Project: 1957 Palm Island Strike.

02.

Upai Purri Torres Strait Islander Dancers Glenn Campbell

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Baker Boy Glenn Campbell

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ALI MILLS (MUSIC) BABY MAMA (MUSIC) BAKER BOY (MUSIC)

GAWURRA (MUSIC) JUNE MILLS (emBARK! & VISUAL ARTS) KIMBERLEY ECHOES (MUSIC) MANDY GARLING (MUSIC) MISSION SONGS PROJECT (MUSIC)

BILADURANG (THEATRE/DANCE)

NATIONAL INDIGENOUS MUSIC AWARDS (MUSIC)

BURIED COUNTRY (MUSIC)

ONE MOB DANCE GROUP (DANCE)

CHASING SMOKE (CIRCUS)

SALON (VISUAL ARTS)

CONGRESS (SPECIAL EVENT)

STIFF GINS (MUSIC)

DARWIN ABORIGINAL ART FAIR (VISUAL ARTS)

TAMINMIN GIRLS ACADEMY (DANCE)

DAVID SPRY (MUSIC)

TIA GOSTELOW (MUSIC)

EIP KAREM BEIZAM – MERIAM CULTURAL GROUP (DANCE)

UPAI PURRI TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER DANCERS (DANCE)

ELECTRIC FIELDS (MUSIC)

WELCOME TO COUNTRY (SPECIAL EVENT)

CELEBRATING FIRST NATIONS EXCELLENCE

35TH TELSTRA NATIONAL ABORIGINAL & TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER ART AWARDS (VISUAL ARTS)

03.

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DARWIN FESTIVAL ANNUAL REVIEW 2018

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INTERNATIONAL ENGAGEMENT This year we welcomed artists from around the world. Artists and performers from China, Indonesia, Singapore, Canada, South Africa, America, New Zealand, Belgium/USA and the UK brought laughter, music, drama and delight to Darwin Festival audiences.

With thanks to the Playking Foundation and Confucius Institute, Darwin Festival presented an exciting and diverse selection of Asian works. From the exquisite Chinese contemporary-classical piece Gao Shan Liu Shui to Senyawa’s blistering fusion of traditional Indonesian folk and heavy metal, Asian music pushed creative boundaries that captivated Festival audiences. And Singapore’s only full-time female comedian, Sharul Channa, sold out Happy Yess night after night with her feminist musings and hilarious take on Hindu wedding traditions in Sharul Weds Sharul.

Once again we presented a significant and compelling program of Canadian works across music and theatre.

Hip-hop artists from two First Nations-owned music labels, Canada’s RPM Records and Australia’s Bad Apples, spent a week collaborating in the Skinnyfish Music Darwin studios. The result, RPM vs Bad Apples, was one epic night in The Lighthouse. Razor-sharp rhymes, thick beats and powerful First Nations politics charged the air in an electric Festival special event.

The Canadian program was made possible through the support of the Consulate General of Canada in Sydney, Science Week, Canada Council for the Arts, Australia Council for the Arts and the Balnaves Foundation.

GAO SHAN LIU SHUI, HIGH MOUNTAIN FLOWING WATER (CHINA / NEW ZEALAND) HELEN GILLET (BELGIUM / USA) LES MOUTONS, CORPUS (CANADA) LIMBO (INTERNATIONAL)

PATHETIC FALLACY, ANITA ROCHON / THE CHOP (NT / CANADA) ROB RUHA & RIA HALL (NEW ZEALAND) ROSS NOBLE (UNITED KINGDOM) RPM VS BAD APPLES (NT / AUSTRALIA / CANADA) SENYAWA (INDONESIA)

01.

Helen Gillet Foldback Magazine

02.

Rob Ruha & Ria Hall, Behind the Lines Foldback Magazine

03.

RPM vs Bad Apples Foldback Magazine

04.

Sharul Channa, Sharul Weds Sharul Glenn Campbell

SHARUL CHANNA (SINGAPORE) THE BOOKBINDER, TRICK OF THE LIGHT THEATRE (NEW ZEALAND) URZILA CARLSON (SOUTH AFRICA / NEW ZEALAND)

INTERNATIONAL ENGAGEMENT

Three “sh-human” ewes and a ram made Darwin their home during the Festival and delighted young and old with their woolly high-jinx in CORPUS’ Les moutons, direct from Montréal. Longstanding partner Science Week co-supported the world premiere season of Anita Rochon/The Slap’s Pathetic Fallacy, a quizzical exploration of meteorology, climate change, art history and personal responsibility that starred a new local performer every night.

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NORTHERN TERRITORY ARTISTS Darwin Festival is an international arts Festival with a local heart. An integral part of our mission is to support the presentation of Northern Territory artists and performers. Darwin Festival proudly provides a high-profile national platform for Northern Territory artists to showcase their talent alongside the best in current national and international touring work.

Local artist participation reached new heights in 2018, with 400 Northern Territory artists and performers featured in the artistic program.

Northern Territory musicians contributed strongly across the genres of contemporary rock, soul, hip-hop and classical performance.

The Rimfire Energy Bamboo Bandstand featured a stellar Territory line-up of singer-songwriters, bands and ensembles, while a diverse array of up-and-coming local acts supported headline performers at Darwin Railway Club.

Northern Territory visual artists featured in galleries across the city and transformed Festival sites with installation works and murals reflecting the spirit of the region, such as Naina Sen’s Face To Face.

Contemporary and community dancers shared the stage in a major new work by leading local dance company Tracks Dance in In Your Blood.

DARWIN FESTIVAL ANNUAL REVIEW 2018

Territory voices rang clear and true across a selection of words and ideas events. Local artists and academics came together to unpack knotty themes in Sunday at CDU, local storytellers spoke their truth in SPUN: Power – which was live streamed to Darwin International Airport’s new performance space, The Green Room – and the voices of eight local citizens were paired with the words of eight local writers to speak their truth in the Main Hall of Parliament House in the stirring citizen’s assembly Congress.

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01.

Santos Opening Night Concert Glenn Campbell

02.

Tracks Dance, In Your Blood Duane Preston for Tracks Dance

03.

Phoebe Wear Foldback Magazine 01.

03.

ALI MILLS AMY HETHERINGTON ARAFURA WIND ENSEMBLE ARTBACK NT AUSTRALIA CHINA FRIENDSHIP SOCIETY BACH TOGETHER BAKER BOY BEN EVOLENT BILAWARA LEE BIRDZ BRIDEY ROSE BROADWING CAITI BAKER CHARLIE KING COLIN LILLIE CORRUGATED IRON YOUTH ARTS DAN DAVIES DANIEL J TOWNSEND DARWIN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA DAVID GARNHAM DAVID SPRY DESTRAIT DJ JUNO EPI(C)PHANNYS EVAN KEITH FAIRY JILL FEMME FUNKALE GAWURRA GREY PANTHERS HYPER THE CLOWN IN YOUR BLOOD, TRACKS DANCE COMPANY JADE JONES CUBILLO JAMES DAMIEN JAMES MANGOHIG JORDAN RAVI JUNE MILLS KRIS KEOUGH KYLE MAHER LEAH FLANAGAN

LIANNA MAGIC MEGAN MANDY GARLING MARIE MUNKARA MARK BRUSTOLIN MARK SMITH MATT HEFFERNAN MELANIE GRAY NADEEM TURKIA NAINA SEN NULINE DANCE PHIL DENSON PHOEBE WEAR RACHEL RACHEL REBECCA HELL RESIN MOON ROSA NORMAN SAM CARMODY SARAH REUBEN SERINA PECH SILK VILLAGE SOLID STATE CIRCUS SOPHIE KUSWADI SPUN: POWER STEVIE JEAN TAMINMIN GIRLS ACADEMY TEAM FUN THE BOATS ASHORE THE DUKES THE PUMPER JUMPERS THOMAS MOORHEAD TONY LEE TRANSWINGS BOLLYWOOD DANCE TRES TOROS UPAI PURRI TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER DANCERS VARUNIKA RAWUNPURA WARREN H WILLIAMS XAVIA

NORTHERN TERRITORY ARTISTS

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This season we delivered an incredible program of theatre and dance featuring artists and companies from Australia and overseas.

Audiences were transported from the deserts of Australia to war-torn Congo, from intimate hotel rooms to fantasy worlds hidden in the pages of a book. True stories and personal experience underpinned complex emotional and social journeys reflecting on what it is to be here in Australia today.

Theatre works Letters to Lindy and Prize Fighter along with the Australian Ballet’s presentation of Coppélia mesmerised sold-out audiences Darwin Entertainment Centre.

Highlights of the Brown’s Mart Theatre program included Trick of the Light Theatre’s dark and spooky family theatre piece The Bookbinder, Jodee Mundy’s enthralling and Deaf-accessible performance work Personal, and leading Australian choreographer Lucy Guerin’s award-winning contemporary dance work Split.

THEATRE

DANCE

THE BOOKBINDER, TRICK OF THE LIGHT THEATRE (NZ)

THE BEGINNING OF NATURE, AUSTRALIAN DANCE THEATRE (AUS)

LETTERS TO LINDY (AUS)

BILADURANG, JOEL BRAY (AUS)

PATHETIC FALLACY, ANITA ROCHON / THE CHOP (NT / CANADA)

COCKFIGHT, THE FARM (AUS)

PERSONAL, JODEE MUNDEE COLLABORATIONS (AUS)

COPPÉLIA, AUSTRALIAN BALLET REGIONAL TOUR (AUS)

PRIZE FIGHTER (AUS)

DANCING IN THE PARK (NT)

SINCE ALI DIED, OMAR MUSA (AUS)

IN YOUR BLOOD, TRACKS DANCE COMPANY (NT)

THE TALK, MISH GRIGOR (AUS)

SPLIT, LUCY GUERIN INC (AUS)

DARWIN FESTIVAL ANNUAL REVIEW 2018

FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS

THEATRE & DANCE

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01.

02.

01.

Tracks Dance, In Your Blood Duane Preston for Tracks Dance 03.

Prize Fighter Glenn Campbell

FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS

03.

02.

Cockfight Darcy Grant

04.

Dancing in the Park Duane Preston 04.

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FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS

MUSIC We presented yet another dynamic music program this season, studded with sold-out shows and special-event performances at ticketed and free stages across the city, including The Lighthouse, the Rimfire Energy Bamboo Bandstand, Club Awi and Darwin Railway Club.

The Lighthouse music program highlights included Arnhem Land’s Matha-Yolngu rapping hip-hop star Baker Boy and guests, jazz-funk loop cellist Helen Gillet, the Motown-inspired soul sounds of The Teskey Brothers, Electric Fields, who delivered disco-inflected beats mixed with languages of the APY Lands, and the 12-singer strong a cappella Shania Choir, who closed the Festival on a high note with a final night of song and dance in tribute to Shania Twain.

Our classical music offering ranged from an intimate performance with sister virtuosos Monica Naselow and Lisa Grosman in Bach Together to a major concert by the Darwin Symphony Orchestra celebrating the arrival of new Artistic Director Jonathan Tooby.

ADAM PAGE (NT) + COLIN LILLIE (NT)

MAMA KIN SPENDER (NT / AUS)

BACH TOGETHER – MONICA NASELOW & LISA GROSMAN (NT / AUS)

MISSION SONGS PROJECT: 1957 PALM ISLAND STRIKE (AUS)

BAKER BOY (NT)

NATIONAL INDIGENOUS MUSIC AWARDS (AUS)

CLUB AWI (NT / AUS)

RIMFIRE ENERGY BAMBOO BANDSTAND (NT / AUS)

DARWIN FESTIVAL ANNUAL REVIEW 2018

DARWIN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA MASTER SERIES II: NEW HORIZONS (NT)

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ROB RUHA & RIA HALL, BEHIND THE LINES (NZ)

DAVID SPRY, WILFULLY ADRIFT (NT)

RPM VS BAD APPLES (NT / AUS / CANADA)

DIDIRRI (AUS) + STEVIE JEAN (NT)

SANTOS OPENING NIGHT CONCERT: BURIED COUNTRY (NT / AUS)

DONNY BENÉT (AUS) + RESIN MOON (NT) ELECTRIC FIELDS (AUS) GAO SHAN LIU SHUI, HIGH MOUNTAIN FLOWING WATER (CHINA / NZ)

SENYAWA (INDONESIA) SHANIA CHOIR (NT / AUS) STIFF GINS (AUS)

GAWURRA (NT)

THE TESKEY BROTHERS (AUS)

HEAPS GOOD FRIENDS (AUS) + DJ KOOKUM (CANADA)

TIA GOSTELOW (AUS) + SAM CARMODY (NT)

HELEN GILLET (BELGIUM / USA) KIMBERLEY ECHOES (AUS)

XAVIA (NT) YOUNG HEARTS RUN FREE, ROMEO + JULIET SOUNDTRACK (VOL 1) LIVE (NT / AUS)

COMEDY, CABARET & CIRCUS Audiences flocked to sold-out Festival venues to see the best of Australian and international comedy, cabaret and circus presented across 18 nights.

The offbeat, the quirky and the absolutely out-there proved to be audience favourites as well, as Gillian Cosgriff, Betty Grumble and Otto & Astrid proved.

Cabaret lovers were delighted with a diverse and exceptional line-up of talent. The glamorous, velvet-draped Aurora Spiegeltent returned with a headline 22-show season of LIMBO, the circus-cabaret variety spectacular that played to more than 12,000 Darwin ticket buyers.

International comic superstars Ross Noble (UK) and Urzila Carson (South Africa/NZ) delighted packed houses, and Australian comics at the top of their game Sam Simmons, Zoë Coombs Marr, Joel Creasey and Dave Thornton had audiences rolling the aisles.

COMEDY

CABARET & CIRCUS

DAVE THORNTON, SO WHAT NOW? (AUS)

CHASING SMOKE, CASUS CIRCUS & CIRCUS OZ/BLAKFLIP (AUS)

ROSS NOBLE, EL HABLADOR (UK)

LIMBO (INTL)

SAM SIMMONS, RADICAL WOMEN OF LATIN AMERICAN ART 1960-1985 (AUS)

LOVE & ANGER, BETTY GRUMBLE (AUS)

SHARUL CHANNA, SHARUL WEDS SHARUL (SINGAPORE)

OTTO & ASTRID: EUROSMASH!: DIE ROTEN PUNKTE (AUS)

URZILA CARLSON, STUDIES HAVE SHOWN (SOUTH AFRICA / NZ)

PAUL MCDERMOTT & STEVEN GATES LIVE (AUS)

ZOË COOMBS MARR, TRIGGER WARNING (AUS) 01.

Electric Fields, Young Hearts Run Free Duane Preston 01.

02.

MOTHER’S RUIN: A CABARET ABOUT GIN (AUS)

TO THE MOON AND BACK, GILLIAN COSGRIFF (AUS)

02.

Betty Grumble, Love & Anger Glenn Campbell

FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS

JOEL CREASEY, BLONDE BOMBSHELL (AUS)

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DARWIN FESTIVAL ANNUAL REVIEW 2018

FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS

VISUAL ARTS

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The 2018 Darwin Festival visual arts program spotlit the unique and complex output of Northern Territory artists and highlighted the creativity of local and national Indigenous arts practitioners.

The visual arts program saw independent galleries and art spaces across Darwin present an exquisite and diverse array of free public exhibitions.

The Telstra National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Awards celebrated its 35th year and Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair went from to strength to strength, recording its largest year ever. These two major arts events continue to place the Northern Territory at the focal point of international conversations regarding First Nations artistic practice.

35TH TELSTRA NATIONAL ABORIGINAL & TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER ART AWARDS, MAGNT BEHIND THE WIRE, FANNIE BAY GOAL DARWIN ABORIGINAL ART FAIR, DARWIN CONVENTION CENTRE KANALARITJA: AN UNBROKEN STRING, NORTHERN CENTRE FOR CONTEMPORARY ART

TROPICAL GOTHIC, MAYFAIR GALLERY THE WETLAND ARTISTS, DARWIN VISUAL ARTS ASSOCIATION TRANSFORMING THE LIGHTHOUSE, SHAUN LEE

SALON INDIGENOUS ART PROJECTS BARAYUWA MUNUNGURR ŊARAKAŊOYŊURA (THE BONES BENEATH), SEARCY STREET GALLERY

MICK RICTOR, TACTILE ARTS MULKUN WIRRAPANDA, MAYPAL – SHELLFISH OF THE ARAFURA COAST, VICKERS GALLERY PEPAI CARROLL, OUTSTATION GALLERY SALON DES REFUSÉS 18, CDU ART GALLERY TAYLOR COOPER AND WITJITI GEORGE, KA PULA NYANGATJA KUTJARA NYINANYI MALPARARA (THESE TWO ARE SITTING TOGETHER AS FRIENDS), PAUL JOHNSTONE GALLERY

FREE, FAMILY & FILM In addition to 169 ticketed performances, this year Darwin Festival delivered 59 free performances and special events accessible to our diverse community.

The free events kicked off with the Santos Opening Night Concert, featuring the ultimate celebration of our Indigenous country music tradition, Buried Country.

Audiences enjoyed the ABC Radio Darwin Happy Hour in the Aurora Spiegeltent and marvelled at the amazing annual rejuvenation of The Lighthouse exterior in Festival Park, this year transformed by Larrakia street artist Shaun Lee. Our family program kept the little ones entertained right across the Festival period, from the City of Darwin Teddy Bears’ Picnic at The Esplanade on the opening weekend, to the unforgettable madcap mayhem of Rich and Matt, aka The Listies, in The Listies Make you LOL! on the closing weekend.

In partnership with Deckchair Cinema, we presented two films in our Australian Film: Desert Redux series, Goldstone and Terror Nullius, both playing to capacity audiences on Festival Monday nights.

02.

FREE

FAMILY

ABC RADIO DARWIN HAPPY HOUR IN THE AURORA SPIEGELTENT (VARIOUS)

CITY OF DARWIN TEDDY BEARS’ PICNIC (NT / AUS)

BEHIND THE SCENES: PERFORMING ARTS AND THE NT, NT LIBRARY (NT)

MEGAFAUNA: IN THE SHADOW OF THE GREAT BEASTS, BARKING SPIDER VISUAL THEATRE (AUS)

LES MOUTONS, CORPUS (CANADA) LUNCHBOX SERIES (VARIOUS) PIVOT, MADELEINE FLYNN & TIM HUMPHREY (AUS) RIMFIRE ENERGY BAMBOO BANDSTAND (NT / AUS) SANTOS OPENING NIGHT CONCERT: BURIED COUNTRY (NT / AUS)

THE BOOKBINDER, TRICK OF THE LIGHT THEATRE (NZ) THE LISTIES MAKE YOU LOL! (AUS)

FILM AUSTRALIAN FILM: DESERT REDUX – GOLDSTONE AND TERROR NULLIUS (AUS)

SUNDAY AT CDU (NT / AUS) TRANSFORMING THE LIGHTHOUSE: SHAUN LEE (NT) WELCOME TO COUNTRY (NT)

01.

01.

The Lighthouse Duane Preston

02.

Les moutons Duane Preston

FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS

FACE TO FACE, NAINA SEN (NT)

emBARK! (NT)

27

EDUCATION PROGRAM Darwin Festival fosters the artistic development of younger audiences by providing avenues to creative expression and developing an appreciation of the performing arts.

We provide local school-aged students with two ways to engage with the Festival program and artists: through our Schools Program of matinee performances supported by the Northern Territory Government Department of Education, and through our Artists In Schools workshop series delivered in partnership with The Smith Family.

5 468

DARWIN FESTIVAL ANNUAL REVIEW 2018

schools performances

28

10

schools in attendance

tickets sold

17 01.

Prize Fighter Glenn Campbell

schools bookings

02.

The Bookbinder Glenn Campbell

03.

Chasing Smoke Glenn Campbell

SCHOOLS PROGRAM For the second year, we held a pre-release Schools Program launch in early May to assist teachers to identify suitable shows for their students and to plan excursions.

Darwin Festival works with educators to refine the annual Schools Program offering in alignment with current curriculum.

The schools matinee performances allow students to attend quality national and international theatre at the accessible flat ticket price of $15, with thanks to the Department of Education.

This year, students and teachers attended matinee performances of Pathetic Fallacy (CAN), Chasing Smoke (AUS), The Bookbinder (NZ), Prize Fighter (AUS) and Personal (AUS).

02.

ARTISTS IN SCHOOLS Facilitated by Darwin Festival partner The Smith Family, the Artists In Schools workshop series sees performers run in-school workshops for at-risk children and children of low-income families.

GILLIAN COSGRIFF (TO THE MOON AND BACK) (AUS) JOEL BRAY (BILADURANG) (AUS) SHARUL CHANNA (SHARUL WEDS SHARUL) (SINGAPORE)

EDUCATION PROGRAM

In 2018, 75 students from one primary school, one middle school and two senior colleges schools from across Darwin and Palmerston participated in four artist-led workshops across the diverse genres of circus, music, dance and comedy.

CIRCUS OZ/BLAKFLIP CAST OF CHASING SMOKE (AUS)

01.

03.

29

MARKETING & MEDIA

01.

NEW CORPORATE BRAND This year, we revealed a vibrant new corporate identity for Darwin Festival. Simultaneously tasked with being a community festival, an international arts festival and a key mainstream tourism driver, the sense of community, authenticity and the tropical location of Darwin have been captured in this striking, eye-catching corporate design created by our Brand Strategy Partner KWP!.

With a bold palette inspired by our history as the Bougainvillea Festival and by Darwin’s neon sunsets, the colours deliberately clash and disrupt in homage to contemporary local Indigenous printmaking techniques, whose practitioners vibrantly juxtapose the brilliant tropical colours of Northern Australia to creative effect.

DARWIN FESTIVAL ANNUAL REVIEW 2018

The introduction into our corporate brand of the ‘Hot 02.

August Nights’ tagline supports our ambitions to market Darwin Festival nationally and internationally to increase tourism visitation to Darwin and the Northern Territory.

30

04.

03.

2018 SEASONAL MARKETING A bright, tropical seasonal identity, closely aligned with the new corporate brand, ensured strong advertising cut through in the marketplace.

The seasonal brand featured in the extensive local marketing campaign rolled out across print, online, radio and outdoor, as well as on venue signage.

For the first time, Darwin Festival expanded its marketing reach into national markets with thanks to additional marketing funding assistance form the Northern Territory Government, securing advertising opportunities in national and international airline publications and successfully implementing a national programmatic digital campaign.

MARKETING CHANNEL BREAKDOWN BY %

46% DIGITAL 35% PRINT 12.5% OUTDOOR

5% RADIO 1.5% TV

LOCAL MARKETING SNAPSHOT PROGRAM GUIDE

DARWIN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

75%

audiences use Program Guide as main information source

55,000

distributed throughout Northern Territory

Extensive advertising activation at Darwin International Airport domestic and international terminals, with adverts on media wall, digital screens, baggage carousels and more.

Potential reach of

550,000 passengers

GO TRANSIT BUS CAMPAIGN

VOLGREN OPTIMUS 2014 MB O500LE

16 hours per day

27,000km travelled

BILLBOARDS The Darwin Airport taxi rank billboard reached a potential audience in the hundreds of thousands, while the promotion on Osgood Drive reached a potential 8,000 vehicles per day.

MARKETING & MEDIA

In a Festival first, a nine-week bus campaign rolled out from June through to the end of August that saw large-format busback decals installed on three buses. The buses swapped and changed routes every couple of days ensuring coverage right across Darwin and Palmerston.

31

MARKETING & MEDIA

NATIONAL MARKETING SNAPSHOT Darwin Festival secured direct marketing assistance funding from the Northern Territory Government with the objective of driving a national awareness campaign.

A strategy was developed and brokered with the Festival’s Brand Strategy Partner, KWP!. The media plan saw a 70:30 split of spend across digital and print channels with a focus on generating awareness about Darwin Festival in the national marketplace within the short timeframe of eight weeks. Darwin Festival consulted with Tourism NT on their planned events campaign, enabling us to schedule a media plan complementary to Tourism NT’s promotion that avoided any target crossover.

DIGITAL Programmatic digital display advertising, ArtsHub and TripAdvisor formed the digital component of the national awareness campaign in market from July 1 to August 26.

NATIONAL TARGET MARKET SEGMENT

val Fanatic i t s s Fe

Defined as 25-60 years, travel for festivals and attend arts events, people planning a trip to NT/Darwin

9,042,598 impressions

15,223 9,699 clickthroughs to Darwin Festival website

Darwin Festival website interactions

442 interstate ticket booking confirmations

PRINT Mainstream print media was chosen to maximise reach and exposure in the national market place, with full-page adverts in the Jetstar Australia inflight magazine (July) and the inside cover of the Good Weekend Magazine, distributed with the Sydney Morning Herald and The Melbourne Age. GOOD WEEKEND 7 JULY 2018

DARWIN FESTIVAL ANNUAL REVIEW 2018

Circulation

32

1,108,000

JETSTAR MAGAZINE JULY EDITION INFLIGHT

Circulated across

9,600+ flights 1,802,495 passengers

INTERNATIONAL MARKETING SNAPSHOT Darwin Festival worked with the international airlines flying directly into Darwin from Singapore and Shenzhen – Silk Air, Jetstar Asia and Donghai Airlines – to promote the Festival and Darwin in August to passengers across their networks, with a focus on inbound travellers.

The Festival undertook a paid three-month print campaign with Silk Air, which currently flies direct from Singapore to Darwin and Cairns, with a full-page advertisement published in the June, July and August editions of Silkwinds inflight magazine. The partnership was successful, with Silk Air providing an editorial focus on Darwin as a key Australian destination for the three months, including one feature on Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair.

We also worked with Chinese travel wholesalers to target intending mainland travellers. During this process, we identified the need for specific collateral to assist our messaging to reach the key international markets of China, Singapore and South-east Asia.

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In addition to focusing on the Singapore and Shenzhen passenger hubs, Darwin Festival established deeper relationships with arts and cultural festivals in Bali and engaged in reciprocal promotion to raise awareness of Darwin Festival within the expat Australia, European and US communities living in and travelling through Bali.

NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL CAMPAIGN OUTCOMES

3%

of Darwin Festival visitors came from interstate

from another country

(^ from 14% in 2017)

(^ from 2% in 2017)

INCREASE IN TICKETS SALES

27% 28% to SA ticket buyers

to QLD ticket buyers

20% 44% to NSW ticket buyers

to VIC ticket buyers

MARKETING & MEDIA

17%

33

DIGITAL

20,675

3,960

Facebook followers (^6% on 2017)

Instagram followers (^24% on 2017)

591,000+

122,000+

Facebook reach*

Instagram reach*

*During Festival campaign June 21 - August 27

11,500+ email subscribers

Darwin Festival

Entertainment and Events Industry average*

eDM Open Rate

eDM Click Rate

23.34%

2.39%

20.41%

2.19%

*Average email campaign stats of Mailchimp customers by industry - updated March 2018

64%

2017 59%

TOTAL PAGE VIEWS with over 66,000 unique users and 128,063 sessions

DARWIN FESTIVAL ANNUAL REVIEW 2018

TICKET SALES COMPLETED ONLINE DARWINFESTIVAL.ORG.AU

613,070

34

01.

02.

media clippings reached cumulative potential audience of

517,965,675 PRINT COVERAGE highlights included editorial features in the Financial Review

5

plus editorial featured in Australian Traveller, Virgin Australia Voyeur, House & Garden and Harper’s Bazaar.

ABC RADIO NATIONAL MYF WARHURST Live Outside Broadcasting from festival

537

ONLINE editorial features

01.

Darwin Festival Box Office Connor Askham

02.

Club Awi Duane Preston

10 International Journalists hosted

$2,611,536 worth of digital media coverage TV COVERAGE highlights included live Today Show weather crosses

6

plus coverage across ABC Television and Sky News.

8

National Media outlets attended

97 Media interviews

MARKETING & MEDIA

PUBLICITY

1,040

35

01.

PARTNERS Our corporate, media and foundation partners enable us to reach for the stars.

DARWIN FESTIVAL ANNUAL REVIEW 2018

This year we enjoyed the support of 61 corporate and media partners and two foundation partners, Playking Foundation and the Balnaves Foundation.

Our partners provided invaluable cash and in-kind support that has seen Darwin Festival deliver its most successful season ever. Together, arts and business partnerships play a significant role in transforming the future prosperity of Darwin.

36

In 2018, Darwin Festival welcomed 12 new corporate partners including Hutchinson Builders, Defence Housing Australia (Breezes Muirhead), Treasury Wine Estates, Sterling NT, North Crest (Halikos Developments), BizNorth, Argus Apartments and Larrakia Radio.

01.

Festival Park Duane Preston

02.

Rimfire Energy Bamboo Bandstand Duane Preston

03.

LIMBO activation, Darwin International Airport Connor Askham 04.

Coopers Bar staff Duane Preston

05.

Festival-branded Audi Duane Preston 02.

DARWIN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT Our combined strategic efforts with our Partner In Excellence, Darwin International Airport, continue to take flight. With the Airport’s support, we actioned extensive Darwin Festival marketing activations throughout the terminal, including a logo projection of the new Darwin Festival logo on the Airport’s water tower.

We assisted the Airport in celebrating the opening of The Green Room, a new venue in the departure lounge designed to showcase Northern Territory arts and culture. Darwin Festival worked with The Green Room to host a lunchtime performance from musician Xavia and, in a Festival first, the live stream broadcast of SPUN: Power from The Lighthouse.

03.

COOPERS We are proud to continue to build upon our partnership with Coopers, the exclusive beer supplier to Festival bars and functions.

The Coopers Garden Bar contributes to the magical atmosphere of muchloved destination Festival Park, and now, with the support of Coopers, patrons can enjoy a cold tap beer onsite at the new Aurora Spiegeltent venue.

04.

AUDI

05.

PARTNERS

Our official Vehicle Partner, Audi, provided five co-branded vehicles across the Festival. The vehicles were strategically placed at key Festival venues including Festival Park, the Aurora Spiegeltent and the Amphitheatre, ensuring optimum exposure for Audi and partnership facilitator Hidden Valley Ford & Stuart Motor Group.

37

TREASURY WINE ESTATES Our audiences are sophisticated wine consumers, and so we are thrilled to offer extended wine selections provided by our new partner Treasury Wine Estates.

2018 wine sales revealed that our patrons are discerning with their wine choices, preferring to purchase premium labels, and seeking new and quality experiences.

With the support of Treasury Wine Estates’ local team, we were also able to provide exclusive premium wine tastings at our VIP functions, delivering an enhanced Festival experience for our special VIP guests.

01.

H HOTEL

02.

Each year, Festival audiences are treated to site-specific performances in intimate spaces. In 2018, Darwin Festival partnered with H Hotel to present Biladurang, a confessional solo dance-theatre work by artist Joel Bray.

Ticket-holders enjoyed a world-class performance in H Hotel’s deluxe spa room and departed with enduring memories of their quality experience at H Hotel.

DARWIN FESTIVAL ANNUAL REVIEW 2018

BREEZES MUIRHEAD

38

Defence Housing Australia (DHA) development Breezes Muirhead is a vibrant, family orientated community and the perfect venue for three mischievous sheep! Darwin Festival partnered with Breezes Muirhead to present Les moutons

by Canadian troupe CORPUS in a world-class performance depicting the bizarre and hilarious world of sheep.

With the aim to take the Festival to the northern suburbs and to engage with Darwin’s Defence community, Les moutons was a highly successful activation with over 400 attendees at Breezes Muirhead from the community.

01.

Aurora Spiegeltent patrons Glenn Campbell

02.

Biladurang Pippa Samaya

03.

03.

Les moutons, Breezes Muirhead Helen Orr

PARTNER IN EXCELLENCE

MAJOR PARTNERS

DISTINGUISHED PARTNERS

AIRLINE PARTNER

BRAND STRATEGY PARTNER

DIGITAL PARTNER

VEHICLE PARTNER

PRODUCTION PARTNER

MEDIA PARTNERS

STAR PARTNERS

ntretail.com.au

Retail echnology

M A N AG ER O F T H E

Point of Sale Solutions & Support

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NATIONAL SCIENCE WEEK – INSPIRING AUSTRALIA | NORTHERN TERRITORY ANTI-DISCRIMINATION COMMISSION BALNAVES FOUNDATION | PLAYKING FOUNDATION | CONSULATE GENERAL OF CANADA, CANADIAN GOVERNMENT

2018 PARTNERS

g,

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2018 PARTNERS

LOCAL GOVERNMENT PARTNER

PRINCIPAL PARTNER

THE SMITH FAMILY | AIRNORTH

39

ECONOMIC IMPACT

REVENUE A not-for-profit organisation with an annual turnover of $6.5 million (2017), Darwin Festival generated $6.7 million in direct interstate and international visitor expenditure in 2018.

In addition to this, we contribute directly to the local economy through the engagement of local artists, employees, suppliers, contractors and venues.

Darwin Festival generates cash revenue from multiple sources including funding, corporate sponsorships and box office takings.

CASH INVESTMENT

73% NT origin 27% Interstate origin

78% NT origin 22% Interstate origin

Corporate & Foundation Partners Cash

Funding

24%

2018 REVENUE SOURCES

26%

Gross Box Office

10%

Corporate & Funding In-kind

CORPORATE & FOUNDATION PARTNERS

ORIGIN

11%

29%

Other Cash

FUNDING

CASH INVESTMENT

ORIGIN

98% NT origin 98.5% NT origin 1% Federal origin 1% Federal origin 1% International origin 0.5% International origin

BOX OFFICE CUSTOMER ORIGIN

ORIGIN

CUSTOMER EXPENDITURE

89% NT origin 11% Interstate origin

91% NT origin 9% Interstate origin

TICKET SALES

DARWIN FESTIVAL ANNUAL REVIEW 2018

BUY LOCAL

40

SUPPLIERS PROCURED FOR 2018

ORIGIN

72% NT origin 26% Interstate origin

EXPENDITURE

52% NT origin 48% Interstate origin

14% SA 9% NSW 3% VIC Darwin Festival undertakes procurement in line with the Northern Territory Government’s ‘Buy Local Guidelines’ regarding the engagement of a minimum of 30% local suppliers annually.

REVENUE TO NT ARTS ORGANISATIONS

35

arts organisations in the 2018 program

$259,278 17%

revenue directed back into the local arts sector*

Representing

of gross box office

*Box office takings and additional venue costs.

Excludes fees paid by Darwin Festival to NT artists.

ECONOMIC IMPACT

01.

Festival Park Elise Derwin

41

SECTOR ENGAGEMENT

01.

DARWIN FESTIVAL EMPLOYMENT Darwin Festival is a leading cultural sector employer that contributes to the skills development of professional sector workers in the Northern Territory.

We continually strive to uphold an inclusive and respectful workplace culture and a healthy organisation that attracts and retains professional staff.

In 2018, Darwin Festival employed 93 staff members in a range of full-time, seasonal and casual roles. Seasonal and casual roles were advertised nationally, attracting 351 applications, including 133 applicants from the Northern Territory. Of these applicants, 35 Territorian applicants and 50 interstate applicants were appointed to roles across the Festival’s operations including marketing, ticketing, bars, production, development, programming, volunteers management and administration.

Of the 93 staff members employed in 2018, 49% originated from the Northern Territory and 51% originated from interstate. In terms of wage distribution, 65% of wages were received by Northern Territory employees with 35% of wages received by interstate employees. An equal opportunity employer, 54% of staff employed identified as female and 46% identified as male.

EMPLOYEE ORIGIN

49%

Through our activities, Darwin Festival connects Northern Territory arts workers and technicians with visiting artists and technicians to foster creative collaboration and skills development.

We also seek to increase sector development outcomes through internships and traineeships undertaken in association with stakeholders and education institutes, with a focus on culturally diverse and Indigenous applicants. In 2018, Darwin Festival hosted one marketing intern, and our Production Partner Novatech hosted one Charles Darwin University student placement and three Clontarf Foundation student placements.

WAGES EXPENDITURE

54%

65%

NT

51%

NT

Females

35% Interstate

Interstate

EMPLOYEE GENDER

46% Males

DARWIN FESTIVAL ANNUAL REVIEW 2018

BRENTON RYAN, DARWIN FESTIVAL STAFF

42

Darwin local Brenton Ryan started with Darwin Festival in 2014 as general production crew. Over the years, the Festival has provided Brenton with skills development opportunities, moving from general crew to audio technician and, in 2018, to venue manager at Brown’s Mart Theatre.

Brenton’s employment experience with the Festival has provided him with a diverse skill set and strong industry contacts that have enabled him to extend himself professionally to work at other major festivals including Brisbane Festival, Adelaide Fringe Festival and The Melbourne Jazz Festival.

Brenton continues to use the skills he has developed to contribute back to local festivals and events. He regularly works at Barunga and Mahbilil festivals, and was the production manager for the 2018 Darwin Fringe Festival.

02.

“During my time at Darwin Festival I have received training in different roles, numerous opportunities for skills development and gained contacts at events around the country. Darwin Festival has been an integral part of my career for the last five years and has helped me grow, both professionally and personally.”

03.

2018 NORTHERN TERRITORY ARTISTS EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST PROGRAM Darwin Festival remains the only State or Territory major festival to actively call for submissions of new and undeveloped work from the local sector, and it is a tradition we are proud to continue. For the ninth consecutive year, we invited creative proposals from Northern Territory artists for fresh and innovative ideas and works under development.

This year 32 submissions were received, with 12 applications short-listed and seven projects carried through to feature in the 2018 artistic program.

NAINA SEN FACE TO FACE VISUAL ART/ SPECIAL EVENT FESTIVAL PARK TEAM FUN JUNGLE PARTY CHILDREN / SPECIAL EVENT CITY OF DARWIN TEDDY BEARS’ PICNIC THE AURORA SPIEGELTENT NORTHERN CENTRE FOR CONTEMPORARY ART KANALARITJA: AN UNBROKEN STRING VISUAL ART RACHEL RACHEL CONTEMPORARY MUSIC RIMFIRE ENERGY BAMBOO BANDSTAND FESTIVAL PARK BEN EVOLENT CONTEMPORARY MUSIC RIMFIRE ENERGY BAMBOO BANDSTAND FESTIVAL PARK ARAFURA WIND ENSEMBLE CLASSICAL MUSIC RIMFIRE ENERGY BAMBOO BANDSTAND FESTIVAL PARK DAVID SPRY CONTEMPORARY MUSIC THE LIGHTHOUSE

NAINA SEN, DARWIN FESTIVAL ARTIST Award-winning documentary filmmaker, creative producer and video artist Naina Sen was born and raised in India and is now based in Darwin. Her critically acclaimed debut feature documentary The Song Keepers, based on the Central Australian Aboriginal Women’s Choir, premiered at the Melbourne International Film Festival in April 2018.

We are committed to presenting work by emerging and established Northern Territory artists and are thrilled to have provided Naina and other local artists with a national platform to showcase their work.

01.

Darwin Festival staff Duane Preston

02.

Brenton Ryan Elise Derwin

03.

Ben Evolent, Young Hearts Run Free Duane Preston

04.

Naina Sen

03.

04.

SECTOR ENGAGEMENT

For the 2018 Darwin Festival, Naina completed a new work, Face to Face, composed of a series of 40 intimate video portraits of Darwin residents looped together and projected onto The Lighthouse exterior.

43

SECTOR ENGAGEMENT

FRONT ROW This year, Darwin Festival introduced a sector development program, Front Row, in partnership with Brown’s Mart Theatre, designed to develop the professional artistic and critical analysis of local arts sector workers.

An expression of interest process for participants was held, with 22 applications received and six local artists and writers selected to participate. Participants viewed a curated program of eight works across the Festival, attended three artist masterclasses and engaged in five formal post-show conversations to reflect on the works seen throughout the Festival. At the Festival’s conclusion, each participant wrote a written critical response to one of the shows they attended.

Participants had the opportunity to make important industry connections, meeting with Richard Watts (editor, ArtsHub), Anita Rochon (artist, Pathetic Fallacy), Mish Grigor (artist, The Talk), Zoë Coombs Marr (artist, Trigger Warning), Todd MacDonald (director, Prize Fighter) and Madeleine Flynn and Tim Humphrey (artists, Pivot). Participants reported that the Front Row program supported the development of their critical thinking and broadened their knowledge of the Australian arts sector. As the inaugural program was a success, the Festival and Brown’s Mart will look to bring the program back in 2019 and 2020 with new cohorts of local arts sector participants.

2018 PARTICIPANTS

DARWIN FESTIVAL ANNUAL REVIEW 2018

Johanna Bell, producer Sarah Reuben, performer Tamara Howie, writer and producer Stuart Fong, performer Tania Lieman, playwright and director Kate Rendall, writer

“Front Row is such an important initiative for the Darwin arts landscape. As a maker of local works, I need to be able to tap into a group of Darwin-based thinkers and critics and now I know they exist. What worked wonderfully was the breadth of works that were chosen for Front Row and the in-depth discussions that followed. I learned so much by listening to others’ reactions to and understanding of the work.”

Front Row participant

Photo: Duane Preston

44

POST-SHOW TALKS This year we delivered four public post-show talks with arts makers facilitated by local artists as part of our commitment to sector development and furthering our audience’s appreciation of performance works.

Pathetic Fallacy (CANADA) Q&A with creator/director Anita Rochon hosted by Jess Ong, ABC Radio Darwin and SPUN producer Chasing Smoke (AUS) Q&A with the cast and director Natano Fa’anana hosted by Mikaela Simpson, ABC Radio Darwin Prize Fighter (AUS) Q&A with the cast and director Todd MacDonald hosted by Gail Evans, Northern Territory theatre director

SECTOR ENGAGEMENT

Personal (AUS) Q&A with creator/performer Jodee Mundy hosted by Johanna Bell, Creative Director of StoryProjects

45

VOLUNTEERS

Our volunteers, proudly sponsored by Power and Water, beamed in orange T-shirts this year with friendly faces to match at Festival venues and events around Darwin.

With a record 120 volunteers participating – including 60 firsttime volunteers – we were able to deliver our most successful Festival ever. Collectively, our volunteers worked 1,760 hours this Festival, an increase of 760 hours on 2017 and the equivalent of working non-stop around-the-clock for 31 days.

Our volunteers are our greatest ambassadors. Volunteers assisted us in gathering market research, promoting the Festival at local markets, dropping off programs at businesses and talking up the program to family and friends.

In recognition of our volunteers’ invaluable contribution we thanked them with a celebration at Government House hosted by Festival patron The Administrator of the Northern Territory, Her Honour the Honourable Vicki O’Halloran AM and her husband, Mr ‎Craig O’Halloran.

‘Fantastic experience! I’m so grateful to be able to see shows whilst helping out.’

01.

120

60

volunteers

2017 2016

new volunteers in 2018 of ages 26 spread 67 for volunteers

102 volunteers 80 volunteers

youngest

1,760

100%

DARWIN FESTIVAL ANNUAL REVIEW 2018

HOURS WORKED

46

oldest

NT ORIGIN

VALUED AT

$72,705

*

*$41.31 per hour x 1,760. Average weekly earning figure taken from 2017/18 Volunteering SA NT Annual Report.

89%

Women

11% Men

Friends of the Festival memberships broke records in 2018 with 286 Friends signing up, an impressive 34% increase on 2017 membership numbers.

Purchasing an average of 14 tickets each, our Friends remain our greatest ambassadors and highest ticket buyers.

This year we introduced a dynamic new brand for our loyal Friends in partnership with our Brand Strategy Partner, KWP!, and rolled out Friends merchandise included free of charge with every membership purchased.

In addition to existing perks such as discounted tickets, Friends-for-Free shows, behind-the-scenes access and priority venue entry, Friends were invited to enjoy discounted drinks at the Friends’ exclusive Snappy Hour every Tuesday of the Festival and on closing night.

286 668 3,765 14

average number tickets purchased

01.

Darwin Festival volunteer Connor Askham 02.

bookings

tickets purchased

“Being a Friend encouraged me to make the most of the Festival.”

$34.79 $135,081

average ticket price

value (^$41,674 on 2017)

02.

Santos Opening Night Concert Glenn Campbell

FRIENDS OF THE FESTIVAL

friends

47

SUSTAINABILITY With our magical outdoor venues, Darwin Festival celebrates the Territory’s outdoor lifestyle and pristine natural environment. We are committed to minimising our impact on the natural environment and continue to introduce initiatives to help us become a more sustainable event.

With thanks to our partner Power and Water, public water refill stations were readily available at Festival Park and the Amphitheatre, where the public were encouraged to refill their water bottles with fresh water straight from the tap.

We worked with our waste management partner Sterling NT to reduce the percentage of onsite waste that went to landfill, with aluminium, glass, cardboard and plastic products separated and recycled, and bins dressed and clearly marked for recyclable, non-recyclable and compostable waste.

This year, our wine cups were 100% biodegradable, and our food vendors assisted us in minimising our environmental footprint by using biodegradable service ware. Grey water and cooking oil from the food stalls was collected and removed offsite for recycling, and food vendors’ water usage was monitored to remain within acceptable levels.

DARWIN FESTIVAL ANNUAL REVIEW 2018

01.

48

ACCESSIBILITY At Darwin Festival, we want everyone to be able to enjoy our events and celebrate our fantastic city together. That’s why we partnered with Accessibility Partner Northcrest to enhance our accessibility services to increase opportunities for patrons with accessibility requirements.

This year, we introduced an inquiry point for patrons to contact our Box Office regarding accessibility requirements. Patrons were able to email access@darwinfestival.org.au to inquire or register their access needs in advance of performances, allowing Darwin Festival to make arrangements and meet the patrons on arrival at the venues.

01.

We also engaged Auslan interpreters for four different shows. Deaf and hearing-impaired audiences enjoyed accessible performances of Chasing Smoke, SPUN: Power and Urzila Carlson. Jodee Mundy’s show Personal told the story of her experience growing up as the only hearing member of a Deaf family household, and was performed in English and Auslan. The entire run of Personal was accessible to Deaf audiences and proved popular with the Deaf community, many of whom stayed after the performance to converse with the artist. Jodee also provided Auslan interpretation for the Personal post-show talk.

All Festival venues are wheelchair accessible and wheelchair friendly. We work closely with patrons to ensure easy venue access, good sightlines and their comfort inside all our venues.

We support the Companion Card program. Should a patron require the assistance of a companion or carer to attend events or venues, we will issue a second ticket at no cost to holders of a Companion Card.

ACCESSIBLE EVENTS

159 vs 69

ticketed shows free events ACCESSIBLE TICKET PRICES

$34.62

average ticket price

$15 SCHOOLS ticket price

Auslan interpreters

FOUR

different shows

SUSTAINABILITY // ACCESSIBILITY

02.

01.

Festival Park recycling station Glenn Campbell

02.

Jodee Mundy, Personal Ponch Hawkes

49

DARWIN FESTIVAL ANNUAL REVIEW 2018

FESTIVAL TEAM

50

The 2018 Festival was delivered by 93 Darwin Festival staff, 120 volunteers and many other support staff including contractors. A massive thank you to everyone who worked together to make the 2018 Festival possible.

PATRON

AMBASSADOR

DARWIN FESTIVAL BOARD

Her Honour the Honourable Vicki O’Halloran AM Administrator of the Northern Territory

Hon Michael Gunner MLA Chief Minister of the Northern Territory

Ian Kew (Chair), Karen Green, Avril Baynes, Mark Hunt, Mark Grose

DARWIN FESTIVAL STAFF

Executive

Emily Mann Chief Executive Officer

Felix Preval Artistic Director Programming Harriet Robinson Program Manager

Vanessa Wright Senior Producer Natasha Woodcock Program Coordinator James Mangohig Producer Club Awi

Anne Wiberg Music Programmer Administration Renee Allchurch Finance & HR Manager

Miriam Scapin Festival Administrator

Gemma Colman Administrative Assistant

Libby Lynch Volunteers Coordinator Development

Zoe Scrogings Development Manager

Lisa Parris Development Coordinator Ticketing

Nic van Essen Ticketing Manager

Erin Garman Ticketing Assistant Manager

Sian Sugars Ticketing Coordinator

Bars

Joshua Dolman Bars Manager Marketing & Communications

Kate Napper Marketing & Communications Manager

Tierney White Marketing & Communications Coordinator Andi Lawson-Moore Publications Editor

Cardinal Spin Publicist 01.

2018 Darwin Festival team Duane Preston

FESTIVAL TEAM

01.

Production Mathew McHugh Production Manager Nathan Da Cunha Technical Manager

Rachal Van Wyk Production Administrator

Andy Aiken Production Coordinator: Festival Park

Kat Waterman Production Coordinator: Special Events

Mark Holman Production Coordinator: DEC

Geoffrey Tonks Production Coordinator: The Esplanade

Matthew Wildy Logistics Coordinator

Techy Masero Design Associate

51

SEE YOU NEXT FESTIVAL WE’RE TURNING 40!

DARWIN FESTIVAL Level 2, Harbour View Plaza 8 McMinn Street Darwin NT 0801 GPO Box 570 Darwin NT 0801 (+61) 08 8943 4200 contact@darwinfestival.org.au ABN 15 616 936 371