This January more than 1,250 artists gathered across Sydney to share saltwater stories, freshwater stories and tales of Sydney Harbour.
Immersive experiences like Puccini’s Il Tabarro aboard the Carpentaria lightship and choral epic Night Songs at Coney Island, through to eco-friendly contemporary music ship Arka Kinari (Indonesia) and Arc Circus Co.’s performance Living Sculptures: How the Birds got their Colours, hugged our shorelines, beaches and parks.
With 148 events on offer, including 28 world premieres and 58 free events, this year’s blockbuster program proved there is nowhere like Sydney to experience an exhilarating summer of art.
At a fundamental level, art has the power to remind us of what it means to be human – to bring people together for an exchange of perspectives. To learn, laugh, cry and be moved.
Be it thought-provoking political murder mystery with Things Hidden Since the Foundation of the World by The Javaad Alipoor Company and the National Theatre of Parramatta, takedowns of the macho artist in Masterclass New York’s Adrienne Truscott and Dublin’s Brokentalkers, or palindromic theatre with Are we not drawn onward to new erA by masterful Belgian theatremakers Ontroerend Goed, our stages were bursting with big ideas and creativity.
The Festival welcomed acclaimed dance innovators from around the world, including Brazil’s renowned Lia Rodrigues Companhia De Danças with Encantado, and a riveting Swedish double bill from GöteborgsOperans Danskompani.
We hope you dove in and experienced all that Sydney had to offer!
This year’s Blak Out program curated by Jacob Nash brought community together with the world premiere of a retelling of the famed Butcher brothers and Warumpi Band story, Big Name, No Blankets, an ILBIJERRI Theatre Company show written by Andrea James with Sammy Butcher, and co-directed and co-written by Anyupa Butcher.
Mutiara by Marrugeku revealed Broome’s confronting history around pearl diving, while Vigil: The Future, co-directed by Jacob Nash and Stephen Page, featured the voices of young people from the Marliya Choir in Far North Queensland, whose power, spirit and strength inspired us to think of Australia’s tomorrow.
In Parramatta, we supported new Australian writing with the NSW premiere of BANANALAND written by Kate Miller-Heidke and Keir Nuttall (the team behind Muriel’s Wedding the Musical), as well as major event Sydney Symphony Under the Stars: Pictures in the Sky featuring sitar star Anoushka Shankar and Indigenous composer William Barton. Plus, four-course immersive experience A’amar by Palestinian artist Aseel Tayah and fellow musicians Meena Shamaly and Camille El Feghali, who shared poetry, song and storytelling from their homelands.
Sydney Festival’s newest precinct The Thirsty Mile showcased one of the world’s most exciting cultural districts, enabling a full-swing takeover of nine beautifully renovated theatre, dance and music spaces across Pier 2/3 and Wharf 4/5 of the Walsh Bay Arts Precinct.
Thrilling world-class jazz; a celebration and deconstruction of JS Bach featuring Australia’s finest classical music talent; magnetic dance from around the world; electronic music parties; voguing nights; and engaging circus experiences for children and family, were just some of the highlights presented at our dedicated Festival hub.
The lively Banyan Nights took over the Seymour Centre courtyard, bringing the look and feel of a Southeast Asian market, featuring White Gold from Cambodia’s beloved Phare Circus, and exquisite puppetry from Indonesia’s Papermoon Puppet Theatre with A Bucket of Beetles
From our dedicated volunteers who give their time and energy, to the many expert staff whose skills help realise one of the most complex cultural undertakings in the country, through to the ingenuity of the Festival’s participating artists, and of course you our audience – thank you!
I’d like to also acknowledge Her Excellency the Honourable Margaret Beazley AC KC, patron of Sydney Festival, the NSW Government through Create NSW and Destination NSW, City of Sydney and City of Parramatta, as well as our principal philanthropic supporter Peter Freedman AM, and all of our private supporters, corporate sponsors and venue partners.
We look forward to welcoming you back in 2025 on what always was and always will be Aboriginal land.
Olivia Ansell Festival Director
“Artistic Director Olivia Ansell’s third year at the helm exhibits all her trademark sense of fun and an appreciation of some of the quirkier corners of our city, plus a canny range of performances designed to have the broadest appeal to different audiences.”
Nick Galvin, The Sydney Morning Herald24 Days
148 Events 424 Performances
Total Festival attendance
54
261,414 Venues
Ticketed attendance
93,473
12 Digital events
Free events & major exhibitions attendance
167,941
The Thirsty Mile attendance
54,377
Events at The Thirsty Mile
59
Revenue
1,250 Artists employed Turnover
$15.5m
1,039 Australian
211 International
Australian exclusives
343
Exhibition days
25
27 Sydney Festival commissioned works
21 Australian premieres
16 Countries involved
22
58 Free events Talks & workshops
29
New Australian works
28
World premieres and premiere seasons
"A unanimous standing ovation ended a show that I immediately wanted to watch again."
Eloise Fuss, ABC Anoushka Shankar
This year, Sydney Festival found a new home in one of the most spectacular harbourside locations in the world. The Thirsty Mile – a full-swing takeover of the Walsh Bay Arts Precinct – signified the return of the Festival hub with phenomenal theatres, an exhibition space, bars and a thumping club.
Sydney Festival brought arts lovers together in one glorious location and unlocked the space for a broader audience. Conceived as a playful throwback to Sydney’s working wharf history, The Thirsty Mile beckoned those thirsty for culture, thirsty for change and thirsty for world-class art.
It was a thrill to present 50+ events across nine venues including at ACO, The Neilson; ATYP, The Rebel Theatre; The Studio Theatre at Bangarra; Bell Shakespeare, The Neilson Nutshell; Moonshine Bar; Poster House; Roslyn Packer Theatre; Sydney Dance
Company, Neilson Studio; Sydney Theatre Company, Wharf 1 Theatre and Wharf 4/5.
The Thirsty Mile welcomed a diverse month-long celebration of arts, from decadent cabaret, innovative dance and trailblazing theatre, to three eclectic weeks of music and sweaty Late Nights at the Thirsty Mile. The Moonshine Bar was the social centrepiece of it all – the spot for food, drinks on waterfront deckchairs, and pre- and post-show revelry. It also housed Michael Shaw’s sinuous sculpture Hi-Vis, a monumental installation curling around the wharf’s pillars that brought colour and adventure into the cavernous space.
Every January, Sydney Festival brings the best of international arts to our city. With Festival Director Olivia Ansell at the helm for her third year, the Festival welcomed over 30 incredible international works direct from Asia, South America, North America and Europe.
Encantado opened the Festival with a vibrant flurry of 140 colourful blankets and 11 jubilant dancers from Brazil’s esteemed Lia Rodrigues Companhia De Danças. From Sweden, GöteborgsOperans Danskompani’s miraculous dance double bill of Skid/SAABA pushed creative and technical possibilities on a vertiginous stage and with dancers on demi-pointe.
International theatre provoked ideas and wonder, from the information deep-dive Things Hidden Since the Foundation of the World (UK), to Belgium’s mind-bending palindromic drama Are we not drawn onward to new erA, to the whip-smart comedy Masterclass from Ireland.
Music legends brought packed houses to their feet with performances from sitar virtuoso Anoushka Shankar (UK), funkadelic force Judith Hill (USA), jazz piano stars Harold López-Nussa (Cuba), Amaro Freitas (Brazil) and more.
"A joyous celebration of movement and improvised play, the piece had 11 exuberant dancers twirl, sculpt, and wrap themselves in an array of 140 colourful, patterned blankets."
Matthew Westwood, The Australian Encantado
Led by Creative Artist in Residence Jacob Nash for a third year, the Blak Out program platformed remarkable stories from some of Australia’s most talented First Nations artists. Setting the Blak agenda, these works shared past and present truths – and challenged, inspired and moved audiences.
The electrifying rock’n’roll theatre show Big Name, No Blankets raised the roof of the Roslyn Packer Theatre in its celebration of the iconic Warumpi Band. At Parramatta Parklands, the magic of world-renowned composer William Barton soared in Sydney Symphony Under the Stars: Pictures in the Sky
The annual tradition of Vigil: The Future returned on 25 January, illuminating Barangaroo Reserve with a stunning stage and lighting installation that set the scene for the Marliya Choir of young Indigenous women to share their dreams for the future.
World premiere dance works delivered pertinent messages and powerful storytelling – from GURR ERA OP, a call to action by four Torres Strait Islander women in the face of climate devastation, to Marrugeku’s choreographic truth-telling in Mutiara, revealing the lost histories of Broome’s pearl divers. Taking flight across beaches, parks and city squares, Living Sculptures: How the Birds got their Colours was a mesmerising collaboration between Arc Circus Co., Luther Cora and the Yugambeh Aboriginal Dancers, with weaving workshops on-site.
At the Seymour Centre, Faboriginal boy from the bush Dale Woodbridge-Brown served up the interactive circus Camp Culture, while at Belvoir St Theatre, Tiddas put sisterhood and solidarity in the spotlight, and Healing Scars by Warren Mason was an intricate tapestry of First Nations expression.
A key tenet of Sydney Festival’s artistic vision is the commissioning and presentation of new Australian works. These works share the stories, song lines and ceremony of First Nations artists and reflect the rich diversity of cultures across Greater Sydney, Australia and the Pacific. They add to the eclectic identity of our city and write new stories of our country.
The Festival was proud to present the world premieres of Ghenoa Gela’s landmark dance and spoken word work GURR ERA OP produced by Force Majeure and ILBIJERRI Theatre Company; Marrugeku’s Mutiara – celebrating the bonds forged between Malay workers and the First Peoples of the Kimberley; and Emma Harrison’s evocative solo dance work Wolverine, as part of a dynamic double bill.
The world premieres continued with Big Name, No Blankets from ILBIJERRI Theatre
Company, bringing the music of the Warumpi Band from the NT to global stages; A’amar, an exchange of music, stories and food from Palestinian creatives; musical comedy BANANALAND, from the songwriting team behind Muriel’s Wedding The Musical; Night Songs at Coney Island, an immersive celebration of innocence at Luna Park; and Vigil: The Future featuring the Marliya Choir.
Cabaret world premieres sizzled, including the late-night variety feast Smashed: The Nightcap, the showstopper Send for Nellie, and breakthrough jazz talent Alma Zygier’s Premarital Sextet. Across Greater Sydney, Hive Festival brought art and glee to all ages, and Casula welcomed the world premiere of feature film Mood Ring – a love-letter to friendship and Fiji.
The 2024 program was a lively celebration of Australia’s diverse cultural community, welcoming artists with a broad range of experiences from our own backyard and overseas.
Under a colourful canopy of lanterns and baskets, Banyan Nights brought the look and feel of a Southeast Asian market to the Seymour Centre courtyard, accompanying Cambodian circus gem White Gold, and Indonesia’s utterly charming puppetry A Bucket of Beetles. Things Hidden Since the Foundation of the World plunged into the mystery of a murdered Iranian popstar, while A’amar invited audiences to share a meal and heartrending stories with Palestinian artist Aseel Tayah.
The Multicultural Comedy Gala delivered belly laughs, and Sculptured Riddims brought together explosive energy and diverse dance communities – from street to club to Afro.
New Beginnings Festival highlighted the creative works of artists from First Nations, refugee and migrant backgrounds, and Saplings shared stories from young people in conflict with the youth justice system.
At The Thirsty Mile, SPIN was an inclusive dance event led by three Deaf hosts and a DJ; and acclaimed singer-songwriter and accessibility advocate Eliza Hull took the stage with street performing artist roya the destroya.
LGBTQIA+ artists perspectives were front and centre, from the story of Black queer cabaret icon Nellie Small in Send for Nellie, and the powerhouse monologue Overflow exploring trans experiences, to the interrogation of love, excess and Islam in The Chosen Haram, and the hilarious challenge to homonormativity of Ode to Joy (How Gordon got to go to the nasty pig party)
The Festival is committed to reimagining the city, both inviting Sydneysiders to rediscover familiar haunts and be delighted by new locations. In 2024, the Festival transported audiences beyond theatres and onto boats, beaches, an amusement park, and even the theatre stage.
Honouring our waterways, many stories were set beyond dry land – from the nautical noir Il Tabarro (aboard the historic Carpentaria lightship) and the floating music stage of Arka Kinari, to kayak tours around the majestic Te Wheke-a-Muturangi: The Adversary. Audiences also boarded a ferry with an orchestra set for Night Songs at Coney Island, experiencing an immersive choral experience at Luna Park.
The entire Walsh Bay Arts Precinct was reimagined as The Thirsty Mile, and the Commercial 1 wharf shape-shifted into a club with partygoers dancing amid the sinuous splendour of Hi-Vis. Early risers hit the
pier for Sunrise Yoga and were invited into transformed spaces for Sue Healy’s cinematic tribute On View: Icons, and political poster exhibition Talking Posters: Garage Graphix 1981–1998.
The Brett Whiteley Studio morphed into an intimate gig space for music greats like Tim Freedman, Rizo and Anoushka Shankar. Living Sculptures: How the Birds got their Colours popped up across popular beaches, city parks and Parramatta Square, and audiences enjoyed the awe-inspiring fusion of opera and circus in Orpheus & Eurydice
2024 was a hands-on Festival like no other. In Soliloquy, 40 untrained volunteer participants were woven into music and dance; in A’amar audiences took a seat at the table for food, song and storytelling; and House of Fast Fashun invited everyone to transform fashion waste into wearable art.
The 2024 program was plentiful with child-friendly performances and installations. The harbour’s edges played host to immense, multidimensional (and free) art installations, with Lisa Reihana’s mythical Māori octopus Te Wheke-a-Muturangi: The Adversary in residence at Watermans Cove, as Michael Shaw’s serpentine creation Hi-Vis wound its way around the interior of Pier 2/3.
The Thirsty Mile, Bondi Beach, Tumbalong Park and Circular Quay delighted audiences with popup performances by Snuff Puppets’ squawking, chippie-thieving Seagulls, and dinosaur lovers came face-to-face with wondrously life-like giant reptiles in Dinosaur World Live.
Cambodian circus White Gold brought a spoonful (or chopsticks-ful) of rice magic to the Seymour
Centre, as did Indonesian puppet theatre A Bucket of Beetles, before free music and a Southeast Asian market vibe took over the Seymour Centre's courtyard for Banyan Nights
Clown prince Thom Monckton returned to Sydney Festival with sight gags and pratfalls aplenty in The King of Taking. The Listies entertained little ones with very silly songs and sketches; Korean puppetry and pansori performance Sugung-ga: The Other Side of the World delighted audiences at ATYP; and Saplings, by Yuwaalaraay playwright Hannah Belanszky and Kalkadoon director Abbie-lee Lewis, brought to the stage stories born from workshops with young people in conflict with the youth justice system.
Greater Sydney had plenty to celebrate, with a host of shows in Parramatta, at Blacktown Arts Centre and at Casula Powerhouse. The romping musical comedy BANANALAND brought together an all-star creative team and cast to rock the socks off Riverside audiences, whilst Palestinian culinary theatre immersion A'amar created an intimate space for powerful storytelling. The Multicultural Comedy Gala returned to poke fun at everything that makes us different but yet similar, and the family spectacular Dinosaur World Live had the little ones squealing with glee.
Meanwhile, in Parramatta Square you could find site-specific acrobatics and physical theatre in Living Sculptures: How the Birds got their Colours, a work fusing First Nations dance, storytelling and contemporary circus to create human sculptures before your eyes.
The beloved Sydney Symphony Under the Stars was back at The Crescent in Parramatta Park for Pictures in the Sky, with Anoushka Shankar, William Barton, Aunty Delmae Barton, Véronique Serret, and all the symphonic classics and fireworks you love.
Blacktown Arts Centre (and the Art Gallery of New South Wales) hosted hands-on, child friendly creative celebration Hive Festival. Casula Powerhouse was home to the Cambodian Circus Workshop with performers from White Gold, as well as visual art exhibitions Memories of Water (Badu) from Leanne Tobin, Margaret and the Grey Mare – an immersive video installation by Katy B Plummer – and Eddie Abd’s The unbearable right to see and be seen
Phare Circus - Reflecting on the success of Phare Circus, White Gold, Syd Fest “As we bask in the success of our Sydney Festival tour, I extend my heartfelt thanks to the festival team for their hospitality and amazing support. It is through collaborative efforts that we were able to create such a meaningful impact on the intternational stage.”
Getting to take Ode to Joy to the other side of the world, to this gorgeous city, and perform in front of a completely new audience has been an experience I’ll never forget. A huge thank you to Sydney Festival and everyone who came out to see us. It means the world.
“
Sean Connor, Cast Member Ode to Joy (How Gordon got to go to the nasty pig party)
One of the most gratifying outcomes of our time at the Sydney Festival was the overwhelming sense of pride it instilled in the Cambodian community. Our Phare artists, through their awe-inspiring performances, demonstrated the heights that Cambodian talent can reach on the global stage.
Dara Huot, CEO Phare Circus, White Gold
It was truly one of the greatest gigs of my life. Thank you Sydney Festival.
I just wanted to say a big thank you to all for looking after me in Sydney and helping to deliver the project. The whole experience was fantastic and I felt most welcome and well looked after. Having the opportunity to make Hi-Vis, was and is truly appreciated, especially doing it for such an amazing space. So, once again sincere thanks.
Michael Shaw, Artist Hi-VisFrom my perspective, one of the most significant achievements of the Festival was the representation of street dance on such a grand scale. It was a monumental moment for the dance community and a significant win for the art form itself. Featuring 40 artists across three nights, ranging from full-time professionals to students and families, a unique and enriching experience was provided for everyone involved. The exposure to such opportunities will undoubtedly have a lasting impact on our community.
Azzam Mohamed, Curator Sculptured Riddims
GöteborgsOperans Danskompani’s first ever visit to Australia leaves us with countless warm memories. It is always a pleasure and an honour for us to share our work with new audiences around the world, but the powerful response we met at Sydney´s beautiful Roslyn Packer Theatre was truly amazing and beyond our expectations. Such an inspiring event and atmosphere. From the bottom of our hearts – thank you!
Katrín Hall, Artistic Director GöteborgsOperans Danskompani
It wouldn’t be summer without Sydney Festival’s large-scale, free public art installations, and 2024 was no exception. Michael Shaw’s labyrinthine, inflatable Hi-Vis filled the interior of the Moonshine Bar, while Māori artist Lisa Reihana’s floating tribute to the mythological, majestic octopus Te Wheke-a-Muturangi kept watch over Watermans Cove.
House of Fast Fashun invited closet fashion designers, kids and adults alike, down to Tumbalong Park to create their own fabulous couture redesigned from discarded clothes, blending creativity and commentary on fast fashion waste. New Beginnings Festival at the Australian National Maritime Museum and Hive Festival at Blacktown Arts and the Art Gallery of New South Wales also delivered big days of free family fun.
The Festival’s footprint extended further than ever, with free visual art exhibitions on offer at Bondi Pavilion, Casula
Powerhouse Arts Centre, National Art School, Brett Whiteley Studio, The Thirsty Mile pop-up Poster House and Manly Art Gallery.
A pair of free talks at Artspace saw producer Mo Laudi discussing on Afroelectronica and sound archives, and arts journalist supreme Daniel Browning unpacking First Nations representation with Larissa Behrendt. There was free music by the Harbour and in parks all over, with Vigil: The Future, Il Tabarro, Arka Kinari and Sydney Symphony Under the Stars: Pictures in the Sky
Our affordable ticketing options were back in 2024, with Tix for Next to Nix offering $26 same-day tickets to a wide range of events. Our Black Friday sale was again a huge success, and the Arts Pass offered affordable $36 tickets to arts industry peers.
Free, closed captioned and available to stream anytime, anywhere, our AT HOME digital programming encompassed eight streamable programs in 2024, featuring full performances of Il Tabarro, Vigil: The Future, GURR ERA OP and Living Sculptures: How the Birds got their Colours. There were behind-the-scenes ‘making of’ featurettes: Kulintjaku, Wankantjaku (Listen, Talk) – The Making of Big Name, No Blankets stage show, What happens if our island sinks? and Fast Fashun: Behind the Runway
Two fascinating full-length documentaries featured: Big Name No Blanket (2013), which covered the iconic Warumpi Band, and Cirque du Cambodia, a documentary on Cambodia’s Phare Circus, the creators of White Gold. Also available were three re-booted live music performances from the 2023 Festival: Empty Voices by Hamed Sadeghi, Show Your Heart with Lisa Moore, and Tim Freedman’s Brett Whiteley Studio Session.
62
32 Relaxed performances
13 Captioned performances
29 Events
8
6 Audio described performances
6 Auslan interpreted performances
5 Tactile tours
Eliza Hull feat. roya the destroya, photo by Victor FrankowskiSydney Festival welcomes all visitors, and we strive to ensure that all our performances are accessible to the widest range of audiences. In 2024, all our venues were wheelchair accessible, and all AT HOME digital content had captions available. The program featured six audio described performances and five tactile tours for patrons who are blind or have low vision.
The Festival featured six performances with Auslan intepretations, a BANANLAND performance with live captioning for Deaf and hard of hearing audience members, as well as surtitled performances of Il Tabarro and Orpheus & Eurydice.
Audiences with sensory sensitivities were also catered for, with eight events holding relaxed sessions with accompanying preshow visual stories and venue information. Among these were daily relaxed sessions
at Moonshine Bar's mammoth Hi-Vis installation, informed by an environmental assessment completed by Autism Spectrum Australia.
The 2024 Preview Guide was available in both mp3 and large print formats, and the website featured a calendar of accessible events and an access toggle with screen reader, text size, contrast controls and other access options. This year Sydney Festival supported the Hidden Disability Sunflower initiative, making Sunflower merchandise available at the Seymour Centre and the Moonshine Bar throughout the Festival, for both patrons and staff to claim as needed and without question.
We strive to improve our accessibility each year, with input from our Access and Inclusion Advisory Panel, comprised of members with lived experience of disability.
In collaboration with Re Agency (M&C Saatchi Group), we reinvented Sydney Festival’s iconic 'S' with new textures that evoke the art of summer. This year's four fabulous S-textures showcased the vibrant splash of culture that is Sydney Festival, referencing the blankets of Lia Rodrigues’ Encantado and paying homage to Australian legends the Warumpi Band in Big Name, No Blankets Huge thanks to Re, our esteemed design partner.
Sydney Festival’s 2024 marketing campaign kicked off in October 2023 with activity delivered locally, nationally and internationally in key markets through
to January 2024.
An extensive marketing campaign delivered over 65 million impressions across broadcast, cinema, outdoor, online, print, radio, social media, street media, collateral and direct mail, generating 2.5 million website views from over half a million website visitors.
Special thanks to our media partners who helped to deliver an impactful campaign: Signwave Newtown, Torch Media, Adflow, ABC, Time Out, Concrete Playground and Limelight Magazine
CAMPAIGN IMPRESSIONS
83 million
WEBSITE VIEWS
2.5 million
EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS
107,000
154,000 Facebook followers
149,000 X followers
59,000 Instagram followers
2.8 million Tik Tok views
The publicity campaign for the 2024 Sydney Festival garnered extensive media coverage, increasing Festival awareness, championing local and international artists and fostering a palpable sense of excitement amongst audiences.
The campaign effectively conveyed both the specific narratives of the 2024 Festival and the broader brand identity of the Sydney Festival. Prominent features included themes of water and weaving, a new Festival hub, programmatic explorations of historic Sydney and the Festival's status as a high-summer calendar stalwart showcasing premier international and Australian exclusive works.
The campaign also addressed various messaging tiers, including local communications around the Festival’s ongoing presence in Parramatta, an expanded live music offering, First Nations programming, and free and family-friendly events amidst Australia's cost of living crisis.
During the main three-month press period, the publicity campaign achieved
a total of 8,355 media mentions across broadcast, online and print.
Coverage highlights included nine show-specific features in The Guardian, live crosses with Sunrise at Watermans Cove, 15 standalone in-studio artist interviews on major programs like ABC News Breakfast, Sunrise and The Project, extensive evening news coverage on local stations and national programs, daily radio interviews with the Festival Director on ABC Radio Sydney Breakfast, and a prominent front-page feature in the Sydney Morning Herald on the Festival's opening Saturday, accompanied by multiple cover pointer items throughout the campaign.
Media attendance at the Festival remained strong, with 114 formally accredited media guests from over 60 outlets attending at least one ticketed event.
Our sincere thanks goes to Common State for driving a strong publicity campaign.
“It is truly a celebration of their uniqueness, their joy and passion. I believe it can only cement their icon status. Bravo ILBIJERRI and Sydney Festival.”
BigName,NoBlankets
Cassie Tongue, The Guardian
“Here was something to bend the brain and fire off the synapses like so many New Year’s Eve crackers. This was theatre as spectacle, magic, image, poetry, didacticism and even cinema.”
Are we not drawn onward to new erA
John Shand, The Sydney Morning Herald
“Laugh-out-loud hilarious... It just might be the fluid-splattered climax of this year’s entire Sydney Festival.”
OdetoJoy:(HowGordongottogotothenastypigparty)
Kate Prendergast, Time Out
“There was variety, imagination and reverence in this series, and some of the performances achieved moments of the luminosity one always seeks in Bach.”
Temperament
Peter McCallum, The Sydney Morning Herald
“It’s gorgeous choreography, heart-stopping athleticism, and deeply touching drama all at once.”
SKID
Chantal Nguyen, The Sydney Morning Herald
“This starkly beautiful production, performed by circus artists alongside the singers, feels fresh, modern and exciting.”
Orpheus & Eurydice
Jo Litson, Limelight Magazine
“The Walsh Bay Arts Precinct has plenty going for it as a permanent hub for the ‘summer asset’ Sydney Festival.”
Matthew Westwood, The Australian
“Anoushka Shankar’s music is as mellifluous and luxuriant as her name. She’d barely played two notes when I fell under her spell once more.”
Anoushka Shankar
John Shand, The Sydney Morning Herald
“It’s fun, sexy and charming... Perfect for sharing with friends. It’s a great way to kick off the new year: a reminder that we can find joy in our city, in each other, and what we can create together.”
Smashed: The Nightcap Cassie Tongue, The Sydney Morning Herald
Partner logos on street flags
Partner logo at Walsh Bay
Partner logos on lightboxes around Sydney Harbour foreshore
Digital Screens at Watermans Cove
Partner acknowledgement at Directors Dinner
Sydney Festival would like to thank our two founding partners, the State Government through Create NSW and the City of Sydney. Their steadfast dedication and ongoing support are instrumental in facilitating the curation of a diverse and exceptional multiarts program. Furthermore, their investment provides access to premier venues across the city, including the award-winning Walsh Bay Arts Precinct, managed by Create NSW, which proudly served as the newest Festival hub for Sydney Festival.
In addition to our founding partners, we are grateful for the continued collaboration with our long-standing investor Destination NSW. In 2024, Destination NSW aligned to four Sydney exclusive events: GöteborgsOperans Danskompani, Anoushka Shankar, Il Tabarro, White Gold and the smash-hit BANANALAND in Parramatta. Through their extensive marketing channels, Destination NSW played a crucial role in promoting the Festival, driving visitation from intrastate, interstate and international audiences to Sydney in January. The Festival partnered with Placemaking NSW once again to showcase a series of captivating
works. These included House of Fast Fashun at Darling Harbour; Living Sculptures: How the Birds got their Colours and Seagulls at Darling Harbour and Circular Quay; Te Whekea-Muturangi at Watermans Cove, Barangaroo; Arka Kinarii at Campbells Cove; and Vigil: The Future at Barangaroo Reserve.
Sydney Festival remains steadfast in its commitment to programming in Western Sydney, where we continue to develop and present quality arts and cultural events within the Parramatta local government area. This endeavour is made possible through the generous support of the City of Parramatta. Notable productions included the musical comedy BANANALAND at Riverside Theatres and the Festival favourite, Sydney Symphony Under the Stars, which returned to The Crescent to delight audiences, thanks to the valued partnerships with Greater Sydney Parklands and Sydney Symphony Orchestra. The Festival’s Greater Sydney offerings also featured family fun and free exhibitions at Blacktown Arts Centre and Casula Powerhouse.
Sydney Festival's new hub, The Thirsty Mile, was located in one of the most knockout locations in the world, transforming the Walsh Bay Arts Precinct into a space with theatres, bars, an exhibition space and a thumping club. Patrons enjoyed a selection of beverages offered by Ester Spirits, Bunnamagoo Wines, FELLR, Beerfarm and Strangelove.
United Airlines joined the Festival for the first time, proudly flying artists from the U.S. to Sydney in January. Additionally we extend a warm welcome to new sponsors including HelloRide, the Australian British Chamber of Commerce and Business Partner, BDO.
We are grateful for the creative expertise of Re Agency in evolving our Festival brand into a fresh, captivating look for 2024 spanning print collateral, outdoor, motion assets, website and TVCs. Our media sponsors, including ABC Radio, Time
Out, TorchMedia, Tribal Apes, Concrete Playground, Adflow, Signwave Newtown, Limelight Magazine and the returning IndianLink, provided invaluable promotional support and coverage.
Sydney Festival collaborates with a diverse array of production sponsors who play a critical role in staging the Festival. We extend special thanks to TDC, Chameleon Touring Systems and SafetyCulture. Our artists and crew were graciously lodged by our generous accommodation partners, Four Points, Pier One, Meriton and Accor. We would also like to thank our Festival lawyers Maddocks, our research partners Woolcott Research and RDA Research as well as Wilson Parking, Business Sydney, Committee for Sydney, CloudWave, Ogilvy, Kawai, Artbank Australia and all our venue partners for their invaluable contributions to the success of Sydney Festival.
Sponsor logos on digital screen at the Moonshine Bar
For the 24th edition of Festival Feasts, a curated selection of nine restaurants and bars offered an elevated dining experience to Sydney Festival ticket holders, driving new business to our Feasts partners Cafe Sydney, Elements Seafood Grillhouse, Henry Deane at Hotel Palisade, Jounieh, LILYMU, Lotus Dumpling Bar, PIER BAR, The Dining Room-Park Hyatt Sydney, and Walsh Bay Crabhouse.
Our sincere thanks to Principal Philanthropic Partner Peter Freedman AM and all our private donors, whose generosity plays a vital role the Festival’s success. Their contributions have empowered countless artists, ignited creativity, and brought joy to appreciative Festival audiences.
In turn, their Festival is enriched by a series of exclusive events taking their experience to the next level.
I have long been an advocate for Sydney Festival and strongly believe it is one of the world’s most important cultural events – most certainly Australia’s. The Festival has supported thousands of creative artists and behind-the-scenes workers in the industry. These are the people who have supported my career with RØDE, and this is my way of giving back to them.
PETER FREEDMAN AM
"Another lovely Festival gathering. What a spectacular setting. One can never get enough of that harbour view from any perspectivebut under the bridge is a favourite.”
FIONA MARTIN-WEBER
“A huge congrats on the Director’s Dinner on Monday evening. It was a stunning venue (that backdrop!), and it rolled out beautifully.”
ANDREW CAMERON AM
Jacob Nash
Marita Supplee and Mitchel Martin-Weber
Fiona Martin-Weber, Benjamin Skepper and Olivia Ansell
Kween G, Tom Hayward and Alana Valentine
John Lydon, Caroline Beecham and Con Costi
Rebel Penfold-Russell and Benjamin Skepper
Andrew Cameron AM, David Mathlin, Alma Zygier, Dennis Cooper and Cathy Cameron
Judith and Jonathan Casson, Prinnie Stevens, Alex and Roslyn Hunyor
Popsy Albert, Christopher Tooher, John Barrer and Paddy Carney
The cast from Smashed:The Nightcap
Christopher Tooher, Olivia Ansell, Her Excellency the Honourable Margaret Beazley, Dennis Wilson, Kate Dundas Rhae and Chris Shaw, Josh Meader Trio
Stephen Fitzgerald and Rio Cuneo
Almost 200 superstar volunteers gave their time and effort to help ensure Sydney Festival ran smoothly across 148 events over 24 days. Our volunteers devoted 2,325 hours throughout the Festival with a total of 648 shifts attended to meet and greet patrons, answer queries, and provide advice, information, and operational support across Festival venues.
Our cohort includes volunteers who have been giving their time to the Festival for over ten years, and in 2024 several volunteers logged over 20 shifts and 30 hours.
Our volunteer teams were particularly central to the success of large-scale outdoor events like Vigil: The Future and Sydney Symphony Under the Stars: Pictures in the Sky. The Festival simply wouldn’t happen without the energy and skills donated by our fabulous volunteers – a heartfelt thank you to each and every one of them.
Essential to Sydney Festival is the bringing together and connecting with Sydney communities through the art and live performance of each year's program.
In 2024, we teamed up with community group Parents of Deaf Children for SPIN, a guided dance event for ages 10+ with three Deaf hosts and a DJ. We extended invitations to mob to attend Warumpi Band rock-theatre show Big Name, No
Blankets; to the Khmer Community NSW and Bonnyrigg Khmer School to attend performances of Cambodian circus White Gold; and to the Indian Literary & Art Society of Australia, Ekansh Indian Cultural Society, and UTS Indian Society to see virtuoso sitar player Anoushka Shankar perform live.
Participatory workshops for beginners, pre-professionals and early career professionals brought performances to life.
The Torres Strait Culture Sharing Workshop, with performers from GURR ERA OPP, shared the unique art, dance and stories of Torres Strait Islander communities. For professional and emerging professional dancers, The Body as Nature Dance Choreography Masterclass and Marrugeku Workshop: Intercultural Dance Processes shared insights into creating choreography with respected dance institutions Dancenorth and Marrugeku, respectively.
The Cambodian Circus Workshop invited guests to learn juggling, acrobatics and how to form a human pyramid with artists from White Gold. Sunrise Yoga invited everyone to limber up and salute the sun at Wharf 4/5. Weaving Workshops taught participants the First Nations art of weaving using natural elements, with weavers leaving with their own handmade bracelet, coil or other artwork.
WITH SINCERE THANKS TO PRINCIPAL PHILANTHROPIC PARTNER
PETER FREEDMAN AM AND ALL OF OUR PHILANTHROPIC SUPPORTERS
MAJOR DONORS
Andrew Cameron AM and Cathy Cameron
Hooper Shaw Foundation
Robyn Martin-Weber
Roslyn Packer AC
Jacqui Scheinberg
DIRECTOR’S CIRCLE
Anonymous
Antionette Albert
John Barrer
Ashley Dawson-Damer
Lansdowne Foundation
Fiona Martin-Weber and Tom Hayward
Nelson Meers Foundation
Scully Fund
FESTIVAL HEROES
Jonathan and Judith Casson
Doc Ross Family Foundation
Stephen Fitzgerald
Lisa and Mark Jackson Pulver
David Kirk MBE and Brigit Kirk
Anthony and Suzanne Maple-Brown
David Mathlin and Camilla Drover
Julianne Maxwell
Rebel Penfold-Russell
Penelope Seidler AM
Turnbull Foundation
ASSOCIATE PRODUCERS
The Arcadia Syndicate
Caroline Beecham and John Lydon
Larissa Behrendt AO and Michael Lavarch AO
Canny Quine Foundation
Anna Cleary
Carol Crawford
Jennifer Darin and Dennis Cooper
Jennifer Dowling and James Hill
Roslyn and Alex Hunyor
Amanda and Andrew Love
Victoria Taylor
Carolyn and Drew Townsend
Villa & Villa P/L
Ray Wilson OAM
FESTIVAL PATRONS
John and Helen Barclay
Iolanda Capodanno and Juergen Krufczyk
George El-Khouri OAM
Helena Harris
Kiong Lee and Richard Funston
Lyndall and Trevor McNally
Karen Moses
Mary Read
The Tal Family
Maggie Weiley and Barry Fitzgibbon
FESTIVAL LOVERS
Olivia Ansell
Carmel Balogh
Helen Bauer and Helen Lynch AM
Paddy Carney
Ben Franklin
Sandra Kingston
Cheryl Lo
Fiona Long
Clare Sawyer
Nawal Silfani
Christopher Tooher
SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR PHILANTHROPY COMMITTEE
Andrew Cameron AM (Chair)
Rhae Hooper
David Mathlin
Jacqui Scheinberg
Maria Villa
The Australian Government through Creative Australia, its arts funding and advisory body.
A’amar
Co-commissioned by Melbourne Fringe and Wyndham City Council, Bukjeh would like to acknowledge the support of Doctors and Co & Settlement Services International (SSI).
Are we not drawn onward to new erA
Coproduction with Spectra, Kunstencentrum Vooruit
Gent, Theatre Royal Plymouth, Adelaide Festival & Richard Jordan Productions Ltd.
Financial support provided by The Flemish Government and the city of Ghent.
Restart Investment to Sustain and Expand (RISE) Fund – an Australian Government Initiative.
Big Name, No Blankets
Larissa Behrendt AO and Michael Lavarch AO, Canny Quine Foundation, Scully Fund and all private donors.
Assisted by the Australian Government’s Major Festivals Initiative, managed by Creative Australia, its arts funding and advisory body, in association with the Confederation of Australian International Arts Festivals Inc., commissioned by RISING, Sydney Festival, Darwin Festival, Brisbane Festival and Adelaide Festival.
Brett Whiteley Studio Sessions
The Brett Whiteley Foundation.
Encantado
The Fondation d'entreprise
Hermès International Relief Fund for Cultural and Educational Organizations, Goethe-Institut and other partners.
GURR ERA OP
Assisted by the Australian Government’s Major Festivals Initiative, managed by Creative Australia, its arts funding and advisory body, in association with the Confederation of Australian International Arts Festivals Inc., commissioned by Sydney Festival, RISING, Brisbane Festival and Ten Days on the Island.
Hope Hunt and the Ascension into Lazarus / Wolverine
Hope Hunt: Supported by Dance Resource Base, Art Council of Northern Ireland, The MAC Theatre - Belfast, Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival, British Council, Prime Cuts Production.
Living Sculptures: How the Birds got their Colours
Originally commissioned by SWELL Sculpture Festival, with support from Arts Queensland; proudly supported by City of Gold Coast; presented in collaboration with Cluster Arts.
Lost in Palm Springs / ICONIC: Lost in Palm Springs panel discussion
Presented by HOTA, Home of the Arts partnership with Museums & Galleries Queensland. Assisted by the Australian Government’s Visions of Australia program and is supported by International Art Services.
Masterclass
Brokentalkers would like to thank and acknowledge support from Culture Ireland and funding from the Arts Council of Ireland. CoProduction with Dublin Fringe Festival, Project Arts Centre & Mermaid Arts Centre.
Mood Ring
The creators of Mood Ring would like to thank and acknowledge support from Cement Fondu, with a special thanks to Fiji Film, Australian Cultural Fund, the Ministry of iTaukei Affairs, Fiji Airways, and the community of Eora/Sydney for their support.
Mutiara
Commissioned by Perth Festival; funded by the WA State Government through the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries: Made in WA program, National Arts Council Singapore and City of Sydney; assisted by the Australian Government through Creative Australia, its principal arts investment and advisory body. Supported by the Western Australian Government through the department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries and the NSW Government through Create NSW.
On View: Icons
Supported by: Australia Council and Create NSW; Tobi Wilkinson and Rob Keldoulis; Creative Australia and Create NSW.
Orpheus & Eurydice
Circa acknowledges the assistance of the Australian Government through Creative Australia, its principal arts investment and advisory body and the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland.
The Chosen Haram
Supported by Flora Herberich; Turtle Key Arts would like to thank and acknowledge project funding and support from Arts Council England and Creative Scotland.
The Listies: Make Some Noise
The Listies would like to thank and acknowledge support provided by Waverley Council and Creative Victoria.
Things Hidden Since the Foundation of the World Co-commissioned by HOME, Manchester and National Theatre of Parramatta, Sydney
Tiddas
Commissioned and originally produced by La Boite Theatre, Brisbane Festival and the Queensland Performing Arts Centre.
Wayfinder
Commissioned by Brisbane Festival and North Australian Festival of Arts (NAFA). This project was made possible by Restart Investment to Sustain and Expand (RISE) Fund – an Australian Government Initiative. Assisted by the Australian Government through Creative Australia, its arts funding and advisory body. Assisted by both the Australian Government through the Australia Council for the Arts, its arts funding and advisory body, and the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland. Supported by Townsville City Council through their Strategic Partnerships Program, and gratefully acknowledges the Wayfinder Giving Circle, who has supported the making of this work.
Her Excellency the Honourable
Margaret Beazley AC KC, Governor of New South Wales
Chair - David Kirk MBE
Andrew Cameron AM
Paddy Carney
Angela Clark
Darren Dale
Kate Dundas
Dr Robert Lang
Karen Mundine
EXECUTIVE OFFICE
Festival Director
Olivia Ansell
Executive Director
Christopher Tooher
Executive Assistant
Bianca Rey
Administration Officer
Thomas Hamilton
Head of Finance and Administration
Dimitri Cachia
Financial Controller
Jennifer Stallard
Finance Manager
Chee-Hsing Pinchen
Accounts Assistant
Julie Crawford
Accounts Assistant
Courtney Lewis
Accounts Assistant
Sarah Mather
EXTERNAL RELATIONS
External Relations Director
Jane You
Business Development
Mouche Phillips
External Relations Manager
Kelly Malkin
Events and Hospitality Manager
Esther Castell
External Relations Coordinator
Nicole Cadelina
External Relations Coordinator
Sarah Mather
Hospitality Consultants
Fernando Motti, Blake Smith
Head of Philanthropy
Marita Supplee
Philanthropy Assistant
Fiona Jackson
Head of Programming Operations
Ellen Kavanagh
Creative Artist in Residence
Jacob Nash
Producer, Outdoor & Major Events
Andrew Mackonis
Producer, Theatre & Dance
Nick Beech
Producer, Music
Rosa Coyle-Hayward
Producer, First Nations
Ali Murphy-Oates
Producer, Digital
Elena Hattersley
Precincts Producer
Adriana Navarro
Associate Producer
Rebecca Spicer
Associate Producer
Jenny Ainsworth
Associate Producer
Aroha Pehi
Programming Coordinator
Claire Ferguson
Artist Liasion
Mikaela Dix
Volunteer Coordinators
Brady Tasker
Amy Buchanan
MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS
Marketing Director
Aimee Ocampo
Media Advisor
Nia Jones
Content Manager
Jordan Rahlia
Marketing Specialist
Michelle Balogh-Gray
Graphic Design Manager
Matthew Sharah
Publications and Content Editor
Winsome Walker
Campaign Manager
Holly Fenwick
Social Media Specialist
Jareth Leslie-Evans
Marketing Coordinator
Elizabeth Elias
Digital Marketing Coordinator
Liam Seymour
Publicity Coordinator
Josie Mura
Graphic Designer
Jeanine Apoderado
CUSTOMER SERVICES
Customer Services Director
Tara Easlea
Ticketing Systems Manager
Sarah Toner
Ticketing Systems Assistant
Samantha Atherley
Box Office Coordinator
Mitch Grace
PRODUCTION
Head of Production
John Bayley
Production Manager
Alycia Bangma
Senior Project Manager
Jesse Hilford
Project Manager
Bridget Hennessy
Project Manager
Gordon Rymer
Project Manager
Cally Bartley
Production Assistant
Abby Dinger
Signage Coordinator
Rae Anderson
Logistics Manager
Rudi Lo
Logistics Coordinators
Jess Dunn
Jessica Summit
Store Supervisor
Madeline Pollard
FESTIVAL DESIGN
AGENCY
Re Agency
FESTIVAL COMMUNICATIONS
AGENCY
Common State
FESTIVAL VIDEOGRAPHERS
Vokyo
FESTIVAL PHOTOGRAPHERS
Victor Frankowski, Jacquie Manning and Wendell Teodoro
COPYWRITERS
Elissa Blake, Jason Blake, Yvonne Frindle, Luke Goodsell, Nick Jarvis, Lenny Anne Lowe and Jack Tregoning
