BACKGROUND

Sydney Festival was originally conceived by the Sydney Committee, the NSW State Government and the City of Sydney with a view to attracting people into the city centre during the holiday month of January. ...
The first Festival took place in 1977 and it has since grown to become one of Australia's largest annual cultural celebrations with an international reputation for modern, popular and intelligent programming. In many ways it is probably still best understood as a celebration of Sydney and its style and energy reflect the confidence, diversity and vigour of one of the world's most beautiful cities.

For three weeks each January the Festival offers a rich program of around 80 events involving upwards of 500 artists from Australia and abroad covering dance, theatre, music, visual arts, cross media and forums. In any given year, it makes use of most of the main theatres across the city including Sydney Theatre, CarriageWorks, City Recital Hall and venues at the Sydney Opera House,

Sydney Festival also presents a number of quality, free outdoor events such as the long-running Domain Concerts which attract up to 100,000 people a time. From 2008 the Festival will take to the streets with a new free event entitled Festival First Night, a large-scale celebration of music and performance which will draw up to 200,000 people into in the heart of the city.

The Festival has a history of presenting Australian premieres and many of Australia's most memorable productions such as Cloudstreet have resulted from Sydney Festival's commitment to nurture local artists. It has brought many of the world's great artists to Sydney for the first time including: Ariane Mnouchkine and Thèâtre du Soleil (Flood Drummers), Robert Wilson (The Black Rider), Robert Lepage (Far Side of the Moon and The Andersen Project), George Piper Dances, Netherlands Dance Theatre, James Thiérrée, Philip Glass, Ian McKellen (Dance of Death)and the Batsheva Dance Company.

Sydney Festival attracts a total audience of approximately 1 million across all of its events each year making it the most attended cultural event in Australia.

FESTIVAL DIRECTORS

The 2009 program will be Fergus Linehan's fourth and final as Festival Director and Chief Executive. His successor for the 2010-12 Festivals will be Lindy Hume. Previous directors were:

Brett Sheehy: 2002 -2005
Leo Schofield: 1998 - 2001
Anthony Steel: 1995 -1997
Stephen Hall: 1977 - 1994

FESTIVAL SUPPORTERS

Despite living very much at the leading edge of the arts in Australia, Sydney Festival carries with it a legacy from its origins as a celebration for the people of Sydney. Its connections to the City of Sydney and to the State Government are still very much at the core of the organisation. The Lord Mayor of Sydney is the Chair and the Premier of NSW the President, with other members from both local and state arms of Government sitting on the Board. The third stakeholder is Principal Sponsor, Channel Nine.