Embracing the art of summer since 1977, Sydney Festival is a city-wide celebration of culture, creativity and the questioning mind. From the streets to the beach, in stately theatres and in secret basements, it animates locations across Greater Sydney with a trailblazing free and ticketed program of theatre, music, dance, visual art and all the experimental in-between places of live performance.
As a dedicated commissioner of new Australian works, Sydney Festival showcases our nation’s diverse storytellers to the world, whilst drawing the world’s finest artists to Sydney.
Many of Australia’s most memorable productions have resulted from Sydney Festival commissions and premieres, including Cloudstreet (1998), Black Chicks Talking (2003), Three Furies (2005), uniquely Australian musical The Adventures of Snugglepot & Cuddlepie and Little Ragged Blossom (2007), the outrageous cabaret Smoke and Mirrors (2010), The Secret River (2013), Black Diggers (2014), contemporary circus ensemble Circa’s Humans (2017), multi-award-winner Counting and Cracking (2019) and BLACK TIES (2020).
We're proud to have hosted major Australian musicians, performers and comedians including Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Archie Roach, Ruby Hunter, Gotye, Regurgitator, Emma Donovan, Tex Perkins, Megan Washington, Meow Meow, Christa Hughes, Yana Alana and Celia Pacquola.
World-leading artists and companies that have shared work with Sydney Festival audiences in recent years include Lars Jan and Early Morning Opera’s Joan Didion’s The White Album, performance artist Bryrony Kimmings’ I’m A Phoenix, Bitch, and choral choir Tenebrae (2020); Schaubühne Berlin and Complicité’s Beware of Pity, Ethiopian legend Mulatu Astatke, Neneh Cherry, and American artist Nick Cave’s epic exhibition UNTIL (2019); Wayne McGregor, Olafur Eliasson and Jamie xx’s ballet collaboration Tree of Codes, National Theatre’s Barber Shop Chronicles, The Wooster Group’s The Town Hall Affair, Pussy Riot Theatre’s RIOT DAYS, and DryWrite and Soho Theatre’s hit Fleabag (2018); Complicité’s The Encounter, Cheek By Jowl with Pushkin Theatre’s Measure For Measure (2017); James Thierry’s Tabac Rouge (2015); Sasha Waltz’s underwater dance opera Dido and Aeneas (2014); and Ludger Engels and Vivienne Westwood’s Baroque-punk Semele Walk (2013).
These works join a long roster and legacy of extraordinary work and artists including: Ariane Mnouchkine and Thèâtre du Soleil (Flood Drummers); Robert Wilson (The Black Rider); Robert Lepage (Far Side of the Moon, The Andersen Project, Lipsynch); Nederlands Dans Theater; Philip Glass; Ian McKellen (Dance of Death); Batsheva Dance Company; National Theatre of Scotland (Beautiful Burnout, Black Watch, Aalst); Al Green; Chaka Khan; Andrew Weatherall; AR Rahman; Angélique Kidjo; Kneehigh Theatre (Tristan & Yseult, The Red Shoes); and Fabulous Beast (Rian).
For more information on Sydney Festival down the years,visit our archive.
History
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Sydney Festival was conceived by the Sydney Committee, the NSW State Government and the City of Sydney to attract Sydneysiders 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. Sydney Festival celebrates our city, and the Festival’s style and energy reflect the confidence, diversity and vigour of one of the world's most beautiful cities.
The Festival has a rich history of bringing the world’s best artists and companies to Sydney stages, and showcasing and nurturing the best of Australia’s homegrown talent.
Many of Australia’s most memorable productions have resulted from Sydney Festival commissions and premieres, including highlights from Cloudstreet (1998) to Black Chicks Talking (2003), Three Furies (2005), uniquely Australian musical The Adventures of Snugglepot & Cuddlepie and Little Ragged Blossom (2007), the outrageous cabaret Smoke and Mirrors (2010), The Secret River (2013), Black Diggers (2014), contemporary circus ensemble Circa’s Humans (2017), multi-award-winner Counting and Cracking (2019) and BLACK TIES (2020).
The buzz of Sydney in January wouldn’t be the same without Festival appearances from major Australian musicians, performers and comedians including Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Archie Roach, Ruby Hunter, Gotye, Regurgitator, Emma Donovan, Tex Perkins, Megan Washington, Meow Meow, Christa Hughes, Yana Alana and Celia Pacquola.
World-leading artists and companies that have shared work with Sydney Festival audiences in recent years include Lars Jan and Early Morning Opera’s Joan Didion’s The White Album, performance artist Bryrony Kimmings’ I’m A Phoenix, Bitch, and choral choir Tenebrae (2020); Schaubühne Berlin and Complicité’s Beware of Pity, Ethiopian legend Mulatu Astatke, Neneh Cherry, and American artist Nick Cave’s epic exhibition UNTIL (2019); Wayne McGregor, Olafur Eliasson and Jamie xx’s ballet collaboration Tree of Codes, National Theatre’s Barber Shop Chronicles, The Wooster Group’s The Town Hall Affair, Pussy Riot Theatre’s RIOT DAYS, and DryWrite and Soho Theatre’s hit Fleabag (2018); Complicité’s The Encounter, Cheek By Jowl with Pushkin Theatre’s Measure For Measure (2017); James Thierry’s Tabac Rouge (2015); Sasha Waltz’s underwater dance opera Dido and Aeneas (2014); and Ludger Engels and Vivienne Westwood’s Baroque-punk Semele Walk (2013), to name but a few.
These works join a long roster and legacy of extraordinary work and artists including: Ariane Mnouchkine and Thèâtre du Soleil (Flood Drummers); Robert Wilson (The Black Rider); Robert Lepage (Far Side of the Moon, The Andersen Project, Lipsynch); Nederlands Dans Theater; Philip Glass; Ian McKellen (Dance of Death); Batsheva Dance Company; National Theatre of Scotland (Beautiful Burnout, Black Watch, Aalst); Al Green; Chaka Khan; Andrew Weatherall; AR Rahman; Angélique Kidjo; Kneehigh Theatre (Tristan & Yseult, The Red Shoes); and Fabulous Beast (Rian).
Olivia Ansell was announced as the new Festival Director for 2022 by the Sydney Festival Board of Directors in June 2020.
Olivia, a highly accomplished arts professional with over two decades’ experience as a director, choreographer and performing artist, commenced her three-year tenure in November 2020. She comes to the role after two and a half years as Head of Contemporary Performance at Sydney Opera House.
Voted one of Vivid Sydney’s Top 100 Creative Catalysts, Olivia possesses a vast breadth of art experience, including roles as co-Executive Producer and creative force behind the hugely-popular immersive experience Hidden Sydney; Artistic Director of Sydney Comedy Festival at Sydney Town Hall; Curator of Kings Bloody Cross for Vivid Ideas; producer of Richard Walley OAM and Nigel Jamieson’s large-scale concert spectacular, HOME for Perth International Arts Festival; Consultant Executive Producer for OzAsia Festival Adelaide; and inaugural Executive Producer of Shaun Parker & Company. She is also a lecturer in Movement for the Sydney Conservatorium of Music’s Con Opera School.
Since 2017, Olivia has curated and championed a diverse range of maverick storytellers to the Sydney Opera House stage, including Lucy Moss and Toby Marlow’s cult musical SIX; Hofesh Shechter’s critically acclaimed Grand Finale; Lin Manuel Miranda’s In the Heights; A O Lang Pho by Cirque Nouveau du Vietnam; Natalia Osipova and David Hallberg’s Pure Dance and Australian comedian Hannah Gadsby’s hit show, Douglas.
Previous directors were: Wesley Enoch AM 2017–2021 Lieven Bertels: 2013–2016 Lindy Hume: 2010–2012 Fergus Linehan: 2006–2009 Brett Sheehy: 2002–2005 Leo Schofield: 1998–2001 Anthony Steel: 1995–1997 Stephen Hall: 1977–1994
Board of Directors
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PATRON Her Excellency the Honourable Margaret Beazley AC QC, Governor of New South Wales
David Kirk MBE – Chair Co-Founder and Chairman, Bailador Technology Investments
David is the Co-Founder and Chairman of Bailador Technology Investments, an ASX-listed investment fund targeting private expansion stage technology companies. David sits on the board of BTI companies Instaclustr, Standard Media Index and Rezdy.
David is Chairman of KMD Brands [ASX:KMD, NZ:KMD], owner of iconic brands Kathmandu, RipCurl and Oboz, and Chairman of Forsyth Barr, a privately-owned New Zealand funds management and investment firm. He is also Chairman of not-for-profits KiwiHarvest, New Zealand Food Network and the New Zealand Rugby Players Association.
David is the former CEO of Fairfax Media. His previous experience also includes a period as an advisor to the Prime Minister of New Zealand. David enjoyed a highly successful rugby career and captained the All Blacks to win the World Cup in 1987. He was awarded an MBE in 1988.
Andrew Cameron AM Andrew has served on the boards of the Biennale of Sydney, Belvoir, SCAF, ACCA, and Melbourne Art Fair and Foundation. He was Deputy Commissioner for Australia’s presentation at the Venice Biennale, is currently Chair of the Foundation at Art Gallery of New South Wales, Chair of Artspace, and is a member of the International Council of the Tate in London – as well as sitting on the Tate Asia-Pacific Advisory Committee.
He holds the position of Executive Chairman for a group of private businesses and has had previous careers in architecture and merchant banking. In addition, Andrew was made a Member of the Order of Australia in 2014 for significant services to the performing and visual arts.
Paddy Carney Partner PwC Australia
Paddy is a member of the Global Board overseeing the PwC international network and chairs its Risk & Operations Committee. She is also a member of the Board of Partners of PwC Australia and chairs its Finance & Operations Committee. She has over 25 years' financial experience with PwC in the UK and Australia advising a broad range of clients with a focus on retail, consumer, hospitality and agribusiness. She is also a member of Chief Executive Women.
Angela Clark Co-Founder & CEO Wallet Nation
Angela Clark (MAICD) is the Co-Founder and CEO of Wallet Nation a technology services company providing escrow and meditation products for digital assets including cryptocurrency and NFT’s. Previous roles include; CEO of Beem It, Executive General Manager of Small Business Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Director Innovation and Digital Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Managing Director Macquarie Radio Network and Managing Director JCDecaux Australia.
Angela has held Directorships across multiple arts, media and sporting organisations and holds a BA in Politics, Philosophy and Economics from Oxford University, UK.
Darren Dale
Producer Blackfella Films
Since joining Blackfella Films in 2000 Darren has produced many award-winning factual productions for SBS including the landmark multi-platform history series First Australians, feature documentaries The Tall Man, Deep Water - The Real Story and In My Own Words, two seasons of the Logie Award-winning First Contact, plus the series DNA Nation, How ‘Mad’ Are You? and two seasons of Filthy Rich and Homeless.
In collaboration with acclaimed UK writer Jimmy McGovern, Darren has also produced, with Miranda Dear, two series and a telemovie of the Logie Award and AACTA Award-winning Redfern Now for ABC1. He also produced with Miranda Dear the telemovie Mabo, commissioned by the ABC to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the landmark High Court decision, and the crime drama Deep Water for SBS.
He was Executive Producer on the Logie and AACTA Award winning teen drama series Ready for This for ABC3.
Darren currently serves on the board of NIDA and AFI and was previously on the board of Sydney Film Festival, Screen NSW and the Council of the Australian Film, Television and Radio School (AFTRS). In 2012 he was the recipient of the prestigious AFTRS Honorary Degree.
Kate Dundas Non-Executive Director
Kate has enjoyed a career in media, public policy and cultural leadership. She held senior executive roles in the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) in both corporate and content areas, including five years as Director of ABC Radio. She has also held several senior government roles including Deputy Secretary Arts & Culture in NSW and most recently Executive Director of Performing Arts at the Sydney Opera House. Kate is a mentor for emerging and established leaders, working both independently and with McCarthy Mentoring. Kate is Deputy Chair of the Board of Australia for UNHCR and chairs its Leadership and Nominations Committee. She also currently serves on the NSW Multi Arts and Festivals Board.
Kate has previously served on other boards including the Australian Film, Radio and Television School where she also chaired the Finance, Audit and Risk Committee. She is a Vincent Fairfax Fellow (Centre for Ethical Leadership, University of Melbourne), holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications (Charles Sturt University), is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and Subject Matter Expert contracted by KPMG on specific arts and culture projects.
Dr Robert Lang Director
Dr Robert Lang is a leader in city building, community engagement, strategic urban planning, economic development, creating great public places, transport infrastructure, place management, arts, tourism and energy.
He has extensive experience in the public service, gained within a combination of state & local government businesses.
He has a long involvement in the arts, theatre production and direction, music creation and performance, training young people in the performing arts, delivering arts to western Sydney audiences and significant experience in outdoor events.
He has a focus on place making and place development and bringing together the drivers for making great cities. He has a keen interest in the potential of western Sydney to provide business growth & economic development opportunities and the goal of making Sydney a livable city with more jobs closer to home.
As a former CEO for Parramatta City Council he understands local government, knows how to develop a compelling vision for the city and deliver major new city property & infrastructure developments. He brought major new events to Parramatta, implemented a new place-making focus and initiated the Western Sydney Light Rail project.
Dr Lang currently serves on the Riverside Advisory Committee and has a number of interests in the not for profit sector including disability services, affordable housing, education and the arts.
Karen Mundine CEO and Company Secretary, Reconciliation Australia
Karen Mundine is from the Bundjalung Nation of northern NSW. As the CEO and Company Secretary at Reconciliation Australia, Ms Mundine brings to the role more than 20 years’ experience leading community engagement, public advocacy, communications and social marketing campaigns. Over the course of her career she has been instrumental in some of Australia’s watershed national events including the Apology to the Stolen Generations, Centenary of Federation commemorations, Corroboree 2000 and the 1997 Australian Reconciliation Convention.
Ms Mundine holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from the University of Technology Sydney and is a Director of the Gondwana Choirs and the Australian Indigenous Leadership Centre.
Previous roles include Mary Mackillop Board Director, Deputy Chief Executive and General Manager Communication and Engagement, Reconciliation Australia; Senior Consultant, CPR Communications; senior public affairs and communications roles with federal government departments including Prime Minister and Cabinet and Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Contact Us
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If you have any feedback we'd love to hear from you.
Sydney Festival Office Details
Level 5, 10 Hickson Road The Rocks NSW 2000 Australia
Each January Sydney Festival shakes up our city with a summer festival of art, music, dance, theatre and immersive experiences.
We are proud of our long history of commissioning ground-breaking new Australian art, and we're equally proud to be a great place to work, with many of the seasonal team members returning year after year.
The team, which swells to over 100 during festival season, is tight, and the environment supportive. The harbour views from our office are to die for and our coffee machine best in show. Most importantly, we know how to throw a party.
See vacancies below and get involved.
Casual Crew - Various positions available
Sydney Festival is looking for crew for the 2023 Festival.
Each year the festival has a wide range of crewing requirements across all of our venues from late December 2022 to early February 2023.
Crew needed include everything from site crew to help set up outdoor festival sites to people with experience in theatre lighting, sound or wardrobe.
Festival dates: Thursday 5 – Sunday 29 January 2023 Festival period (when we need crew): Tuesday 13 December 2022 – Friday 3 February 2023
To apply, you MUST be an Australian citizen or hold a valid visa that provides work rights in Australia.
We look forwarding to hearing from you.
Retail Store Manager - Full-Time (Contract)
Sydney Festival currently has an exciting opportunity for an experienced Retail Store Manager to join the team to lead and manage the Frida Kahlo: Life of an Icon gift shop.
Frida Kahlo: Life of an Icon is a unique biographical exhibition, taking a deep-dive into Frida Kahlo, the woman whose perseverance, rebellion and talent placed her eons ahead of her time.
To succeed in this role you will be motivated by driving sales and passionate about providing a memorable customer experience.This is a full-time seasonal position and will require availability over weekends, late night trading hours and public holidays.
KEY DUTIES
• Store stock management • Creation and management of shop support team • Create a safe working environment for the shop team and its customers • Manage and roster the shop team in line with store’s trading profile • Manage, facilitate and report on financial information (payments, costs, sales tracking and reporting). • Work with a range of providers in stock management, sales reports, deliveries and pickups. • Work with the wider Sydney Festival Team and Frida Kahlo: The Life of an Icon team.
KEY SKILLS + EXPERIENCE
• Previous management experience, preferably in retail setting • Ability to provide a genuine and unique customer experience • Proven ability to achieve sales, wages, KPI’s & stock targets
KEY DATES
Frida Kahlo: Life of an Icon exhibition dates: From Thursday 4 January 2023 Contracted period: Tuesday 20 December 2022 – Friday 9 March 2023
To apply, you MUST be an Australian citizen or hold a valid visa that provides work rights in Australia.
The Sydney Festival Disability Inclusion Action Plan (DIAP) supports the Festival's commitment to welcome everyone in Sydney, regardless of accessibility needs, and provides our organisation with strategic direction in addressing accessibility issues.
Reconciliation Action Plan
Sydney Festival's vision for reconciliation is to formally and informally engage with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists and communities, and to positively contribute to closing the gap between Indigenous and other Australians.
Download a copy of the Reconciliation Action Plan (DRAFT) as a PDF document.
Acknowledgement of Country
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Sydney Festival acknowledges the 29 clans of the Eora Nation, the Traditional Owners of the land on which the Festival takes place.
We pay our respects to Elders past and present, and recognise the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities.
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