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), BLACK TIES (2020), Gravity & Other Myths’ The Pulse (2022), landmark First Nations production Wudjang: Not the Past (2022), Legs On The Wall’s epic work of scale THAW (2022) and Stephanie Lake’s critically acclaimed Manifesto (2023).
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, Celia Pacquola, Joseph Tawadros Quartet and Amyl and the Sniffers.
World-leading artists and companies that have shared work with Sydney Festival audiences in recent years include Lithuanian artists Rugilė Barzdžiukaitė, Vaiva Grainytė, and Lina Lapelytė’s opera-performance Sun & Sea, James Thierry’s ROOM, and Spain’s formidable queen of flamenco Sara Baras’ Alma (2023); UK electronic legend Leon Vynehall’s Floors of Heaven (2022); 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.
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.
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 Thiérrée'sTabac 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 several Bailador investee companies.
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.
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.
Sydney Festival is committed to equity and inclusion. We welcome and encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, people with disability and people from the LGBTQI+ community.
Sydney Festival is committed to making reasonable adjustments to provide a supportive and barrier-free workplace. If you require any adjustments before or during the selection process, please mention this with your application.
Producer, First Nations
Sydney Festival are seeking a Producer, First Nations, to join our Programming team. This newly created position will play a pivotal role in championing, platforming and prioritising the voices of First Nations artists and communities, engaging with contemporary First Nations artists and organisations for programming and commissioning opportunities.
As a Producer, you will collaborate closely with the Festival's Creative Artist in Residence, to plan and deliver the Festival's Blak Out and wider Festival program. Applicants must be of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander descent, identify as being an Australian Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander and accepted in the community.
This a flexible, part time permanent role with the opportunity for flexible work arrangements.
To apply, please send us your CV and with a one page cover letter outlining what you would bring to the role – please email thomas.hamilton(at)sydneyfestival.org.au
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.
Read our Disability Inclusion Action Plan 2022 - 2024 in the following formats:
Reconciliation Action Plan (DRAFT)
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.
Read our Reconciliation Action Plan (DRAFT) in the following formats:
Sustainability
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We are proud of the role Sydney Festival plays in introducing audiences to new and established work from across the globe, yet we recognise that staging such productions, especially international work, comes at a cost to the environment which we both cherish and rely on to create world-class live events.
The performing arts benefit the community in ways beyond measure, so it is imperative that the industry adapts in order to deliver these benefits without exacting an unacceptable environmental toll.
Sydney Festival embraces the role it plays as a leading creative organisation in championing this
evolution in operations, in raising awareness of climate change through the works we stage, and
encouraging and empowering our local, national and international partners, staff, sponsors, vendors and audiences to adopt better practices.
We are striving to adopt greener ways of working by reducing our waste, using clean energy sources when available, partnering with sustainable companies and exploring the most impactful options for carbon offsetting that deliver a legitimate and evidence-based reduction of emissions.
At Sydney Festival we are committed to reducing our carbon footprint and doing our utmost to support global change towards a sustainable future.
We also commit to ongoing improvement of our sustainability practices: we will evaluate achievements and review priorities annually to ensure our actions are making a real difference.
Read our Sustainability Plan in the following formats:
Sustainability Initiatives
What we're doing
1. Digital ticketing only
Sydney Festival issues digital tickets only now, removing the need for printing and postage.
How you can help
No need to crank up the printer – just show your tickets on your phone.
2. Going paperless, wherever possible
We’ve minimised our print collateral, and publish digital versions of all daybills, flyers and brochures online. In the office, we’ve adopted online software programs which dramatically reduce the amount of paper we use.
Anything we put on paper is always online – plus more! Head to our website for both the important info and the interesting extras.
3. Reducing the transportation footprint
We prioritise venues that are accessible via public transport. A growing number of our staff cars are electric.
Our digital program, Sydney Festival At Home, enables art experiences with no travel footprint.
Go green for your journey to the Festival: take public transport, cycle, walk, car-pool with mates or choose the ‘Green’ service on your rideshare app.
4. Minimising single-use plastics and products
All cups at festival bars are reusable. We provide water refilling stations at Festival venues to encourage festival-goers to bring their reusable drink bottles.
Our staff, crew and artist lanyards are now made from plywood, not plastic.
Say no to plastic straws. Bring your own water bottle and refill at our stations. Think you’ll want another drink? Hold on to your cup and reuse it at the bar.
5. Recycle, reuse and repurpose
We strategically place recycling bins with clear signage to show what can and can’t be recycled across all Festival sites.
We prioritise creation of signage that can be re-used year after year. We find new homes and functions for products and props we use.
Check our signs and make sure you drop your rubbish in the right bin for the job.
6. Local procurement and sourcing of supplies
We choose local, eco-friendly and sustainably minded suppliers. We preference caterers and food vendors that use organic ingredients. Food wastage stays minimal because we don’t over-order.
Our food vendors have banished plastic, using only biodegradable, compostable or plant-based packaging, serve-wear and cutlery.
Consider choosing the vegetarian option. Only take the cutlery and napkins you will need to reduce wastage
Arts Pass
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Applications for the Sydney Festival 2024 Arts Industry Program are now open.
Arts Pass is designed to provide greater Sydney Festival opportunities for practicing artists and arts workers in Australia. We're really excited to be able to provide the following benefits to successful applicants.
The benefits include:
Access to a limited number of discounted Arts Pass tickets to most^ Sydney Festival events.
Access to exclusive artist and industry events.
Membership is free and lasts for the duration of the festival.
To apply for Sydney Festival Arts Pass please follow the link below:
Applications close 13 October 2023.
Who can apply:
We use the following definitions of ‘professional performing or visual artist’ and ‘performing or visual arts worker’ in assessing applications:
A professional performing or visual artist is a person who creates works of performing or visual arts, who is paid for their artistic practice, whose practice contributes to the development of art and culture, and who is recognized as a professional artist by their peers.
An arts worker is a person who works professionally in the performing or visual arts and contributes directly to the processes of making art – but is not necessarily an ‘artist’. Examples of eligible professions include; paid stage managers, production managers, lighting, sound, set and costume makers and designers, arts marketers, producers, curators and programmers.
Please note that teachers, students, ushers and hospitality staff are not eligible for this card (unless your arts practice is in addition to this work). To qualify for the program, artists and arts workers must be currently practicing – this means having at least one work professionally funded, developed or produced in the past 12 months.
The Arts Industry Program is open to Australian residents only, although work undertaken overseas is eligible for qualification.
^ Arts Pass discounts are only available on selected full priced General Admission or A Reserve tickets, exclusions apply.
If you are unable to use the form above, please contact us on 02 8248 6500
Community Guidelines
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At Sydney Festival our community expect our social media channels to be places that are safe and respectful. To maintain healthy interaction, the following house rules apply with all comments and users subject to moderation.
Be Respectful Diverse perspectives are part of robust discussions, and you may encounter differences of opinion. We ask that you respect other people’s views and beliefs and consider your impact on others.
We distinguish between constructive comments and content that is abusive, offensive, misleading or unlawful. Derogatory language, profanity, persistent trolling, personal attacks or content that exists only to provoke will be subject to moderation.
Be Responsible Deliberate misinformation and expression of views that are racist, sexist, homophobic, incite violence or are sexually explicit are not acceptable and will be deleted and reported. All forms of discrimination or hate speech (or posts that could be interpreted as such) will not be tolerated. Keep conversations on track.
Posts containing ticket reselling, third-party links, follow requests, unauthorised advertising or otherwise spam-like content will be removed.
Be Mindful Be careful about what you share. Material that has the potential to be defamatory, infringe on copyright or breach personal privacy will be removed at the moderator's discretion. If we ask for any contact details (for example around your tickets) please provide this via direct message.
Moderation We reserve the right to remove posts or comments breach our community guidelines. Participants who seriously, persistently or wilfully ignore the community guidelines will be subject to blocking or removal from all Sydney Festival community channels.
Our platforms are moderated by Sydney Festival but ensuring safety of the community involves everyone. Please engage in a constructive and respectful manner.
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
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