Ten Days on the Island

Ten Days on the Island
Name	Ten Days on the Island
Location	Tasmania, Australia
Years active	2001–present
Founded	2001
Founders	Tasmanian Government, Tasmanian Arts Advisory bodies
Dates	Biennial (varied scheduling)
Genre	Multidisciplinary arts festival

Ten Days on the Island is a biennial multidisciplinary arts festival held in Tasmania, Australia, presenting theatre, dance, music, visual arts, film, and public programs. The festival routinely collaborates with national companies, local ensembles, international presenters, major cultural institutions, and regional communities to stage events across Hobart, Launceston, Devonport, and remote Tasmanian locations. Over its editions the festival has engaged artists from the National Gallery of Australia, Sydney Theatre Company, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, and international partners such as the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and Festival d'Avignon.

Overview

Ten Days on the Island presents contemporary and classical works by leading figures including Brett Whiteley, Tom Roberts, Ben Quilty, Eugene Onegin productions, and commissions from artists connected with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, National Film and Sound Archive, and the Australian Chamber Orchestra. The program blends presentations by organisations like Bangarra Dance Theatre, Sydney Dance Company, Belvoir St Theatre, Melbourne Theatre Company, and residencies involving the University of Tasmania, Australian National University, and community arts groups across Tasmanian local government areas such as Hobart City Council, Launceston City Council, and the Devonport City Council. Performances have involved collaborations with international venues like Royal Opera House, Lincoln Center, and touring networks connected to British Council and Asialink Arts.

History and Development

The festival was initiated through policy processes involving the Tasmanian Government and state arts agencies, drawing on precedents set by events such as the Perth International Arts Festival and the Adelaide Festival. Early programming featured commissions and co-productions with entities including the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, ABC Classic FM, the ABC TV arts unit, and partnerships with cultural organisations like the National Theatre of Wales and the New York Theatre Workshop. Curatorial directors and artistic directors appointed over time have included figures affiliated with Sydney Opera House, St. Kilda Festival, and international curators who previously worked at the Venice Biennale and Spoleto Festival USA. The festival’s governance model has alternated between statutory authority oversight and independent board management, involving stakeholders from the Australia Council for the Arts and local arts trusts.

Programming and Events

Programming balances large-scale presentations by companies such as the Australian Ballet, Belvoir St Theatre, and the Australian Chamber Orchestra with site-specific work, digital commissions, and community projects produced alongside the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, MONA (Museum of Old and New Art), and regional arts centres. Past line-ups have included contemporary dance by choreographers engaged with Chunky Move, experimental theatre associated with Griffin Theatre Company, music collaborations featuring artists linked to Triple J, and film programs curated with archivists from the National Film and Sound Archive. The festival’s public talks series has hosted contributors from the ABC, scholars from the University of Melbourne, historians from the State Library of Victoria, and critics who have written for The Guardian Australia and The Australian.

Venues and Locations

Events take place across Hobart, Launceston, Devonport, King Island, Bruny Island, and remote communities in the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area adjacent to sites managed by Parks and Wildlife Service (Tasmania). Core indoor venues have included the Hobart Town Hall, Princess Theatre (Launceston), Country Club Casino (Devonport), and community arts spaces run by organisations such as ArtsTasmania and regional galleries. Collaborations have extended into institutional venues including TASMANIAN MUSEUM AND ART GALLERY galleries, the contemporary collection spaces staffed by curators with links to the National Gallery of Victoria, and performance spaces within the precincts of the University of Tasmania.

Impact and Reception

Critical response has highlighted the festival’s role in decentralising major arts activity from mainland capitals to Tasmania, drawing commentary from critics at publications such as The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, and The Australian Financial Review. Reviews have praised co-productions with the Sydney Theatre Company and touring collaborations tied to the Melbourne International Arts Festival, while some commentators have noted challenges documented in state arts funding reviews conducted by the Australia Council for the Arts and parliamentary inquiries into cultural spending. Audience development metrics have been compared with regional festivals including the Woodford Folk Festival and international models like the Glasgow International Festival.

Festival Organization and Funding

Organisational structures involve a board that has included appointees recommended by the Tasmanian Department of Communities Tasmania and advisors from the Australia Council for the Arts. Funding sources combine state appropriation from the Tasmanian Government, federal grants administered through the Australia Council for the Arts, corporate sponsorships from national firms, and philanthropic support from trusts connected with institutions such as the Ian Potter Foundation and the Myer Foundation. Operational partnerships have included venue agreements with Hobart City Council and contractual collaborations with touring bodies like the Live Nation network and arts services firms with links to Cultural Development Network. The festival’s commissioning model often utilises matched funding and co-production agreements with major Australian companies and international festivals to underwrite new works.

Category:Arts festivals in Tasmania