Objectives and Outcomes
continued...
Multimedia and E-communications
Creative promotional opportunities continued to present themselves with the continuing advances in multimedia and
e-communication technology. To coincide with the Festival’s launch, a refreshed website was released and an improved iPhone
application was rolled out that incorporated activity with Twitter and Facebook. After a successful trial in 2009, the eDiary
feature where events can be emailed directly to people’s calendars was continued and the Festival e-newsletter was sent
fortnightly in the lead up to the Festival and twice a week throughout.
A new initiative utilised all venues to create a swarm activity to encourage attendances to K@osmos. Also, the Festival produced
a series of daily video feeds that provided exclusive behind the scenes access to many of the Festival’s artists and events. These
were distributed daily via Facebook and Twitter as well as hosted on YouTube. All video feeds continue to receive multiple hits
and are still being viewed and enjoyed worldwide.
Publicity
The aim to establish Melbourne Festival as one for the people was achieved with success via the media who supported
with extensive media coverage across print, TV, radio and online outlets, as demonstrated by the overwhelming support
from Festival goers.
Boost accessibility for
disadvantaged groups
In an effort to make improvements
to Festival accessibility, a trial was
conducted in consultation with Arts
Access and Vision Australia to provide
Auslan and audio descriptive services by
request. Festival patrons could choose
from the entire program and request
either an Auslan interpreter or an audio
describer. The Pop-Up Project was also
specifically promoted to Arts Access
as a way for people with disabilities
or who are deaf to participate in the
Festival.
Accessible information about Festival
events was also provided through the
Program Guide, where Access symbols
were used throughout and a page was
committed to Access information, and
through the website where all Access
information was listed in addition to
the audio, video and print versions of
program information.
Akram Khan Company – Vertical Road
photo: Carla Gottgens
“Exciting and emotionally engaging, the ambiguous spirituality
of Khan”s creation met even the greatest of expectations.”
The Age on Vertical Road
“... exceptional in every way.” The Australian on Vertical Road
“... virtuosic physicality ... Vertical Road is a riveting
piece of dance.” The Age on Vertical Road
Melbourne Festival – Annual Report 2010
Page 14