ARTISTIC
DIRECTOR’S
MESSAGE
I leave Melbourne Festival very proud of
the achievements of the Festival team over
the past four years.
In that time we have substantially grown
attendances, grown box office, grown the
Festival’s economic impact on Melbourne,
grown the interaction between the Festival
and young audiences, grown its recognition
factor with the citizens of Melbourne, and I
think have held to the highest benchmarks
of artistic excellence for which this Festival
has been known for 27 years.
The 2012 Melbourne Festival rivalled the
record gross box office of 2011. A huge
accomplishment in a cluttered arts and
entertainment market.
Of particular note this year was the
diversity of work presented and the
diversity of audiences that work attracted.
Without choosing favourites, there was a
raft of work by or for children (How High
The Sky, The House of Dreaming, Before
Your Very Eyes); a thrilling contemporary
music program which included the glorious
Swanlights, Shellac, Thurston Moore
and many more – all attracting a new
demographic of young audiences; multiple
world premiere commissions including the
first ever between Australia, China and
New Zealand; and every artform being
presented from contemporary opera, to
dance, to theatre, to cabaret, circus, visual
art, outdoor performance and a huge film
program. In this Festival, more than in
any other I have directed, I had the utmost
confidence in saying there was literally
something in the program for every one of
the four million citizens of Melbourne.
Our use of venues and collaborations with
local partners was also at a record high
this year, with two of my favourite and
surprising locations being the use of the
stage of the Sidney Myer Music Bowl as a
full theatre in itself (for An Act of Now), and
of course the creation of what I feel is the
best festival club ever mounted in Australia
– the Foxtel Festival Hub on the banks of
the Yarra.
I would encourage you to please continue to
support your Festival and never take it for
granted. It is one of Melbourne’s treasures
and the work it presents is, by and large,
work which will be presented by no other
presenter in this city. So if you especially
value non-commercial artistic pursuits,
and recognise the importance of presenting
this art to our city and our own artistic
community, your voice in supporting your
Festival is vital.
Thank you for four great years and I, like
you, can’t wait to see Josephine’s Ridge’s
debut edition as Creative Director in 2013.
BRETT SHEEHY AO
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
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