2013 Sydney Festival to showcase ‘our city in summer’

Mr O'Farrell said big crowds are once again expected to attend the Festival's impressive line-up of free and ticketed events in the CBD and Parramatta between January 5 and 27.

"The Sydney Festival is one of Australia's premier arts festivals and a highlight of the city's vibrant annual events calendar," Mr O'Farrell said. "Every summer there is enthusiastic support for the Sydney Festival with hundreds of thousands of people attending the impressive range of arts and cultural events on offer."

“New Festival Director Lieven Bertels and his team will build on last year’s success and the rich history of the Festival while looking towards the future of this great event. 

“The Sydney Festival brings together international and Australian contemporary performing arts and popular culture, wide community engagement, iconic free outdoor events and buzzing social hubs. 

“This year’s festival theme ‘This is our city in summer’ taps into collective memories of festivals past and our shared experience of the brilliance and vibrancy of a Sydney summer. 

“For the second year there will be a host of events in Parramatta kicking off with a family friendly free ‘Parramatta Opening Party’ extravaganza on Saturday January 19.”

The 2013 Festival program will feature 92 events and 360 performances of international and Australian performing and visual arts, presented in 30 of Sydney’s
finest venues and numerous outdoor locations. 

Minister for Tourism, Major Events and the Arts George Souris said the NSW Government would provide $6.3 million as part of its ongoing support for the Sydney Festival to ensure NSW remains the creative capital of Australia.

“NSW Government support is helping to grow a creative, diverse and strong NSW arts and cultural sector that encourages excellence and innovation and boosts our economy,” Mr Souris said. 

“The popularity of events like the Sydney Festival is a massive endorsement of the NSW Government’s actions in promoting the State through major events.

“More than 580,000 people attended last year’s Sydney Festival with over 120,000 tickets sold to paid events. The 2012 Festival also contributed $56.8 million to the NSW economy - a 13 per cent increase on the previous year. 

“Around 60,000 visitors from interstate, overseas and regional areas also travelled to Sydney to attend Festival events. This benefits the economy through direct expenditure as well as indirect spending on hotels, restaurants and retail.” 

The NSW Government is supporting the Sydney Festival through funding from Arts NSW and Destination NSW. For more information on the 2013 Sydney Festival visit sydneyfestival.org.au  

Key features of the 2013 Sydney Festival program: 

• Day One: An Opening in Three Acts will offer a series of free events in Hyde Park, Darling Harbour and The Domain, providing family entertainment throughout the day and into the evening for people of all ages.
• From a giant rubber duck to a Handel opera - the Festival will offer a broad range of art forms with music theatre, visual arts and installations, forums, opera and classical music alongside contemporary music, dance, theatre, and physical theatre. And Symphony in The Domain will be held on Saturday 26 January as part of the Australia Day celebrations.
• Events in Parramatta begin with a family friendly free ‘Parramatta Opening Party’ extravaganza on Saturday January 19. Prince Alfred Park, the Parade Ground at Old King’s, Church Street and in and around Riverside Theatres will be transformed by street theatre, music and activities throughout the afternoon and evening.
• Ticketed events will be located in both Riverside Theatres and The Salon Perdu, Parramatta’s very own Art Nouveau Spiegeltent based in the Parramatta Festival Garden in Prince Alfred Park.