Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
But in the meantime, joining me in the studio right now.
After twenty nights of or inspiring entertainment, the Darwin Festival
has ended on a high, would sellout crowds at the
closing weekend performances and the event well overall, notching up
a massive eighty three events across a record forty venues.
(00:24):
Joining us in the studio right now, no doubt, probably
a bit exhausted, but very happy. Kate Fell, the artistic director.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Hello, good morning, great, how are you feeling feeling really good? Definitely,
I'm not gonna lie, but it was just such a
great just the closing weekend, it just went out on
a high. Yeah, the cad Empire at the end at
the Ski Club, thousands of people dancing euphorically, very sweaty.
(00:52):
It was a really great night.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
It was funny, wasn't it. Like from the beginning of
the Darwin Festival it was sort of a little bit cooler.
We had the dry season.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
And it was like mine really got warm right at
the end. Yeah, you know, we showed everyone how to
go out and staff. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:06):
Now, tell me a little bit about how many people attended,
how many performances there were, give us some of those stats.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
Look, it was a big festival as always, so we
sold about fifty over fifty five thousand tickets, which was fabulous.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
Is that a record?
Speaker 2 (01:23):
It's basically what we sold last year, which is fabulous.
You know that to us is a really great sign
of success that that, you know, last year was a
record number and to continue that this year was really fantastic,
especially in what's been.
Speaker 1 (01:36):
A real cost of living crisis for a lot of people.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
Absolutely, and look, I know people buy multiple tickets, but
also there's people that just get picked that one show
and that one show that they want to go, which
is which is equally as important. About twenty five percent
of our program was free, so that was a real
you know, an in Festival Park, we saw record numbers
there and then things at the waterfront, Armiston and the
(02:01):
Esplanade across the city. So you know, I think we
saw that both people wanting to buy tickets and you know,
lots of sold out shows, but also just wanting to
soak up the festival atmosphere, which was fabulous.
Speaker 1 (02:11):
So fifty five thousand tickets sold, I mean that is enormous.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
This is huge when you look at numbers across festivals
across the country in cities a lot more bigger than Darwin.
It's an amazing achievement from from Darwin. You know, of
audience as a community of Darwin who really get behind
this festival.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
As we've always said, so how many shows and performances
were put on for this festival.
Speaker 2 (02:34):
Yeah, so there was like, yeah, eighty three events. It was,
like I think it was, it's over seven hundred performances,
which is huge, just so much to know all the
things and you know, the other the other stat that
we're really proud of is that about sixty percent of
our artists were from the Northern Territory, from Darwin, but
also all across the territory and that you know from
(02:56):
music and visual artists and performers and some great new
work that was made by Northern Territory artists. So we're
really proud of that too.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
Yeah. I think that's a wonderful thing to see because
it gives those local artists the opportunity to actually showcase
their work on a huge stage.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
And people here want to see it, people visiting want
to really want to Yeah. I think that insight into
Northern Territory and top end arts and culture, and of
course then it's about bringing some amazing acts and I
think you know that kind of closing weekend we really
you know, it just it kept up in the antea
of some really special concerts.
Speaker 1 (03:31):
Yeah for short. Now tell me, do you know at
this point in time the you know, any indication of
those visitors from interstate or does that detail start to
come through It.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
Starts to come through. We do a whole lot of
market research and surveys and analysis, so don't have an
exact number. We're feeling like it's probably quite similar to
last year at this point, but yeah, we'll know that
kind of in the next sort of next fortnight.
Speaker 1 (03:53):
What were some of the favorites do you think for
people who attended this year? Do you know what I love?
Speaker 2 (03:59):
People come and tell me favorites, which I love, And
what I actually love this year is that there's no
like one standout show I reckon. I've heard about one
hundred different responses to the top show, which is which
is absolutely what you want. I mean, it's always some
of those recent ones. Marlon Williams at the Ski Club
on Friday night was just one of those very magical moments.
(04:19):
It was just him ye, his voice, his like his charisma,
his you know, you could hear a pin drop the
sun is setting, he said, He went, this is one
of the best venues and the best festival experiences I've
ever had.
Speaker 1 (04:35):
Yeah, wonderful, which is pretty.
Speaker 2 (04:36):
Amazing from an artist who tour is Australia and too
is the world.
Speaker 1 (04:39):
So that's so cool. Yeah. Now, and in terms of
the expansion out to Palmerston and some of the different
things we saw this year, how do you think that
all went?
Speaker 2 (04:49):
Really great? So Palmerston was a fantastic weekend. We're super
keen to do that again. The night with the markets
was really fabulous and then the comedy show on the
Saturday night, so that was a definite highlight. The food
and the beverage and those boutique events that we did
were a real highlight and absolutely something we want to
(05:10):
keep growing. That, you know, food and that side of
life here in Darwen is so it's so special and
to be able to sort of shine a light on
that as well was fantastic. Yeah, And I think yeah,
just I think for us, it's that bringing people together
in the city and then exploring and doing events, you know,
(05:30):
having forty venues this year. That's all our amazing galleries
to keep urging everyone keep visiting these exhibitions that are
on and the music venues, you know, they're on all
year round. We can have this experience here in Darwen,
which we're pretty lucky.
Speaker 1 (05:45):
To so so yeah, it's so good. Yeah, absolutely, Now
tell me what happens now? Do you get a little
bit of time off or is it time to start
planning for next year already?
Speaker 2 (05:55):
Look, it's both. We definitely have to wrap up. We're
planning sort of stops, but we do have a little
break as well in a few weeks time, which will
be lovely but yet ready to go again.
Speaker 1 (06:07):
So wonderful stuff for cate Fell. It's been lovely to
catch up with you regularly throughout the festival and I
know you guys will just get cracking now after you've
had a little break on organizing for next year. Do
you know the dates already for me?
Speaker 2 (06:21):
Seven? So the twenty fourth of August I think that's right.
So yeah, that's why I love Intail and like the
pressure people put pressure on. I love it. You know
they're like, okay, well, what's going to be better next year?
I'm like, leave it with me a minute, give me
a second. Yeah, it keeps keeps us going all you're around.
Speaker 1 (06:38):
They don't muck around. Audiences in the Northern Territory.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
Expectations and we will continue to meet them.
Speaker 1 (06:46):
Absolutely, love it well, Cate Fell. Lovely to speak with you. Yeah,
no worries it all we'll talk against. Thank you.
But in the meantime, joining me in the studio right now.
After twenty nights of or inspiring entertainment, the Darwin Festival
has ended on a high, would sellout crowds at the
closing weekend performances and the event well overall, notching up
a massive eighty three events across a record forty venues.
(00:24):
Joining us in the studio right now, no doubt, probably
a bit exhausted, but very happy. Kate Fell, the artistic director.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Hello, good morning, great, how are you feeling feeling really good? Definitely,
I'm not gonna lie, but it was just such a
great just the closing weekend, it just went out on
a high. Yeah, the cad Empire at the end at
the Ski Club, thousands of people dancing euphorically, very sweaty.
(00:52):
It was a really great night.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
It was funny, wasn't it. Like from the beginning of
the Darwin Festival it was sort of a little bit cooler.
We had the dry season.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
And it was like mine really got warm right at
the end. Yeah, you know, we showed everyone how to
go out and staff. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:06):
Now, tell me a little bit about how many people attended,
how many performances there were, give us some of those stats.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
Look, it was a big festival as always, so we
sold about fifty over fifty five thousand tickets, which was fabulous.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
Is that a record?
Speaker 2 (01:23):
It's basically what we sold last year, which is fabulous.
You know that to us is a really great sign
of success that that, you know, last year was a
record number and to continue that this year was really fantastic,
especially in what's been.
Speaker 1 (01:36):
A real cost of living crisis for a lot of people.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
Absolutely, and look, I know people buy multiple tickets, but
also there's people that just get picked that one show
and that one show that they want to go, which
is which is equally as important. About twenty five percent
of our program was free, so that was a real
you know, an in Festival Park, we saw record numbers
there and then things at the waterfront, Armiston and the
(02:01):
Esplanade across the city. So you know, I think we
saw that both people wanting to buy tickets and you know,
lots of sold out shows, but also just wanting to
soak up the festival atmosphere, which was fabulous.
Speaker 1 (02:11):
So fifty five thousand tickets sold, I mean that is enormous.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
This is huge when you look at numbers across festivals
across the country in cities a lot more bigger than Darwin.
It's an amazing achievement from from Darwin. You know, of
audience as a community of Darwin who really get behind
this festival.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
As we've always said, so how many shows and performances
were put on for this festival.
Speaker 2 (02:34):
Yeah, so there was like, yeah, eighty three events. It was,
like I think it was, it's over seven hundred performances,
which is huge, just so much to know all the
things and you know, the other the other stat that
we're really proud of is that about sixty percent of
our artists were from the Northern Territory, from Darwin, but
also all across the territory and that you know from
(02:56):
music and visual artists and performers and some great new
work that was made by Northern Territory artists. So we're
really proud of that too.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
Yeah. I think that's a wonderful thing to see because
it gives those local artists the opportunity to actually showcase
their work on a huge stage.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
And people here want to see it, people visiting want
to really want to Yeah. I think that insight into
Northern Territory and top end arts and culture, and of
course then it's about bringing some amazing acts and I
think you know that kind of closing weekend we really
you know, it just it kept up in the antea
of some really special concerts.
Speaker 1 (03:31):
Yeah for short. Now tell me, do you know at
this point in time the you know, any indication of
those visitors from interstate or does that detail start to
come through It.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
Starts to come through. We do a whole lot of
market research and surveys and analysis, so don't have an
exact number. We're feeling like it's probably quite similar to
last year at this point, but yeah, we'll know that
kind of in the next sort of next fortnight.
Speaker 1 (03:53):
What were some of the favorites do you think for
people who attended this year? Do you know what I love?
Speaker 2 (03:59):
People come and tell me favorites, which I love, And
what I actually love this year is that there's no
like one standout show I reckon. I've heard about one
hundred different responses to the top show, which is which
is absolutely what you want. I mean, it's always some
of those recent ones. Marlon Williams at the Ski Club
on Friday night was just one of those very magical moments.
(04:19):
It was just him ye, his voice, his like his charisma,
his you know, you could hear a pin drop the
sun is setting, he said, He went, this is one
of the best venues and the best festival experiences I've
ever had.
Speaker 1 (04:35):
Yeah, wonderful, which is pretty.
Speaker 2 (04:36):
Amazing from an artist who tour is Australia and too
is the world.
Speaker 1 (04:39):
So that's so cool. Yeah. Now, and in terms of
the expansion out to Palmerston and some of the different
things we saw this year, how do you think that
all went?
Speaker 2 (04:49):
Really great? So Palmerston was a fantastic weekend. We're super
keen to do that again. The night with the markets
was really fabulous and then the comedy show on the
Saturday night, so that was a definite highlight. The food
and the beverage and those boutique events that we did
were a real highlight and absolutely something we want to
(05:10):
keep growing. That, you know, food and that side of
life here in Darwen is so it's so special and
to be able to sort of shine a light on
that as well was fantastic. Yeah, And I think yeah,
just I think for us, it's that bringing people together
in the city and then exploring and doing events, you know,
(05:30):
having forty venues this year. That's all our amazing galleries
to keep urging everyone keep visiting these exhibitions that are
on and the music venues, you know, they're on all
year round. We can have this experience here in Darwen,
which we're pretty lucky.
Speaker 1 (05:45):
To so so yeah, it's so good. Yeah, absolutely, Now
tell me what happens now? Do you get a little
bit of time off or is it time to start
planning for next year already?
Speaker 2 (05:55):
Look, it's both. We definitely have to wrap up. We're
planning sort of stops, but we do have a little
break as well in a few weeks time, which will
be lovely but yet ready to go again.
Speaker 1 (06:07):
So wonderful stuff for cate Fell. It's been lovely to
catch up with you regularly throughout the festival and I
know you guys will just get cracking now after you've
had a little break on organizing for next year. Do
you know the dates already for me?
Speaker 2 (06:21):
Seven? So the twenty fourth of August I think that's right.
So yeah, that's why I love Intail and like the
pressure people put pressure on. I love it. You know
they're like, okay, well, what's going to be better next year?
I'm like, leave it with me a minute, give me
a second. Yeah, it keeps keeps us going all you're around.
Speaker 1 (06:38):
They don't muck around. Audiences in the Northern Territory.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
Expectations and we will continue to meet them.
Speaker 1 (06:46):
Absolutely, love it well, Cate Fell. Lovely to speak with you. Yeah,
no worries it all we'll talk against. Thank you.
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