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The Darwin Festival is recognised locally, nationally and internationally as the premier festival for the ‘Top End’ of Australia and the Asia Pacific Region., and for its quality, diversity and innovation in arts programming and presentation.
Our mission is to profile the Northern Territory as a cultural destination of choice through contributing to the artistic, cultural and economic development of the Top End, whilst offering opportunities to showcase and interpret the cultural and artistic diversity of the region.
The Darwin Festival began its illustrious career as the Bougainvillea Festival in 1978. In 1993, it became the Darwin Festival and since, has grown significantly in stature and profile every year, attracting an audience of 58,000 in 2006, with this figure expected to be surpassed in 2007.
History of Darwin Festival
Australia’s most northern and only tropical Arts Festival was born out of the destruction and devastation of a natural disaster over 33 years ago. Cyclone Tracy tore through the Northern Territory’s capital city on Christmas Eve in 1974 leaving behind 68 dead and 25,000 Darwin residents homeless. There was talk from some of abandoning the city site altogether but others were more determined to rebuild.
In 1977, Northern Territory director of health Dr Charles Gurd suggested celebrating the town’s revival with a Festival that would draw the community together and reflect the optimism of those who had returned to rebuild.
Staged in July 1979, the Bougainvillea Festival, held on the first anniversary of the granting of self-government for the NT, was essentially a floral festival to promote the beautification of the city. Evidence of that first Festival can still be seen in the form of a water pipe running along the Stuart Highway that was decorated by 900 school children. The water pipe paintings were created to welcome Rolf Harris who flew from London to entertain over five thousand people.
The early years of the Festival featured such events as the Bougainvillea Queen of Quests competition, Home Garden contests, the Grand Parade; a floral procession with floats and decorated bikes, sporting events, a billy-cart derby, birdman rally and a Mardi Gras concert featuring local and visiting performers.
In the 1990’s the Festival shifted its focus toward community arts, celebrating multicultural aspects of the unique Darwin lifestyle, with a vision of becoming a cultural focus for the region. Artists were recruited to work with community organisations and schools to invigorate the Grand Parade and Indigenous communities and Asia Pacific cultural groups were encouraged to have greater participation. In 1996 Darwin’s annual celebration became known as the Festival of Darwin.
In 2003 under the direction of newly appointed Artistic Director Malcolm Blaylock, the festival was renamed to reflect its international status in the arts. The Darwin Festival is a vibrant arts and cultural event with an eclectic and substantial program that takes advantage of Darwin’s delightful dry season weather and spectacular outdoor venues. The Darwin Festival reflects Darwin’s position at the Top End of Australia, its’ unique Indigenous and multicultural population and its close proximity to Asia while at the same time showcasing some of Australia’s finest arts performers.
The Darwin Festival is held over an exciting 18 days and nights, with local and touring performances and events including outdoor concerts, workshops, theatre, dance music, comedy and cabaret, film and visual arts. During the Festival, Darwin buzzes with performers, artists, locals and visitors enjoying the vibrant and colourful atmosphere and festivities of the Darwin Festival.