10 Days on the Island

Ten Days on the Island is a biennial statewide arts festival held across Tasmania, Australia. Established in 2001 by the Tasmanian Government under Premier Jim Bacon, it is Australia's only statewide arts festival.[1] The festival presents performances, exhibitions, and community events in venues and locations across the island over ten days, typically in March.[2]

Ten Days on the Island is a registered charity and a member of the Confederation of Australian International Arts Festivals (CAIAF).[3] The organisation is headquartered in Burnie, having relocated from Hobart in 2017.[4]

History

Origins

The festival was conceived as part of the Bacon government's initiative to build Tasmania's cultural confidence.[5] Premier Jim Bacon invited Robyn Archer AO, then Artistic Director of the Adelaide Festival, to create a new international arts festival for Tasmania.[6]

Archer developed the concept of an exchange of island cultures, inviting artists from island nations around the world to perform alongside Tasmanian artists.[5] The inaugural festival was held in March 2001, with events staged across Tasmania in over 50 locations.[3]

Growth and evolution

The festival grew significantly in its first decade under Archer (2001, 2003, 2005) and her successor Elizabeth Walsh (2007, 2009, 2011). By 2009, attendance had reached approximately 195,000 across the state.[7]

In 2013, Artistic Director Jo Duffy introduced the "Ten Festival Towns" model, concentrating events into ten regional hubs rather than spreading across dozens of locations.[3]

Under David Malacari (2015, 2017), the festival broadened its programming beyond the island cultures theme. In 2017, the organisation relocated its headquarters from Hobart to Burnie on the North-West Coast, with additional funding from the Tasmanian Government to support a renewed focus on regional Tasmania.[3]

Three-weekend regional model

Beginning in 2019, Artistic Director Dr Lindy Hume AM introduced a three-weekend format, with each weekend dedicated to a different region of Tasmania: the North-West, the North, and the South.[8] Hume described this approach as "radical regionalism".[8]

The 2021 festival was held during the COVID-19 pandemic, with an almost entirely Tasmanian program featuring over 450 local artists and community members across 15 locations. Nearly 36,000 people attended.[6]

Hume's final festival in 2023 returned to ten consecutive days, moving through three regions: opening in the North, shifting to the South, and closing on the North-West Coast. The festival included a production of Euripides' Women of Troy, directed by Ben Winspear and starring Marta Dusseldorp, with poetry by Behrouz Boochani set to music by Katie Noonan and performed by a chorus of Tasmanian women and girls.[1]

2025 onwards

Marnie Karmelita was appointed Artistic Director in 2024, arriving from the Aotearoa New Zealand Festival of the Arts in Wellington.[3] The 2025 festival ran from 21 to 30 March across Tasmania.[4]

Artistic Directors

Name Festivals
Robyn Archer AO, CdAOL 2001, 2003, 2005
Elizabeth Walsh 2007, 2009, 2011
Jo Duffy 2013
David Malacari 2015, 2017
Dr Lindy Hume AM 2019, 2021, 2023
Marnie Karmelita 2025, 2027

Chairs

Name Approximate tenure
Premier Jim Bacon AC 2001–2003
Sir Guy Green AC c. 2003–2015
Saul Eslake c. 2017–2019
Craig Perkins c. 2020–2025
Kerry Sarten 2025–present

References

  1. ^ a b Ross, Selina (5 March 2023). "Former detainee and advocate Behrouz Boochani brings new life to an ancient play". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
  2. ^ "Ten Days on the Island". Discover Tasmania. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
  3. ^ a b c d e "About Us". Ten Days on the Island. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
  4. ^ a b "10 Days of Tasmanian creativity". Premier of Tasmania. February 2025. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
  5. ^ a b "Ten Days on the Island". Artlink. 2003. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
  6. ^ a b "20 years of Ten Days on the Island – looking back, looking forward". Ten Days on the Island. 2021. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
  7. ^ "We Changed a Beach". Ten Days on the Island. 2025. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
  8. ^ a b "365 Days to go". Ten Days on the Island. 2018. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
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