10 Days on the Island
Arts festival in Tasmania, Australia
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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.
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 |