Behind the Scenes with Perth Festival
Ever wonder what life is like behind the curtain?
Last year we thought we'd give you a peek! Here is a collection of a few wonderful moments captured by local photographer Duncan Wright, offering a small window into the unseen worlds of backstage life during our 70th Perth Festival. Read on for a word from our past Artistic Director, Iain Grandage.
Seen and Unseen: A Word from Ian Grandage, Past Artistic Director
What a time we had, and what a Festival that was. From shining moments of intimacy to the biggest Art Pop star on the planet, our 2023 Festival was filled with stars and stories of the cosmos.
Like the sky above, there is that which is seen and yet so much more that is unseen. For every artist we see standing on a stage, unseen are the many who have contributed in countless ways to their journey.
For every moment of pure unadulterated joy brought forth by the dancers and drummers of Steph Lake’s Manifesto, or Blick Bassy’s Bikutsi 3000, unseen is the decades of training and building of their craft.
For every moment of wonder and truth told on stages around Perth during Seven Sisters, unseen was the quality of team building provided by the WAYTCo /Perth Festival teams and Dr Roma ‘Yibiyung’ Winmar. These young voices are the future.
For every minute that Björk beguiled us with her extraordinary voice, there were unseen weeks of work from staff and crew to create that temporary temple (well… tent!) to house her wildly imaginative visual landscape. She sang alongside local choir VOYCES in a local/international collaboration that encapsulates so much of the best of what our Festival can offer.
I’ve only touched on a few favourite moments, but I leave you with one more. Inside a packed venue Kae Tempest sang Grace:
“There are things I must record, must praise.
There are things I have to say about the fullness.
And the blaze of this beautiful life”
They brought us into a place of serenity and wonder. The moments of transformation Kae touched on are where the art lives – in the space between the notes, in the unseen between the stars.
For our seventieth year, what a privilege it was to work at Perth Festival amongst a team who worked tirelessly to bring you experiences that allowed us to renew our love for this place, and enjoy the finest from around the country and the world.
Thank you for joining us.