Cockatoo Island Events
Since 2005, Cockatoo Island has hosted a number of major events. They range from collaborations with the Sydney Writers' Festival to an international freestyle motocross competition. A summary is provided in the following table:
| Festival name | Details and comments | Image |
|---|---|---|
| Biennale of Sydney | In 2008, Cockatoo Island became a major venue for the Biennale of Sydney. The contemporary arts festival attracted approximately 86,000 visitors to the island over 10 weeks. In 2010, the island hosted the 17th Biennale of Sydney. Over 120 works of art by 56 artists were exhibited and attracted approximately 157,000 people. During 2012, the 18th Biennale of Sydney was held, with Cockatoo Island being the main festival venue. | |
| Cockatoo Island Festival | In 2005, a three day music and arts festival was held on the refurbished island, utilising abandoned buildings and warehouses as exhibition rooms, concert halls and shopping/food venues. The festival was headlined by local and international musical groups and artists. The festival attracted over 20,000 people and featured over 120 musical acts, as well as stand-up comedians, performance artists and more. A dedicated ferry service ran day and night to take ticket holders to and from the island. The festival did not return to the island in this format and was reborn elsewhere as The Great Escape in 2006. | |
| Cockatoo Island Film Festival | Scheduled to be held in October 2012. | |
| Urs Fischer Installation | In 2007, Cockatoo Island hosted an art installation by New York-based Swiss artist Urs Fischer. The installation was a partnership with Kaldor Public Art Projects. | |
| Red Bull X-Fighters World Tour Finale | The final of the world's leading freestyle motocross competition was held on Cockatoo Island for the first time in October 2011, and is scheduled for October 2012. | |
| Sydney Festival | In 2009, Cockatoo Island was the venue for a major component of the Sydney Festival, the Nick Cave–curated All Tomorrow's Parties music festival. The event attracted approximately 12,000 people. | |
| Underbelly Festival | In 2010, Cockatoo Island hosted the Underbelly Festival, a collaboration of 150 artists on innovative and experimental projects over a 10 day residency and festival finale. | |
| Ken Unsworth Installations | In 2009, the artist Ken Unsworth's tribute to his wife, A Ringing Glass (Rilke) was an ambitious installation of galleries constructed inside the island's Turbine Shop. In 2011, Unsworth returned to Cockatoo Island with As I Crossed the Bridge of Dreams, a show incorporating dance, sculptural creations, music and song. | |
| World's Funniest Island Comedy Festival | In 2009, Cockatoo Island hosted the comedy festival. Held over two days, it attracted approximately 8000 people. |
Read more about this topic: Cockatoo Island (New South Wales)
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