News

Why it always feels like the festive season

Our major festivals are increasingly finding themselves in competition with the growing number of festivals initiated by arts centres.

10 Jan 2017

Richard Watts

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Writing and Publishing

Pichet Klunchun’s Dancing With Death at Asia TOPA; photo by Nattapol Meechart

In 1973, when the Adelaide Festival Centre – Australia’s first multi-purpose arts centre – opened in June, followed a few months later by Sydney Opera House, the role of such buildings was clear: they were to host the best in international performance and showcase the work of leading local, usually resident companies.

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Richard Watts

Richard Watts is ArtsHub's National Performing Arts Editor; he also presents the weekly program SmartArts on Three Triple R FM, and serves as the Chair of La Mama Theatre's volunteer Committee of Management. Richard is a life member of the Melbourne Queer Film Festival, and was awarded the status of Melbourne Fringe Living Legend in 2017. In 2020 he was awarded the Sidney Myer Performing Arts Awards' Facilitator's Prize. Most recently, Richard was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Green Room Awards Association in June 2021. Follow him on Twitter: @richardthewatts