History of Ten days on the island Tasmania

Ten Days on the Island was established by the Tasmanian Government in 2001 to develop and deliver a statewide cultural festival of national significance that provides opportunities for Tasmanian artists and companies to present their works to a wider audience, provides opportunities for the Tasmanian community to be exposed to national and international artists and companies of the highest quality, and assists in providing the state of Tasmania with a legacy of expert professional arts infrastructure.

The biennial festival celebrates Tasmania’s island culture and offers a platform on which to profile and promote Tma’s innovative, creative and resourceful character and unique cultural identity.

Ten Days on the Island brings international recognition for Tasmania and demonstrates how the arts can positively influence a community’s perception of itself and the image it projects to the world.





Since its beginnings in 2001, Ten Days on the Island has delighted and excited audiences across the state and showcased Tasmania as an island of innovation and artistic ability. It’s become a catalyst for community engagement and involvement throughout Tasmania.

Eight festivals have:

• delivered thousands of productions in more than 100 places, from Alonnah to Currie and Triabunna to Zeehan;
• entertained 1.2 million people, from nought to 100;
• provided opportunities for hundreds of Tasmanian artists, arts organisations and support staff to create ambitious new works;
• introduced Tasmanian and visiting audiences to international performers from Madagascar to Manhattan;
• sold 250,000 tickets;
• given over 100 businesses an opportunity to demonstrate their support for and contribution to the community through partnerships and sponsorships; and
• built Tasmania’s reputation as a state renowned not only for its natural beauty, rich history and pure produce but as a creative and cultural trailblazer.

The original focus for Ten Days was on island themes and events from an international repertoire of island cultures, which exposed Tasmania as an island connected to a world of islands.



More recently the international arts program has included artistic and creative works from all over the globe, celebrating Tasmania’s deep and wide connections to the world.

The inclusion of local Tasmanian artists in the international festival, and the throughout Tasmania is presentation of events in communities in line with Ten Days on the Island’s commitment to place Tasmanian audiences at the centre of a festival that is distinctly different and to position Tasmania, as a place, at the core of the celebration of distinctiveness.