Twenty-year Festival partnership comes to an end

Energy giant Santos has ended its two-decade, $100,000 a year partnership with Darwin Festival. Find out why.

Australian energy producer Santos has ended its 20-plus year sponsorship of Darwin Festival.

A letter sent to festival chair Ian Kew on Tuesday revealed the company took the step when it learnt that an alternative festival funding source had been found.

The festival, which ran from August 4-21 this year, receives $100,000 sponsorship annually from the South Australian-based resources company.

Santos first sponsored Darwin Festival in 1996. Darwin’s will be the last arts festival the company sponsors.

In a letter obtained by the NT News, Santos chief of staff and vice president strategy Jane Norman acknowledged the success of this year’s festival and the company’s role in its development.

Catherine Miles displayed her work at this year’s Darwin Festival. Picture: Floss Adams.

“We are proud of our contribution to the Northern Territory community,” she wrote.

“As we understand it, the board now have alternative sponsorship options for the Darwin Festival, which has not been the case in previous years and as such Santos advises that it will not be seeking to renew or extend the Sponsorship Contract beyond the current term, which expires on December 31, 2022.

“We are providing this advance notice of our decision not to continue with sponsorship of the Darwin Festival in order to provide you with the best opportunity to finalise the replacement sponsorship for 2023 and beyond.

Darwin Festival chairman Ian Kew Picture Glenn Campbell

“We are proud to have supported the festival for over 20 years, and wish you all the very best with future Darwin Festivals.”

The company’s decision follows protests at recent festivals from anti-fossil fuel activists.

In June, Santos was forced to defend its involvement in the festival when Fossil Fuel Arts NT launched a campaign to force the company to withdraw sponsorship.

Critics of the sponsorship say it threatened the festival’s ‘cultural integrity’ and was ‘artswashing’.

The Darwin Festival board met on Tuesday afternoon with Aboriginal leaders from across the Territory.

A statement about Santos’ decision is expected Wednesday morning.

Fossil Free Arts NT spokeswoman Anna Weekes welcomed Santos’ decision to withdraw funding.

“It’s now time for Darwin Festival to show leadership and make a clear commitment to end all ties with fossil fuel money and develop an ethical sponsorship policy to avoid these controversies in the future and set an example that prioritises First Nations culture, local communities and a safe climate in the Territory,” Ms Weekes said.

Santos is an acronym for South Australia Northern Territory Oil Search.