Darwin Festival program launch signals return of major events in the NT

THE launch of Darwin Festival’s Homegrown line-up for this year is another breakthrough for the Territory, meaning it will be the first Australian capital city to host a major event after coronavirus shut down the country.

Local comedian Amy Hetherington with newly released programs for the 2020 Darwin Festival. Picture: Glenn Campbell

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THE launch of Darwin Festival’s Homegrown line-up for this year is another breakthrough for the Territory, becoming the first Australian capital city to host a major event after coronavirus shut down the country.

The initial prospect of the festival going purely online, or being cancelled altogether, would have been a massive blow to punters yearning for some fresh entertainment that has been missing from life for the past three months.

But it would have been the creatives who have struggled as much as anyone during coronavirus lockdowns, they would have been hit hardest.

Darwin Festival artistic director Felix Preval has been integral to getting the event up and running this year. Picture: Che Chorley

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Moving to a local talent format was a bold move but a smart one nonetheless, which will pay dividends.

It’ll provide exposure to many Territorians who too often find themselves in the shadows of artists from the east coast, while avoiding the intricacies of scoping interstate acts and getting them through borders, with the situation changing by the day.

Being able to pull together 48 different local artists is a wonderful feat and will definitely help put the Territory on the map, not only for our response to coronavirus but for our commitment to bringing live entertainment back to the forefront of society.

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While there is still just under a month before the festival kicks off and plenty of bridges to cross, Darwin Festival is a shining light in the 2020 calendar and one that we all hope will attract plenty of local support.