Hello everyone! I’m Caro Watson, the Head of Marketing and Brand for the Festival, and I’m thrilled to be stepping in for Marnie this week to write our blog. For the last few months I’ve been immersed in building the look and feel for Festival 2025 and I’d like to bring you behind-the-scenes for a peek at how we do this work. 

Creating the visual look for each Festival is a collaborative effort with an artist or designer, with an aim to capture the Artistic Director’s vision and concept for the upcoming program. While the results over the last 20+ years have not always perfectly aligned with the goal, the aspiration remains consistent. We began the journey this time in a very organic and unexpected way.  

Earlier this year I asked our Design Partners, Futago, to quickly create something to complement the Ten Artists, Ten Days project. That same day, they responded with the vibrant, colourful forms we have affectionately named ‘Blobbies’. These playful shapes have not only delighted us, but have received wonderful feedback from people across the Island. This led me to consider why this simple graphic element has resonated so well. I concluded it’s all about connections and the story of Futago and Ten Days on the Island is one of deep connection.

Futago’s directors, Kate Owen and Daniel Zika, and Ten Days on the Island go way back. Daniel was the Production Manager on the first two Festivals in 2001 and 2003 with Robyn Archer at the helm. Kate was a design student at UTAS, and as a young, culture-hungry creative, she has vivid memories of eagerly watching Lutruwita/Tasmania’s very own inaugural international arts festival roll into town. 

I have always felt that the interconnectedness within the Tasmanian community is one of our state’s greatest strengths. We all seem to be linked by two degrees of separation, and a quick call around to friends can usually put you in touch with the right person. When we nurture and grow these connections, we enhance our capacity to collaborate, creating stronger outcomes and wider-reaching impacts. 

And this is the key to why our collaboration has been so successful. 

Kate and Daniel know this Festival intimately. It has been part of their lives for over twenty years. Our connected histories have linked our organisations together through respect, trust and an understanding of the vital role Ten Days on the Island plays in championing artists and celebrating the vibrant tapestry of creativity and community connections. 

“Being able to work together and really believe in something and know that if you combine your skills, you can make it so much better.” Kate Owen 

As for the ‘Blobbies’, their journey is only just beginning. In the coming months, we will be unveiling the next evolution of the design for Festival 2025, which will wrap around Marnie Karmelita’s resplendent program. These vibrant shapes are evolving, and we’ll be inviting you into a wondrous, beautiful and strange world, with a light that shines from within. Our new look will be unmistakenly and profoundly Tasmanian and I can’t wait to share it with you.

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