A Personal Message from Marnie Karmelita, Artistic Director

When I first arrived in Lutruwita/Tasmania, I was struck by something I hadn’t felt anywhere else: a deep, quiet pride in place. Not loud or boastful, but woven into the land, the people, the stories. That pride is what Ten Days on the Island celebrates.

This Festival isn’t just about performances or exhibitions. It’s about what happens when a community gathers to share something meaningful. It’s the moment a child in Bothwell sees a puppet show for the first time and laughs so hard they forget to be shy. It’s the sound of the kookaburras filtering through the windows of Rowella Community Hall at exactly the right moment as the audience holds their collective breath. It’s the smoke from the fire at Piyura Kitina and the sounds of Country drifting over upturned faces with tear-filled eyes. It’s the conversations that linger long after the curtain falls.

Every two years, we bring artists and audiences together across Lutruwita/Tasmania, not just in theatres, but in halls, paddocks, on beaches, and in backyards. We do it because we believe everyone deserves to feel the magic of creativity and the warmth of shared wonder, and because we know that when people come together through art, something shifts. Hearts open. Ideas ignite. Communities grow stronger.

But we can’t do it alone.

Your support helps us reach the far corners of the island. It helps us say yes to bold ideas and local voices. It helps us make sure that no one is left out. It helps us create moments that matter. If you’ve ever felt moved by a story, inspired by a performance, or connected to someone through a shared experience, then you already understand the power of what we do.

A donation to Ten Days on the Island isn’t just a gift to the arts. It’s a gift to Lutruwita/Tasmania. To its people. To its future.

Please, if you can, support us. Help us keep telling stories that matter. Help us keep the island alive with creativity, connection, and joy.

With gratitude,
Marnie

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Marnie Karmelita at Plimsoll Gallery (Opening of Articulate Matter), photo by Cassie Sullivan