Celebrating the transformative power of singing
Festival of Voices is an annual winter festival, taking place each June-July. We work year round and present our program on palawa and pakana land in lutruwita/Tasmania. We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community.
We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.
We work to uphold our values of Accessibility, Authenticity, Collaboration, Excellence and Sustainability as we bring people together through the power of song and collective singing. Everyone is welcome at Festival of Voices and we take pride in gathering people collectively around metaphorical and literal bonfires.
Vision
We are the premier singing festival in Australia, and a linchpin in Tasmania’s winter season. Recognised nationally by choirs, musicians and audiences as the leading destination, and most inclusive celebration of vocal excellence. Everyone can participate in Festival of Voices, from curious beginner to seasoned professional.
Mission
We bring people together. We bring joy to communities, and we unite people from all over Australia, in the middle of winter, through song, through voice, and through experience.
We are inclusive, diverse, sustainable and accessible. We are for everyone, and we champion our belief that singing is for everyone; from student to professional, from punter to performer, from secret shower soloist to karaoke enthusiast and beyond. We are classical. We are contemporary. We are everything in between. We are participatory, interactive and experiential. We educate in a variety of ways, and work to develop Tasmanian and Australian singers’ skills and engagement. We are a catalyst for emerging artists, and a platform for seasoned acts. We are the longest running winter festival in Tasmania, and the largest singing festival in Australia. As an organisation, we take pleasure in overflowing the streets with a flurry of song and entertainment, and in conjuring up an atmosphere of warmth in the middle of winter.
We celebrate stories and voice from around the corner and across the world. We present Tasmanian voices alongside Internationals, and celebrate all kinds of performance, from here, made here and brought here. We lift our voices together in song.
Values
Accessibility
Accessibility and proactive inclusivity govern the way that we program and manage events. We strive to be a safe and inclusive space, both organisationally and throughout the festival. We take a multifaceted approach to access, considering cultural, financial, educational and locational access alongside disability. We value our diverse audiences and artists and continually work to optimise their access in any way we can.
Authenticity
As the longest running winter festival in Tasmania, we are proud of the journey we have taken to get here. We pride ourselves on being secure in our own voice, and continue to work with artists to platform their stories and their voices, and to encourage singers to engage as their authentic selves.
Collaboration
Collaboration is at the heart of everything that we do. We connect singers and communities with one another and we facilitate opportunities for connection and cohesion via song, and massed singing.
Excellence
We believe that access to artistic excellence inspires and raises up, and we believe that future generations of singers require access to artistic excellence in order to learn, experiment and dream. We continue to platform excellence in singing, and encourage those seeking, through our workshop and development programs and opportunities.
Sustainability
Sustainability is permanently at the forefront of our minds. We work with and for our local communities for a green and sustainable future, that champions local voices and satisfactory ways of working.
Supporting Festival of Voices means you can contribute to the ongoing benefits of choral and community singing.
Watch previous festivals to see the joy and connection we create every winter.