Ten Days on the Island

What Ten Days on the Island does

Ten Days on the Island is a Tasmanian not-for-profit charity (ABN 30 092 326 951) that operates Australia's only statewide biennial arts festival, held every two years in March across Lutruwita/Tasmania. Founded in 2001 by Premier Jim Bacon and led since 2023 by Artistic Director Marnie Karmelita and CEO Vernon Guest, the festival commissions bold new works by Tasmanian and First Nations artists alongside international programming, staging events in cities, regional towns, beaches, and community halls across the state. The organisation relocated its headquarters from Hobart to Burnie in 2017 under CEO Jane Haley to align its operational base with its regional mission.

The festival's underlying production model combines commissioned live performance, site-specific work, and curated international exchange, supported by an editorial platform (The Journal), a podcast series ('Starter for Ten' produced with Oi Studios), and a 10,000+ subscriber email newsletter providing early ticket access. Ticketing is delivered through an owned box office (website, phone, in-person) plus three authorised third-party agencies (Burnie Arts & Function Centre, Theatre Royal Hobart, Theatre North at the Princess), with e-tickets, concessions, companion cards, and a $5 non-refundable transaction fee. The 2025 visual identity by Futago and Aldous Kelly won the Grand Diemen at the Diemen Awards and a Bronze Medal at the Best Design Awards NZ.

Revenue is generated through six documented streams: ticket sales (transaction-fee model), corporate partnerships (tailored sponsorship packages), individual donations via Island Circles (patrons from $500/year, heroines from $1,000/year), planned giving via Legacy Circle bequests, gift vouchers (36-month validity), and government grants (Tasmanian Government as presenting partner, Australian Government through Festivals Australia, plus four major council partners). The organisation is a registered charity with DGR endorsement from January 2024. Customer segments include the Tasmanian general public and arts audiences (primary), corporate partners and sponsors, individual donors and patrons, Tasmanian and international artists, and government stakeholders.

Name

Ten Days on the Island

Legal name

Ten Days on the Island Limited

Website

https://www.tendays.org.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ten Days on the Island is a Tasmanian not-for-profit charity that operates Australia's only statewide biennial arts festival, presenting commissioned, First Nations-led, and international performing and visual arts across the island every two years, funded by ticket sales, corporate partnerships, individual donations, and government grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts Festival

NAICS

Performing Arts Companies (7111), Musical Groups and Artists (71113), Dance Companies (711120)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Arts & Culture Community Festivals (Multidisciplinary Arts Weeks) (MPAGAEAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community Theatre & Storytelling Festivals (MPAGAEAI), Community Music & Dance Festivals (Non-Commercial/Local) (MPAGAEAH)

Keywords

• Performing arts festival
• Arts event production
• Cultural programming services
• Arts philanthropy programs
• Statewide arts festival

Headquarters

HQ city

Burnie

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Ticket sales: Revenue from ticket sales to festival events, sold directly via the Ten Days on the Island box office and authorised third-party ticketing agencies. A $5 non-refundable transaction fee applies per transaction.
2. Corporate partnerships: Corporate sponsors pay for brand visibility, audience engagement, hospitality, and media profile across the festival's statewide reach. Partnerships are tailored to meet partner objectives.
3. Individual donations - Island Circles: Monthly or annual giving from individual supporters at patron ($500+) or heroine ($1,000+) levels, directly funding festival works, artist commissions, and free community events across the state.
4. Legacy Circle - bequests: Planned giving through wills. Donors leave a specific amount, percentage, or residue of their estate to the festival. Ten Days on the Island is a registered charity and DGR (endorsed January 2024); donations of $2 or more are tax-deductible.
5. Gift vouchers: Gift vouchers sold directly through the website or by phone. Redeemable for tickets sold directly by the festival. Valid for 36 months from issue. Cannot be redeemed for cash.
6. Government grants: Ongoing support from the Tasmanian Government as presenting partner and the Australian Government through Festivals Australia. Major partners include City of Clarence, Burnie City Council, City of Hobart, and City of Launceston.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Ten Days on the Island is a biennial statewide arts festival held across Lutruwita/Tasmania every two years in March, presenting performing arts, visual art, and cultural experiences in cities, regional towns, and unconventional venues from beaches to community halls. The organisation commissions bold new works by Tasmanian artists (including First Nations Palawa/Pakana practitioners) and hosts international touring artists, supported by ticketed attendance, an owned box office, authorised third-party ticketing agencies, and donor, corporate, and government funding streams.

Product overview

Ten Days on the Island is a not-for-profit charity operating Australia's only statewide biennial arts festival. The core offering is the festival itself, which takes place across Tasmania every two years in March, programming events in cities, regional towns, and unexpected locations from beaches to community halls. Beyond the festival, the organization offers donor programs (Island Circles and Legacy Circle for planned giving), corporate partnership opportunities, an editorial platform (The Journal), a podcast series (Starter for Ten), and newsletter subscription. The festival is led by Artistic Director Marnie Karmelita and CEO Vernon Guest, and is governed by an independent Board of Directors. The organization relocated its headquarters from Hobart to Pataway/Burnie in 2017 to align with its regional ambitions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ten Days on the Island Festival Australia's only statewide biennial arts festival, programmed across Lutruwita/Tasmania in cities, regional towns, and unconventional sites (beaches, halls, community spaces), commissioning bold new works and presenting international and Tasmanian artists to local audiences.
• Gift Vouchers Redeemable vouchers sold directly through the festival website or by phone that can be applied to tickets for events sold directly by Ten Days on the Island. Vouchers are valid for 36 months from issue, are partially redeemable, and are not redeemable for cash.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $340 million in economic impact generated for Tasmania since 2001
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting and programme.

• FutagocoreTechnology or IntegrationFestival design partner responsible for the 2025 visual identity, awarded Grand Diemen, Art Direction, and Illustration awards at the Diemen Awards, and Bronze at the Best Design Awards NZ. Futures: Newton & Henry (Finance and Accounting) and Futago (Design) are listed as key organisational partners.
• Oi StudiossupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerVideo production partner for the festival's Impact video and podcast production (Starter for Ten podcast). Official supplier to the festival.
• Impress PrintsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrint production partner for the festival programme, produced with a striking fluorescent cover and recognised as a finalist in the Diemen Awards Book (offset) category.
• University of TasmaniaprogrammeStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgramme partner supporting the festival's educational and artistic programming.
• AccorsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerAccommodation partner providing lodging support for touring artists and festival personnel across Tasmania.
• Newton & HenrysupportingTechnology or IntegrationListed as Finance and Accounting Partners of Ten Days on the Island.
• VOSsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupporter of Ten Days on the Island. Construction/services partner.
• Pitt and SherrysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupporter of Ten Days on the Island. Engineering/consulting services partner.
• The GuardiansupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia supporter of Ten Days on the Island.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Sydney Festival: Major Australian international arts festival held annually in Sydney with comparable multidisciplinary performing arts programming. Both festivals operate on a similar model of presenting international alongside local work, and share senior leadership overlap (CEO Vernon Guest previously programmed at Sydney Festival).
• Adelaide Festival: Australia's longest-running international arts festival, presenting performing arts, music, dance, and theatre biennially. Comparable in scale and international curatorial ambition; CEO Vernon Guest previously led programming there.
• Melbourne International Arts Festival (Melbourne Festival): One of Australia's flagship international arts festivals with multidisciplinary programming across performing arts, visual art, and music. Comparable curatorial model and audience scale, making it a directly comparable peer for programming, sponsorship, and audience benchmarks.
• Perth Festival: Western Australia's premier international arts festival, presenting performing arts, music, and visual art. Both CEO Vernon Guest and Artistic Director Marnie Karmelita have prior leadership roles at Perth Festival, indicating close operational and curatorial alignment.
• Brisbane Festival: Annual Queensland-based multidisciplinary arts festival with comparable statewide ambitions and international programming. Board Director Jono Perry previously worked at Brisbane Festival, reflecting close peer ties in scale, model, and arts-sector leadership.
• New Zealand Festival (Tāwhiri): New Zealand's national biennial arts festival, sharing a biennial cadence and comparable scope. Artistic Director Marnie Karmelita was previously Creative Director of Tāwhiri, indicating deep operational and curatorial parallels including a national-scale multi-venue touring model.
• Darwin Festival: Annual Northern Territory arts festival presenting performing arts and cultural programming with a strong regional identity. Comparable in size and in showcasing First Nations-led work, with CEO Vernon Guest having previously led programming at Darwin Festival.

Regional players

• MONA FOMA: Tasmania-based summer arts and music festival operated by MONA. Operates in the same Tasmania geography with a similarly bold multidisciplinary programming philosophy, though with a more commercial/private funding model; competes for Tasmanian audiences and tourism dollars.

Broad incumbents

• Edinburgh Festival Fringe: The world's largest performing arts festival, presenting tens of thousands of performances across theatre, dance, music, and comedy. Comparable in terms of scale ambition and multidisciplinary programming, but operates at a vastly larger international scale as the global benchmark for festival-based arts distribution.

Others

• Confederation of Australian International Arts Festivals (CAIAF): Industry body representing Australia's major international arts festivals. CEO Vernon Guest is Treasurer of CAIAF, making it a thematically related industry/ecosystem participant rather than a direct programming competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@TenDaysTas
• Facebookfacebook.com/tendaystas
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ten-days-on-the-island-tasmania
• Instagraminstagram.com/tendaystas
• TikToktiktok.com/@tendaystas
• Xx.com/tendaystas

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ten Days on the Island