62625
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Sydney Committee
Unique IDAG-0171DescriptionThe Sydney Committee was formed following a meeting convened by Lord Mayor Pat Hills on 3 February 1956. This meeting recommended a committee be set up to "celebrate special occasions and generally to focus favourable attention on this City and the State". At the second meeting it was decided that the Premier of NSW be the President and the Lord Mayor of Sydney be Chair, with the immediate objectives being the promotion of a Spring Festival in 1956, and annually thereafter, and the suitable recognition of Australia Day in 1957 and annually thereafter. The inaugural meeting of the Committee was held on 6 April 1956, although it was not formally endorsed by Council until the 30 April 1956.
The original objectives included: "promotion and carrying out any charitable undertaking; organising for the benefit of the community of Sydney any forms of entertainment, carnivals, demonstrations, displays, exhibitions, processions, pageants, concerts, galas, festivals, dancing, plays, competitions and sporting events; promotion and development of cultural, scientific and artistic interests in the community; promotion and assistance of clubs and similar organisations; provision of a central information bureau; promotion of interest in Sydney, its history, development and future and indulging in all forms of publicity to this end; to print, publish or acquire journals, pamphlets, periodicals, or any other form of published matter; to do anything calculated to improve the conditions of city life in relation to these objects or other worthy objects."
The Committee included representatives from the Chamber of Commerce, the Retail Traders Association, the Royal Agricultural Society, and the Chamber of Manufacturers. The Town Clerk was the Honorary Secretary, the City Treasurer the Honorary Treasurer, and the Lord Mayor's Secretary was Assistant Honorary Secretary.
The first major activity of the Committee was the organisation of Sydney's first Waratah Spring Festival, held in October 1956, followed by the Australia Day Celebrations in 1957. The Committee continued this format until the final Waratah Spring Festival was held in 1973, in conjunction with the opening of the Sydney Opera House.
In a report prepared in 1974, the Committee noted that the major sponsors had withdrawn their support and that the "Waratah Festival has outlived its usefulness as a major attraction and is fast losing public support and commercial sponsorship". It was decided not to hold a Waratah Festival in 1974 and that the Committee should be restructured. Executive power was vested in the Lord Mayor to reconvene the committee when appropriate.
Stephen Hall, formerly Artistic Director of the Australian Opera, was approached by Lord Mayor Shehadie to take over as Executive Director of the Sydney Committee, and he commenced work on 3 November 1975. In 1976 the Committee was incorporated as the Sydney Committee Limited.
From the time of Hall's appointment, the management and daily operations of running the Festival of Sydney have been carried out by CA 178, Festival of Sydney Limited, an external company that still has strong ties with the Sydney City Council. CA 171 continued to exist in tandem with CA 178, because of Council's strong involvement in the Festival. CA 171 reflects Council's involvement with the festival, while CA 178 reflects the involvement of the external organisation and its staff.
The Committee endorsed Hall's recommendation for an annual summer festival to commence on New Year's Eve and continue until the Australia Day Holiday. The festival was called the Festival of Sydney, the first one being held in 1977.
Hall was replaced as Executive Director of the Festival in 1995 and on 4 September 1995 the Sydney Committee Limited went into voluntary liquidation. It was replaced by the Festival of Sydney Limited.CreationResolution of Council 30 April 1956AbolitionVoluntary liquidation 4 September 1995
The original objectives included: "promotion and carrying out any charitable undertaking; organising for the benefit of the community of Sydney any forms of entertainment, carnivals, demonstrations, displays, exhibitions, processions, pageants, concerts, galas, festivals, dancing, plays, competitions and sporting events; promotion and development of cultural, scientific and artistic interests in the community; promotion and assistance of clubs and similar organisations; provision of a central information bureau; promotion of interest in Sydney, its history, development and future and indulging in all forms of publicity to this end; to print, publish or acquire journals, pamphlets, periodicals, or any other form of published matter; to do anything calculated to improve the conditions of city life in relation to these objects or other worthy objects."
The Committee included representatives from the Chamber of Commerce, the Retail Traders Association, the Royal Agricultural Society, and the Chamber of Manufacturers. The Town Clerk was the Honorary Secretary, the City Treasurer the Honorary Treasurer, and the Lord Mayor's Secretary was Assistant Honorary Secretary.
The first major activity of the Committee was the organisation of Sydney's first Waratah Spring Festival, held in October 1956, followed by the Australia Day Celebrations in 1957. The Committee continued this format until the final Waratah Spring Festival was held in 1973, in conjunction with the opening of the Sydney Opera House.
In a report prepared in 1974, the Committee noted that the major sponsors had withdrawn their support and that the "Waratah Festival has outlived its usefulness as a major attraction and is fast losing public support and commercial sponsorship". It was decided not to hold a Waratah Festival in 1974 and that the Committee should be restructured. Executive power was vested in the Lord Mayor to reconvene the committee when appropriate.
Stephen Hall, formerly Artistic Director of the Australian Opera, was approached by Lord Mayor Shehadie to take over as Executive Director of the Sydney Committee, and he commenced work on 3 November 1975. In 1976 the Committee was incorporated as the Sydney Committee Limited.
From the time of Hall's appointment, the management and daily operations of running the Festival of Sydney have been carried out by CA 178, Festival of Sydney Limited, an external company that still has strong ties with the Sydney City Council. CA 171 continued to exist in tandem with CA 178, because of Council's strong involvement in the Festival. CA 171 reflects Council's involvement with the festival, while CA 178 reflects the involvement of the external organisation and its staff.
The Committee endorsed Hall's recommendation for an annual summer festival to commence on New Year's Eve and continue until the Australia Day Holiday. The festival was called the Festival of Sydney, the first one being held in 1977.
Hall was replaced as Executive Director of the Festival in 1995 and on 4 September 1995 the Sydney Committee Limited went into voluntary liquidation. It was replaced by the Festival of Sydney Limited.CreationResolution of Council 30 April 1956AbolitionVoluntary liquidation 4 September 1995
Series
Description
Start date30th April 1956End date4th September 1995Relationship legacy dataRELATED TO: Sydney City Council OR-0001 (30/04/1956 to 04/09/1995)
RELATED TO: External committees FN-0028 (30/04/1956 to 04/09/1995)
RELATED TO: Ceremonial events and civic occasions FN-0020 (30/04/1956 to 04/09/1995)
RELATED TO: Festival of Sydney FN-0030 (30/04/1975 to 04/09/1995)
RELATED TO: Mayoralty / Lord Mayoralty FN-0023 (30/04/1956 to 04/09/1995)
Source System ID171
RELATED TO: External committees FN-0028 (30/04/1956 to 04/09/1995)
RELATED TO: Ceremonial events and civic occasions FN-0020 (30/04/1956 to 04/09/1995)
RELATED TO: Festival of Sydney FN-0030 (30/04/1975 to 04/09/1995)
RELATED TO: Mayoralty / Lord Mayoralty FN-0023 (30/04/1956 to 04/09/1995)
Source System ID171
Relationships
Sydney Committee [AG-0171]. City of Sydney Archives, accessed 24 Apr 2024, https://archives.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/nodes/view/62625