Welcome to Giving Culture’s June 2025 update!
This month we find out who will be making their Australian debut in AWO’s MAHLER 4&5 concerts in Sydney and Melbourne; all the winners at this year’s Sydney Film Festival; a new set of workshops at ATYP; and an internationally renowned pianist making his ACO debut.
There has been some really positive news from the arts community in June with the Sydney Film Festival having its best ever year for attendees, and the Sydney Theatre Company reporting its highest revenue in the company’s 45-year history. It seems that there are more Australian buying tickets and attending these shows, and we hope this trend continues!
This is exactly why Giving Culture was established. Cultural institutions like ACO, ATYP, AWO and SFF key goal is for more people to participate in their activities and attend their performances. We’re doing what we can to help. Art isn’t created for its own sake – it’s created for us to see it and experience it – so the best way for us to support the arts is to do exactly that!
Give your employees or clients a great opportunity to participate in Australia’s culture! Take advantage of our “30 before 30” EOFY promotion: two free GOLD Giving Culture vouchers for every order of 30 or more Gold or Silver vouchers, available now until 30 June 2025.
If you’d like more information about Giving Culture, contact us or sign up to our monthly emails at givingculture.com.au/contact. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn for other updates and posts on what’s happening at Giving Culture, and in the arts and culture scene in Australia.
Here’s the latest news from our partners.
Australian World Orchestra: Sarah Traubel to debut
AWO is proud to introduce the extraordinary Sarah Traubel, making her Australian debut as soprano soloist in Mahler’s Fourth Symphony!
“I would make the bold statement that few artists have ever anticipated their Australian debut more than me … To come and sing in Melbourne and Sydney is a dream of many years finally coming true,” says Sarah.
Sarah has emerged as one of the most fascinating vocal artists from Europe. Nominated as OPUS KLASSIK’s 2022 “Singer of the Year”, with her bright voice of exceptional projection the German soprano is a sought-after concert and opera singer in a wide range of repertoire, from Mozart to Wagner, Strauss and Shostakovich.
“I have sung the soprano solo in Mahler 4 in concerts and on tour with orchestras in Europe and in America and believe that as a native German speaker, I have the ambition to share with the audience the unique connection between Mahler’s immensely beautiful, highly characteristic music and this seemingly simple poem of German romanticism about the ‘heavenly life’ which Mahler used,” said Sarah.
Don’t miss your chance to hear her bring Mahler’s heavenly finale to life in September!
Join AWO to celebrate Sarah’s debut at Arts Centre Melbourne (Sept 3) and Sydney Opera House (Sept 4). You can redeem your Gold or Silver Voucher for MAHLER 4&5 concerts now!
Australian Theatre for Young People: Semester Two Workshops
Enrolments are now open for ATYP’s Semester Two Weekly Workshops!
Whether you’re new to drama or looking to sharpen your skills, ATYP welcomes K-12 students of all abilities.
Participants can learn a range of skills, including script analysis, screen acting, devising, character development, voice work and movement training. The semester concludes with the Open Studio, where students share the work they’ve created and explored in class with their family and friends.
Book today and take advantage of ATYP’s Early Bird Discount!
You can redeem your Culture Voucher towards Semester Two Workshops by choosing either ATYP – SCHOOL’S OUT for silver vouchers or ATYP – GET DRAMATIC for gold vouchers.
Sydney Film Festival: award winners
That’s a wrap on the 72nd Sydney Film Festival. At the Festival’s closing night ceremony, a prize pool of over $200,000 was awarded to the winning films, including the prestigious Sydney Film Prize to the film IT WAS JUST AN ACCIDENT by Jafar Panahi. WILFRED BUCK, meanwhile, won the First Nations Award, FLOODLAND won the Sustainable Future Award, and LESBIAN SPACE PRINCESS, THE RAFTSMEN, ALL THAT’S LEFT OF YOU and PRIME MINISTER won the Audience Awards.
The 72nd edition of SFF was its biggest ever, with over 150,000 attendees – an 11% increase on last year. “We’re so grateful to the audiences, filmmakers, patrons, partners, volunteers and supporters who made this year such a success,” said Frances Wallace, SFF CEO.
Thanks to our voucher holders who redeemed for this year’s festival – you contributed to the event’s overall success!
Australian Chamber Orchestra: Gershwin & Shostakovich
Touring to Sydney, Newcastle, Canberra, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Wollongong, Brisbane, 1-18 August 2025.
Richard Tognetti directs this profound program that features Ukrainian-born, internationally renowned pianist Alexander Gavrylyuk making his ACO debut in Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue and Shostakovich’s witty, irreverent Piano Concerto No.1 with David Elton on trumpet.
Gershwin’s much-loved Rhapsody in Blue is a life-affirming explosion of jazz and joy, an exultant celebration of difference and dynamism. It’s a stark contrast to Shostakovich’s intense and emotional Chamber Symphony, dedicated to the victims of fascism and oppression. It tells a story of fear and melancholy but never loses hope.
In response, ACO has commissioned a new work from Ukrainian composer Valentin Silvestrov, known for his lyrical, introspective and consoling style which he shares with his friend Arvo Pärt. This is a special piece, which the composer wrote for the ACO while sheltering from war after escaping his native Kyiv.
To take advantage of ticket prices, it would be best to redeem either an ACO – Gold Voucher or ACO – Silver Voucher for these performances.