The “dark night of the soul” journey that many went on, he said, had given a context for this year’s festival, and “we pray it brings a glimmer of light in these uncertain times”.

Loading

The theme is “Come to the Cross”, a Christian phrase that’s a favourite in gospel songs and evangelical preaching, tying together imagery of suffering and salvation.

The usual Winter Feast, Ogog-ogoh sculpture burning and Nude Solstice Swim will feature in the festival.

Art events this year include Memorial by Alex Podger, a world premiere “spectacular public ritual that invites Tasmanian residents to have the ashes of their loved ones placed into a handmade firework shell, to be launched above Hobart’s Derwent River”.

There will be a major public exhibition about convict artist Thomas Wainewright, and the Cathedral venue will be occupied by Pope Alice, the performance art persona of Luke Roberts who has been manifesting the figure for decades.

At Mona, the Crone exhibition features a flock of animated portraits of ageing women. Downtown, Russian performance duo 404.zero will premiere a “great chamber of light and body-shaking vibrations” and Jonathan Schipper’s Slow Room is a living room being slowly pulled into a hole in the wall.

The music part of the festival is headlined by post-punk legend Thurston Moore, founder of Sonic Youth, who will perform with long-time collaborator Wobbly and New Zealand band The Dead

The full festival program is available here.