Speeches
Thursday, 01 May 2025
Reception to thank volunteers and supporters of the Chihuly Exhibition
Rod and I are pleased to welcome you to Government House this evening.
Last year, we were delighted at the news that the Adelaide Botanic Gardens was going to host the first major Chihuly garden exhibition in Australia and in the southern hemisphere.
Having seen Chihuly’s artworks at the National Gallery and at Kew Gardens in London, we knew how captivating they were.
We were excited by the prospect of seeing Chihuly pieces situated in our botanic gardens over an extended period, and the unique drama and beauty this would create.
We were also pleased for the botanic gardens themselves, anticipating how many visitors the exhibition would garner.
It’s fair to say that Chihuly in the Botanic Garden has exceeded South Australia’s expectations.
Opening day visitor numbers set a new record for the gardens, surpassing figures seen only for the blooming of the corpse flower.
The ambitious target of one million visitors total was exceeded six weeks ahead of the closing date.
And two extra sessions per week were added to Chihuly Nights, such was the popularity of this event.
Congratulations to you all on the success of this exhibition.
In myriad ways, you have all made important contributions to realising these outstanding figures.
Of course, the success of Chihuly is about more than numbers.
It’s about the glowing attention received at the local, national and international level; and the extra custom generated for city businesses.
It’s about raising the profile of glass art, and supporting South Australia as one of only three locations in the country where glass can be studied formally at a tertiary level.
And it’s about the number of people you brought into the botanic garden, perhaps for the first time. People who now have a relationship with the gardens, and will return.
I thank the Botanic Gardens board and staff for the vision and dedication you have demonstrated in realising this exhibition.
While on the surface the exhibition has run incredibly smoothly, you have no doubt been working tirelessly behind the scenes for many months.
From financial management, to marketing, to event administration, to maintaining the pristine presentation of the gardens, to the logistics of moving the exhibition in and now out of the grounds… it’s been an extraordinary task, and I hope you all feel very proud of your collective efforts.
I trust you now have the opportunity to rest – if only for a short time! - before commencing work on the next large scale outdoor event, Night Visions, as part of Illuminate Festival.
I also thank the more than 200 volunteers who were recruited for the exhibition, contributing over 10,000 volunteer hours of support.
As joint patrons of the Friends of the Botanic Gardens, Rod and I are very pleased by the strong volunteering culture at the gardens, and the level of support offered by the broader community for your activities.
Lastly, I thank corporate supporters, partners and donors for their contributions to Chihuly in the Garden, and in particular Pamela Wall, whose generous purchase of the Glacier Ice and Lapis Chandelier will see it remain permanently in Palm House.
This will guarantee that future generations of South Australians will growing up knowing the name of Dale Chihuly (and Pamela Wall for that matter!)
Congratulations, all. Rod and I wish the Botanic Gardens every success as you continue building our understanding and appreciation of the botanical world through a wide range of scientific, and creative, endeavours.
Over the past seven months, the splendour of the Botanic Gardens has combined with the genius of Dale Chihuly to produce an unforgettable experience – thanks to you.
To you!