For its one-off season in Australia, Chihuly in the Botanic Garden wowed huge crowds, with 1.4 million visits by people flocking through the gates of Adelaide Botanic Garden during its seven-month season.
This success positions Adelaide Botanic Garden ahead of the globally renowned Kew Gardens in London and Singapore's Gardens By The Bay as the venue to achieve the highest attendance figures for any of Chihuly's Botanic Garden exhibitions.
Exclusive to Adelaide, Chihuly in the Botanic Garden concluded on 29 April and showcased large-scale sculptures by world-renowned artist, Dale Chihuly, in a specially curated exhibition that was free to visit during the day.
The visitor numbers reflect how Chihuly in the Botanic Garden became a major tourist attraction for South Australia, complimenting the city's vibrant arts, festival and sports scene. People surveyed at the Garden's free daytime exhibition shows attendances from interstate visitors at 27 per cent and from overseas at 9 per cent.
The flagship ticketed event Chihuly Nights sold 143,200 tickets, while the additional daytime ticketed exhibition In Full Colour: Dale Chihuly within the leafy Bicentennial Conservatory welcomed more than 56,800 daytime visitors.
Out-of-state visitors who travelled to Adelaide specifically to experience the exhibition and its associated major events, in preliminary estimates, are projected as spending some $30 million during their visit.
Coupled with visitors from regional SA (16%) and Greater Adelaide (48%), these art and garden lovers provided a boon for city businesses as families and friends made the most of hotels, restaurants and other city services as part of their day or night out.
More than 201,000 tickets were sold across all ticketed events, which also included a music series, science talks, school holiday activities, gin masterclasses and an audio-described tour. Education was a key theme, with at least 7,500 students engaging with Chihuly-themed school programs and more than 12,000 participants in the children's drawing competition.
The involvement of Project Partner, JamFactory, helped solidify the event's success; the iconic craft studio showcased Adelaide's world-class glass art scene with three successful exhibitions in their own Morphett Street studio that together welcomed 24,000 people. JamFactory provided a high-quality retail outlet featuring Chihuly merchandise, as well as pieces by South Australian glass artists, within the Garden.
In a further triumph for the much-loved city attraction, a second major artwork will be retained by the Garden, made possible through the generosity of 40 South Australian philanthropists and businesses. The bespoke piece created by Dale Chihuly and Chihuly Studio for the exhibition, the Jet and Crimson Fiori, is inspired by South Australia's state floral emblem, the Sturt's Desert Pea, and will call the garden home.
This follows the earlier acquisition of the dazzling Glacier and Ice Lapis Chandelier in the Palm House, secured through a significant gift from Dr Pamela Wall AO. Together, these two striking works will take pride of place in the Garden's collections.
Minister for Tourism, Zoe Bettison said Chihuly in the Botanic Garden has been incredible for South Australia, shining a global spotlight on Adelaide as a destination for world-class arts and culture.
"To attract 1.4 million visits is a testament to the power of creative partnerships and the enduring appeal of our Botanic Garden," Minister Bettison said.
"This exhibition not only enriched our vibrant events calendar, but also delivered a significant boost to our visitor economy, with thousands of interstate and international guests travelling here just to experience Chihuly's extraordinary art. The economic impact has flowed through to our hotels, restaurants, and city businesses, supporting jobs and showcasing the best of South Australia.
"I'm especially proud that, thanks to the generosity of our community and philanthropists, two stunning Chihuly works will remain in the Garden as a lasting legacy for future generations.
"This is a wonderful example of how investing in major events and cultural tourism delivers lasting benefits for our State, and I congratulate everyone involved in making this exhibition such an outstanding success."
Artist, Dale Chihuly said "I've always been passionate about having as many people see my work as possible. It is rare for audiences to enjoy free access to a space as beautiful as Adelaide Botanic Garden. It is an honor and a thrill to learn that 1.4 million people have come to see this exhibition right in the heart of the city."
"I was making experimental forms with my team and was shown images of your state floral emblem. I loved its bold color and wild shape. It inspired me to create something new. I was pleased with the results, and it was so exciting to have the opportunity to debut this work in Adelaide. It is a joy to know it will remain with the Garden," Mr Chihuly said.
"I spent time in Adelaide in 2000. I could feel that the city was a very special place-a city that celebrates creativity and the arts. All my team who have worked on the exhibition have told me that the arts community is still incredibly strong, vibrant and growing. We've been fortunate to be embraced by Adelaide and have developed strong connections to the many extraordinary individuals who have nurtured this project from the very start. Thank you, Adelaide!"
Presiding Member of the Board of the Botanic Gardens and State Herbarium, Judy Potter said the support of the SA Government through the Major Events and Attraction Committee and the South Australian Tourism Commission enabled the Botanic Garden to deliver very successful exhibition. 36% of our daytime visitors reported they were from out of South Australia.
"The joy of seeing the outstanding Chihuly glasswork surrounded by nature brought many people back for repeat visits. For many, it was their first time to the Botanic Garden," Ms Potter said.
"Thank you to the Botanic Garden staff who worked tirelessly to ensure the success of the exhibition and the 250 volunteers who donated over 10,000 hours of time.
"It is exciting that with the generous support of Dr Pam Wall and our many other generous donors, the two works specifically created for the exhibition in Adelaide, namely the Glacier and Ice Lapis Chandelier and the Jet and Crimson Fiori, will stay in Adelaide Botanic Garden for the joy of generations to come. An incredible legacy."
Image credit:
Dale Chihuly
Jet and Crimson Fiori (detail), 2024
Adelaide Botanic Garden, Adelaide, Australia
© 2024 Chihuly Studio. All rights reserved.
Photograph by Nathaniel Willson
