Novatech: Lighting Up New Talent
Novatech is a nation-leading event production company supporting some of the biggest festivals in the land. But it’s also supporting the arts scene, using tech and fresh ideas.
Image by David Solm
You’d be hard-pressed to find an event Novatech hasn’t powered. Santos Tour Down Under, Big Bash League, Harvest Rock, Gather Round, Adelaide Fringe, the Adelaide Festival – these are just some of the spectacles the production technology company has worked on in the last 23 years. While you may not know their name, you’d certainly know their work – they’re the people who bring cutting-edge AV equipment into a space, the sort of stuff that can transform stages, venues and even whole parks into magical environments swirling with sound, light and vision.
“At Novatech, we like to innovate,” says Ashley Gabriel, director of sales and marketing. “We work with artistic companies when they need production, working hand-in-hand to give them tailor-made creative solutions.”
Novatech helped bring Illuminate Adelaide to life, working as a presenting partner for the first three years of the festival. They worked closely with Canadian multimedia studio Moment Factory to deliver the technical elements of the walk-through experiences at Botanic Gardens and the immersive Mirror Mirror installation. “We use technology to tell stories, to emote and to create beautiful goosebump moments,” says Ashley. “These are feelings that only these experiences can [invoke] and we’re really proud of that.”
Adelaide Fringe also has a longstanding relationship with Novatech. Together, they’ve developed shows that have unearthed the history of Sleep’s Hill Tunnel through immersive projections, time-lapse art and sound. Novatech was also a pivotal player in the world’s first feature-length art drone shows, Sky Song and Electric Skies, commissioned by Fringe. They erected an impressive 72-metre-wide holographic outdoor screen to convey First Nations stories, art and songs while UK company Celestial’s drone show was performed in the sky.
While the company is recognised as a national leader for large-scale shows, conferences and gatherings, the Adelaide-owned and operated company is determined to support the arts community right here in its hometown. And it’s through their relationship with Fringe that Novatech has developed ways of supporting SA’s emerging arts scene.
Launched this year, the Novatech Arts Innovation Fund was devised to foster creativity and community connection at five up-and-coming venues: My Lover Cindi, Enter Closer, The Bridgeport Hotel, Fool’s Parade and ILA. Each recipient was awarded $10,000 in cash and $10,000 of in-kind equipment hire, plus mentoring meetings and ongoing support, enabling businesses to elevate their venues with immersive technology and bigger audiences.
Ashely says Novatech will continue to find new ways to encourage innovation, while also turning their attention to developing the next generation of the industry. The event production company runs academy classes for individuals who want experience in the lighting and sound side of show curation, and they hope to generate fresh support pathways for Adelaide’s emerging creatives.
“A lot of good things come out of Adelaide – a lot of creative things too,” Ashley says. “If we can be a partner in creating experiences and improving the viability of arts events going forward, that’s what we’re here for.”
Find out more about all things Novatech here.
