Feature

Wesley Enoch: Cultural Accelerator

As Wesley Enoch prepares his fifth and final Sydney Festival, we look at the successes and controversies of his artistic directorship, and whether the self-acknowledged risk-taker might follow his sister into politics.

by Elissa Blake on 19 October, 2020

Wesley Enoch: Cultural Accelerator

As Wesley Enoch prepares his fifth and final Sydney Festival, in the shadow of the coronavirus, Elissa Blakelooks at the successes and controversies of his artistic directorship, and whether the self-acknowledged risk-taker might follow his sister into politics.

In the COVID-19 era, people can be divided into two types, says Wesley Enoch: the risk-averse, and the risk-takers. Enoch identifies as one of the latter. “In the vernacular, I’m a doorknob-licker,” he says with a chuckle.

“OK, so I’m not literally licking doorknobs, just to be clear – especially now! –...