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By Sarah Frish, Contributor ISSUE #015 CULTURE & COCKTAILS | Community

Why We Do Cultural Partnerships

Like Gin & Tonic or vodka and fresh-pressed watermelon juice, Archie Rose spirits and Australian culture are better enjoyed together. Over the past 18 months, we’ve had the privilege of collaborating with cultural leaders across the country, designing custom cocktails and spirits to support over 25 partnerships.

Creativity, innovation and collaboration are at the core of Archie Rose, espoused in every spirit we distil and decision we make. Our cultural partners are similarly committed to pushing the envelope, exploring and expanding our consciousness, challenging social norms and inspiring audiences in their creative pursuits. Whether it’s an avant-garde theatre production or vintage diamond display, each partnership brings new opportunities to use our spirits in innovative, provocative ways. We’re incredibly lucky to have a bar team of fifteen spirit enthusiasts at our disposal, giving us the ability to produce events (over 500 last year) across the country.

Join us as we take a gander through Archie Rose’s latest and greatest collaborations.

Festivals

Each year, we travel the country to provide liquid inspiration for Australia’s most formidable festivals. From the always eclectic Sydney Fringe to the bold and boundless Brisbane Festival, we’re proud partners across five states. This year alone, we’ve crafted a curated cocktail selection at Melbourne’s International Arts Festival, bespoke drink creations for the Brisbane Powerhouse and their Wonderland, Brisbane Comedy Festival and Melt events as well as a one-off tailored gin for Darwin Festival, featuring waxflower, lemon myrtle, blood lime and river mint. These spirited offerings showcase our new Tailored Spirits Experiences, a brilliant way to bring incredible cocktail catering plus our interactive gin and whisky blending sessions, masterclasses and spirit tastings to events of all shapes and sizes.

Galleries and Museums

Australia’s award-winning art galleries have been the canvas for some of our most memorable cultural collaborations. Last year, we partnered with the National Gallery of Australia to create a custom cocktail with a diamond-shaped ice cube for Cartier: the Exhibition as well as a tinned negroni, our homage to Andy Warhol’s iconic Campbell’s Soup Cans, for the opening of the American Masters Exhibition. We’ve covered Australia coast-to-coast, from gin masterclasses at the Art Gallery of WA to exclusive partnerships with the Australian Museum and Art Gallery of SA, serving bespoke cocktails at their Eat Your Art Out events. We’re thrilled to welcome our latest partner, the Art Gallery of NSW, to the mix, and look forward to pouring G&Ts at their new Fearless Program events.

Books, Film and Theatre

When we’re not behind the bar, you’ll find us on stage supporting Australia’s most prominent theatres with drinks designed to enhance and embolden the experience. Think cocktails inspired by the Bard for Bell Shakespeare or a Sri-Lankan flavour fusion of toasted coconut, mango and citrus, created for the Belvoir Theatre’s production of Counting and Cracking. Staying true to our Sydney roots, we partnered with the Sydney Film Festival and the Sydney Writers’ Festival each year, bringing a little extra spirit to their world-class programs of premieres, talks and parties. Further afield, we’ve teamed up with Brisbane’s La Boite Theatre as their exclusive spirits partner, A Midnight Visit, a part choose your own adventure, part performance experience, featuring a bespoke bar offering themed cocktails from the Archie Rose team has travelled across the country, currently in Melbourne until 13 Oct, 2019.

We’re working towards the creation of boutique products and experiences for the first time in Archie Rose history, including our latest collaboration with the iconic Sydney Opera House. We look forward to sharing these exciting developments with you in the coming months. Until then, visit one of our cultural partners for a spirited dose of inspiration.

Until then, visit one of our cultural partners below for a spirited dose of inspiration.

NSW

  • Sydney Writers’ Festival

  • Sydney Film Festival

  • Australian Museum

  • Belvoir St Theatre

  • Bell Shakespeare

  • Screenworks

  • Sherman Centre for Culture and Ideas

  • Art Gallery of NSW

  • Westpac OpenAir

QLD

  • La Boite Theatre

  • Brisbane Powerhouse

  • Brisbane Festival

WA

  • Art Gallery of WA

VIC

  • Melbourne Festival

  • A Midnight Visit Melbourne

ACT

  • National Gallery of Australia

SA

  • Art Gallery of SA

NT

  • Darwin Festival