The 'Audience Leader' uniform was designed by Kristian Fredrikson and featured in the 2000 Olympic Games Opening and Closing Ceremonies. It was worn by one of 700 individuals who assisted the audience in their participation in the Opening and Closing Ceremonies by providing guidance in the use of the contents of the Audience Kit provided under the seat of every patron.

In this example of the uniform, the jacket is a prototype, but the rest of the uniform is as used in the Opening and Closing Ceremony. The uniform features a sports style jacket with extended contrast yoke. The jacket was worn with a pair of high-waisted pleated pants in bone cotton 'moleskin' fabric. Also included in the uniform is a moleskin cap with an official IOC five coloured ring pin, a blue nylon bum-bag and a pair of blue/yellow sports shoes. A prototype of the costume was manufactured in the Ceremonies Costume Workshop before the uniform was manufactured through a fashion manufacturing agent. The prototype jacket is constructed in 'toile' fabrics rather than the actual materials intended for the uniform. The pants are in the correct fabric.

The Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the 2000 Olympic Games each comprised three major sections: mandatory formalities and protocol sections, the cultural display and the entrance of the athletes. Prior to the commencement of the official Opening Ceremony there was an hour long informal section called 'Prelude'. 'Prelude' featured a live broadcast of the Torch Relay and performances of new and classic Australian songs by the Sing 2001 Choir, Ric Herbert and John Williamson.

At 18.59 a countdown to the official Opening Ceremony took place. During this section the Audience Leaders advised audience members of their role within the ceremony and generally raised morale and excitement levels.

Throughout both the Opening and Closing Ceremonies the Audience Leaders guided the audience's use of props placed in the Audience Kit. Audience Leaders were also involved in other duties to ensure the smooth running of the ceremony. For example, during the Olympic Flag section of the Opening Ceremony in which a giant Olympic Flag was passed over the heads of the seated audience, the Audience Leaders were placed at the edges of the flag to ensure its smooth passage across the audience.

Kristian Fredrikson (born 1940) has been at the forefront of performance design in Australia for over five decades. He was appointed Resident Designer at the Melbourne Theatre Company in 1966 and remained in this position for eight years. He has subsequently designed countless works for the major performing arts companies in Australia, including Opera Australia, Sydney Dance Company, Sydney Theatre Company, Victorian State Opera, Australian Ballet and the Sydney Dance Company.

He has collaborated with many celebrated directors and choreographers such as Dame Peggy Van Praagh, Stanton Welch, George Ogilvie and Graeme Murphy.

Fredrikson has also designed for film and television productions including: 'Undercover', 'Vietnam', 'Dirtwater Dynasty' and 'The Shiralee'.

Awards received by Fredrikson include the Helpmann Award for Best Costume Design (2002) for 'School For Scandal' at the Sydney Theatre Company and the 1999 Australian Dance Award for Services to Dance.

His designs for the Audience Leaders are based on a hybrid of styles such as the classic shape of the American cheerleader uniform. The uniform had to be designed to suit a variety of figure types and sizes and to retain a uniform yet casual appearance.

Maker name Co-ordinated by the Ceremonies Costume Workshop

Uniforms of this design were worn by the 700 individuals whose aim was to enhance the enjoyment and assist the audience in their participation in the Opening and Closing Ceremonies by providing guidance in the use of the contents of the Audience Kit provided under the seat of every patron.

Presented to the Powerhouse Museum by the Olympic Coordination Authority, on behalf of the NSW Government

Performance costume, 'Audience Leader', fabric/leather/metal, designed by Kristian Fredrikson, made by the Ceremonies Costume Workshop, Bonds, Le Serge, used in the Opening Ceremony of Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, 2000

Consists of a beige cotton jacket, a red long sleeve cotton t-shirt, a pair of moleskin trousers, blue stretch knit cotton slouch socks, a pair of sneakers, a multi coloured cap with an IOC pin, a brown leather belt and a bum-bag made from blue synthetic fabric and featuring the 'Sydney 2000' logo.

Made: 2000

2001/84/67

2000