pole to ▁Festival , ▁and ▁was ▁known ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁year ▁as ▁S pole to ▁Melbourne ▁Festival ▁of ▁Three ▁World s . ▁It ▁was ▁held ▁at ▁the ▁Ath ena e um ▁Theatre . ▁The ▁Victor ian ▁Premier ' s ▁Liter ary ▁Awards ▁were ▁presented ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁festival ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 0 , ▁the ▁Festival ▁was ▁no ▁longer ▁known ▁under ▁the ▁S pole to ▁name , ▁and ▁became ▁a ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Melbourne ▁International ▁Arts ▁Festival . ▁It ▁also ▁moved ▁ven ues ▁from ▁the ▁Ath ena e um ▁and ▁K ino ▁Cin emas ▁to ▁the ▁Mal th ouse ▁Theatre . ▁By ▁ 1 9 9 2 ▁the ▁festival ▁had ▁over ▁ 1 0 , 0 0 0 ▁at ten de es , ▁and ▁expanded ▁its ▁program ▁to ▁include ▁events ▁in ▁Ball ar at . ▁Simon ▁Cle ws ▁was ▁appointed ▁the ▁new ▁Festival ▁Director , ▁a ▁post ▁he ▁held ▁until ▁ 2 0 0 5 . ▁The ▁inaug ural ▁Ke yn ote ▁Address ▁was ▁given ▁by ▁C live ▁James ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁to ▁co inci de ▁with ▁the ▁festival ' s ▁ 1 0 th ▁anni versary ▁celebr ations . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁the ▁Festival ▁was ▁held ▁autonom ously ▁from ▁the ▁Melbourne ▁International ▁Arts ▁Festival , ▁taking ▁place ▁in ▁August ▁rather ▁than ▁October . ▁The ▁Age ▁newspaper ▁became ▁the ▁Festival ' s ▁principal ▁spons or , ▁taking ▁the ▁name ▁The ▁Age ▁Melbourne ▁Writ ers ▁Festival '. ▁The ▁Age