Handpicked by Don Dunstan to lead the Adelaide Festival and Adelaide Festival Centre in the 1970s, veteran arts administrator and self-described ‘artistic dictator’ Anthony Steel both challenged and delighted audiences in his mission to turn Adelaide into a festival state. “Generally speaking, if I had annoyed and outraged the audiences, I was most happy,” he says now. “Because I was all the time attempting to bring them along on a journey – and succeeded in doing so.” Steel’s own journey to Adelaide began in 1972 when he attended a meeting with then-Premier Don Dunstan at London’s South Austr ..read more

Ahead of the 2022 Local Government elections, Festival City Adelaide surveyed candidates about their policy positions pertinent to arts festivals and events. South Australians value the significant and diverse contributions that festivals and events make to our State and their local communities. Festivals boost tourism and the economy, amplify wellbeing and community cohesion, vitalise local identity, and support education. They are also often springboards for business development, export opportunities, and innovation. On behalf of its membership and the South Australian communities that festi ..read more

When Francene first began volunteering at the Festival, she didn’t know the extent to which it would open her world up to new ideas and experiences. Now, after volunteering for more than three decades, the Clearview raised former Adelaide City Councillor speaks about the power of our festival city. Francene sits across from me, wearing red lipstick that matches her red jacket and red shoes. Born in Clearview in 1956, she comes from humble beginnings. A mother that was a home maker and a father who was a seller at a local theatre, but retired early due to a bad heart. ‘We grew up really poor an ..read more

In peak festival season, Amy Ide’s friends and family know the only way to snag a moment with her is by booking an appointment in a complex, colour-coded spreadsheet. That’s how the incurable arts enthusiast manages her high-volume schedule of shows and festival volunteering commitments. In 2021, while working full time and volunteering, she attended “just over 40 shows.” Incredibly, that’s less than half the number she managed in 2020. “I was working part-time and I’d reduced my hours down to three days a week so that I could fit my volunteering in and see shows,” she recalls. “I was lucky en ..read more

Since attending his first WOMADELAIDE in 1996, Dr Darryl Sellwood has been among the world music festival’s most loyal disciples, joining the exuberant crowds that congregate each year in Adelaide’s leafy Botanic Park. For those four days in March, the Research Fellow and disability advocate’s days are packed with good food and wine, spending time with old and new friends, and catching as many musical acts as he can cram in. “I’m into a whole range of music,” he says. “It has to be good quality … but I like music from opera to Afropop to heavy metal.” For Darryl, attending an event of the size ..read more

A staggering 11,728 visitors came from interstate for the 2022 Adelaide Festival according to ticketing data and results just released from an Economic Evaluation of the event – a nearly three-fold increase on the previous Festival’s results. Visitor bed nights have also returned to near pre-pandemic levels clocking in at 103,335 (increased from 35,301 in 2021). This represents up to 40% of audiences travelling to Adelaide from interstate, particularly across the Festival’s opening week. In addition to the sheer number of people visiting Adelaide from outside the state, the 2022 Adel ..read more

Adelaide Fringe has once again cemented its status as one of the world’s leading arts festivals, generating $74.9 million in expenditure and bringing $50.1 million of new money into South Australia. Ordinarily the world’s second largest annual arts festival, Adelaide Fringe was the largest in the world over the past year. Key facts and figures from Adelaide Fringe 2022 include: $19.7 million in box office revenue 727,567 tickets sold $2.7 million worth of grants were distributed More than 5820 artists, 1195 shows, 363 venues and 252 world premieres 32,011 tourists visited, generating 178,055 ..read more

Festival City Adelaide (FCA) has announced the appointment of seven directors to its independent and skills based board. The festival industry body manages the consortium of major arts and cultural festivals in South Australia. Established in 2012, the organisation will celebrate its first decade in August this year. The appointees include: David Coltman, Kath Mainland, Govert Mellink, Mat Kesting, Jim Plouffe, Susannah Sweeney, and Denise von Wald. Govert Mellink has been elected as Chair of the Board, while Mat Kesting will fulfil the role of Deputy Chair. Govert takes up the baton from Ian ..read more

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