Adelaide to get new winter festival next year called Illuminate Adelaide
Mad March put Adelaide on the map for world-class festivals and events. Now a new winter festival next year will merge technology with creativity and take over the city in “look and feel”.
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South Australia’s reputation as the Festival State will be bolstered by a new major event aimed at bringing visitors from across the globe to Adelaide each winter.
Event organisers and the State Government will on Sunday announce a new winter festival called Illuminate that will run over two weeks and three weekends.
The festival will be curated by local industry heavyweights Rachael Azzopardi and Lee Cumberlidge, with support from the company behind WOMADelaide.
It will take over Adelaide’s city streets, laneways and buildings from July 2021 with light, art installations, immersive technology, music, performance, discussions and ideas.
SA’s burgeoning reputation as pioneers and trailblazers in new technologies including artificial intelligence, space and defence will also play a key role with organisers promising “a new event concept that celebrates the union between future technology and creative industries”.
Cumberlidge has founded and produced a raft of festivals across the country including MONA owner David Walsh’s music and art festival MOFO! in Hobart, the World Theatre Festival for Brisbane Powerhouse and the gala reopening concerts for Hamer Hall at Arts Centre Melbourne 2012.
He is also the new co-director of WOMADelaide for 2021.
“Adelaide does major events really well and at summertime is a testament to that,” Cumberlidge said.
“But we really wanted to create something with scale and ambition for the winter time.”
Premier Steven Marshall, in his first major address to the industry as Tourism Minister in February, spoke of the benefits of creating a winter festival like MONA’s Dark Mofo – a festival that draws heavily on medieval and convict themes in Tasmania.
Cumberlidge said Illuminate would not be replicating any other festivals.
“We want to create a point of difference … by focusing in on this area of future technologies and creativity … including artificial intelligence, space development, screen culture, science and research,” he said.
Azzopardi is the current deputy executive director of Adelaide Festival, after previous high-powered roles with the Sydney Festival and the Sydney Theatre Company.
“We want the event to take over the city in feel and look and make the city the one destination in itself,” Azzopardi said.
“We are working with the business community and cultural institutions and Lot 14 to do so.”
Mr Marshall said a new major annual winter event would be an important highlight on the state’s event calendar and came at a critical time.
“The State Government has been looking to secure a major winter event for Adelaide and it is
fantastic news to be able to announce this for 2021,” Mr Marshall said.
“For sectors like the arts, creative industries and tourism, which have been hit by both bushfires and COVID-19, Illuminate Adelaide will be critical for enticing visitors into the city and into cafes, restaurants, hotels and retail, and recovering our state’s $7.8 billion visitor economy.”
Last week the State Opposition renewed its vow to bring a winter festival to Adelaide if it won the next state election.
Illuminate is expected to offer a program of events for all ages.
Azzopardi said it should feature key local, national and international ‘makers’, in addition to local artists, cultural institutions and businesses and the state’s own entrepreneurial community.
An initial program announcement for the inaugural event will be made in early 2021.
