SA’s 21 agenda setters of 2021: Flexibility the key for Fringe boss Heather Croall to set arts agenda

Fringe director Heather Croall says the events of 2020 have shown artists can thrive if they adapt – but they also need to work together rather than compete.

Adelaide Fringe director Heather Croall is one of our 21 Agenda Setters for 2021. Picture: Nick Clayton.

Agility isn’t just for acrobats – it is the way forward for all the arts industry, says Adelaide Fringe director and chief executive Heather Croall.

“Coming out of the year we’ve had, people who have adopted being more agile have seen the benefits – and the innovation that can come out of that,” Ms Croall said.

“I hope that 2021 will see a year that has deeper collaborations across the arts in Adelaide.

“Instead of competition, we should approach working together … even stepping into co-creation and co-design.

“So many potential collaborations across the arts in Adelaide could see incredible growth and innovations come out of that.”

Adelaide Fringe director and chief executive Heather Croall. Picture: Lee Knowles

Ms Croall said there was a massive collaboration, with thousands of artists and hundreds of venues and sponsors.

However, she said the arts needed to understand that “what got us here isn’t going to take us into the future”.

“We are 61 years old, but the Fringe is always adapting and always being agile and always being flexible. Out of that comes incredible creativity and mind-blowing experiences that don’t come from rigidity.”

It’s that vision for the future that has seen Ms Croall named on The Advertiser’s 21 Agenda-Setters for 2021.

She joins fellow agenda-setters Thomas Foods chief executive Darren Thomas, UniSA vice-chancellor David Lloyd, South Australian of the Year Tanya Hosch and restaurant entrepreneur Simon Kardachi, who have already been unveiled.

The full reveal of our elite squad of innovators who will take the state forward in the wake of COVID-19 will happen on advertiser.com.au at 10am today.

Part of that flexibility Ms Croall advocates is about creating works that can be adapted to different venues and environments, as well as various technological platforms.

“Some things could be pop-up or even outdoor promenade theatre – amphitheatres are an age-old space for performers, but we may see a resurgence,” Ms Croall said.

“It’s about daring to be different and transcending traditional ideas – looking for innovations that can really add value to your projects.”

Just because something has always been done one way, doesn’t mean that it can’t be done better.

“There’s something deeper when it’s co-creation and co-design, where there is a collective wisdom that comes from people with different knowledge, coming from different sectors: cross-disciplinary collaboration,” Ms Croall said.

“We need to be willing to accept new ideas that might come from the digital world, or might come from science, or come from health and other unexpected areas.

“Adelaide has a got a potential in the arts to be a co-design leader in the world.”

Heather Croall, centre, with Fringe artists Manuela Cokara and Elleshia Robinson-Prince from Frolic & Follies, and Victoria Falconer, front, from Smashed. Picture: Roy VanDerVegt.

Before returning to Adelaide to lead the Fringe in 2015, Ms Croall ran the Sheffield International Documentary Festival in the UK with a focus on new digital platforms and technologies, as well as “immersive” works.

“Digital innovations are happening across every sector,” she said.

“Creators and coders and technologists can come together and make stunning, immersive work that wouldn’t have been delivered if the artists were staying in their traditional zones.

“You get augmented reality projects or projects that happen across many platforms. The boundaries are merging or disappearing, and the experience can be broader than the people in the room.”

Instead of merely seeing digital platforms as a delivery method, Ms Croall said new technologies and different fields should be part of the development process from the very start.

“The audience hunger for these kind of experiences is definitely growing.”

Heather Croall is one of The Advertiser and Sunday Mail’s 21 Agenda Setters for 2021 - discover where they came on the list, see the full list this Friday at 10am.