Is South Australia Still 'The Festival State'?

The reputation of South Australia as "The Festival State" is under scrutiny as a string of cancellations and closures of long-running events raises questions about its continued relevance. For decades, the moniker has been a source of pride, but concerns are growing that the groundwork of over 40 years is being eroded.

The issues facing festival viability are not unique to South Australia, but few places have so heavily tied their identity to their existence, including being designated Australia's only UNESCO City of Music. The Adelaide Guitar Festival ended its 18-year run last year, while the 20-year-old OzAsia Festival will conclude in 2026.

A Shift in Priorities

Adelaide Festival Centre chief executive Kate Gould said the organization is heading in a new direction under her leadership. "I don't think it's absolutely necessary to the identity of South Australians that we have festivals," she said. "They are great things to have … I'm very committed to the festival model but, equally, I see opportunity for lots of other events that we can have year-round in other forms."

Gould, who stepped into the CEO role in July 2025, said new events are on the horizon. She emphasized that audiences need to be listened to as much as artists under her direction. "We want to make an enduring impact, not just a sugar hit," she said.

Government Support

State Arts Minister Kyam Maher said festivals are an "absolute priority" for the government. "It is critical to South Australia, it's really important to how we see ourselves and how others see us," he said.

The Angels, an iconic SA band, began their career in Adelaide in the 1970s and have been involved in numerous local festivals. Bassist Sam Brewster believes South Australia's festivals bring vibrancy to the community. "I think it's a big part of what makes Adelaide great," Mr Brewster said. "We've got the perfect landscape for it … It's an accessible city, it's set up really well."

A Concerning Picture

Award-winning cabaret and musical theatre performer Millicent Sarre expressed concern about the future of the arts sector in South Australia. "I do worry for the emerging artists of our current times who are incredibly talented and vibrant … with the current state of our state arts whether or not [making a career] is possible," Ms Sarre said.

Ms Sarre wants to see arts organizations across the board supported to market their programs to audiences. She believes the timing of multiple leadership changes in the sector has created an opportunity for change and hopes the government will do more to recognize the "overwhelming" cultural contribution of the arts to the state.

"The festivals that we have seen collapsing around us and coming to a close very sadly have made it very apparent that we're at a real crossroads in terms of our artistic output as a state," she said. "You could have the nicest frigging seats in the Adelaide Festival Centre and it doesn't matter if there's nothing on stage for people to sit in and watch."

Budget and Funding

In this year's state budget, $49.3 million of the $50.5 million arts funding was directed to the construction of an Arts and Media Hub. Mr Maher said the state government has spent almost $250 million on the sector in its last term, including $50 million on infrastructure upgrades at the Festival Centre. The government has committed $20 million to the Adelaide Fringe over the next four years.