Adelaide is Australia’s self proclaimed arts festival hub, holding annual cabaret, literary, guitar, fringe, comedy, dance and ideas festivals. The granddaddy of all the festivals is the Adelaide Festival of Arts which incorporates music, dance, theatre, music, opera, cabaret, new media and performance arts and is held biannually in even numbered years.

Started in 1960 when Adelaide was a town with one motel and restaurants where they wouldn’t serve you wine after 8pm, the festival was intended to put Adelaide on the international arts scene map. Since then the festival has become known for its varied content and famous list of former Festival Directors including Peter Sellers and Sir Robert Helpman.

Some of Australia’s best known dance and theatre works have been premiered at the festival, including works by The Australian Ballet and The Australian Opera. Past highlights have included Marlene Dietrich, The Whirling Dervishes, The Royal Shakespeare Company, Sidney Nolan, DV8, Bryn Terfel and Steven Berkhoff.

The festival is kept modern by its invention of unusual club venues and embracing of the newest visual arts and multimedia performances.

Written by  Amy Winterburn.

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