Labor welcomes the creation of a new winter arts festival – a bright idea Labor took to the 2018 State Election.
‘Illuminate Adelaide’ will take over the city’s streets with light, art installations, immersive technology, music, performance, discussions and ideas.
Last month Labor recommitted to its long-standing pledge to fund a new winter festival to deliver year-round economic benefits, drive jobs and warm our winter arts scene.
Festivals and major events should be held year-round, not just during Mad March, to create sustainable career paths and provide cultural vibrancy throughout the year.
The new winter event builds on Labor’s record of establishing and growing festivals year-round including the Umbrella Music Festival, Adelaide Film Festival, OzAsia Festival, HIstory Festival and Guitar Festival, to name a few.
The entertainment and creative sector is particularly hard hit by the coronavirus restrictions, both in terms of border closures and limits on crowd numbers. Planning for its recovery now is essential to ensuring the creative sector can bounce back when restrictions are relaxed.
The arts fuels 16 000 SA jobs and stimulates the tourism and hospitality sectors.
Quotes attributed to the Shadow Minister for Arts Jayne Stinson
Labor warmly welcomes Illuminate Adelaide and can’t wait to see it light up our city streets – and the struggling arts economy.
It’s great to see a winter arts festival lighting up after Labor renewed its 2018 election pledge to fund a winter arts festival and stimulate a year-round arts and entertainment economy.
The arts is in hibernation due to the coronavirus border closures and crowd limits. ‘Illuminate Adelaide’ provides a bright spark on the horizon for artists and audiences post-COVID.
I’m glad that Labor’s recommitment to a winter arts festival has finally spurred the Premier into action to support the arts.