Embolden

Support the next chapter of Adelaide Festival

For a few weeks each autumn, something extraordinary happens in Adelaide.

Tens of thousands of people come together – curious, open, full of anticipation. Streets, theatres and public spaces come alive with ideas, images and sounds from around the world. For a moment, the whole city seems to breathe art.

For more than 60 years, Adelaide Festival has brought the world’s most ambitious artists to South Australia, elevated Australian and South Australian voices, and delivered experiences that stay with audiences long after the final curtain call. The Festival is more than a program of performances – it shapes our identity and our sense of what is possible.

Why this Festival matters

Adelaide Festival is unique in its scale of ambition and depth of thinking. We bring leading international artists together with fearless Australian and South Australian work in one intensely curated moment – unlike anything else in this country. 

For artists, the Festival offers something increasingly rare: trust. We commission new work, support world premieres, and give artists the time, space and belief to take creative risks. For many, Adelaide Festival is a turning point – a place where careers shift and ideas reach a global stage. 

For audiences, the impact is just as powerful. Experiencing world‑leading work alongside local talent opens doors, challenges assumptions, and creates moments of shared connection – strangers laughing together, holding their breath together. 

Beyond the stage, the Festival energises South Australia – supporting local businesses, tourism and jobs, while building pride in Adelaide as a place where ambitious, world‑class things happen. 

Why your support is vital now

As we build toward the next chapter of Adelaide Festival, we are at a pivotal moment. 

The cost of presenting ambitious international work is rising, while competition for artists continues to grow. At the same time, our commitment to free public events, accessibility and artistic excellence has never been stronger – these are central to the soul of the Festival. 

Without philanthropic support, artistic ambition is the first thing at risk: bold ideas, premieres, and free events that invite the whole city in. Donor support protects these elements and allows us to plan for the long‑term, taking creative risks with confidence and care. 

Every gift directly shapes what audiences experience on stage – how many artists we support, how deeply we invest in new ideas, and how widely we share them. 

The impact of your generosity

When you donate to Adelaide Festival, you make bold ideas real. 

• You support artists at critical moments in their careers
• You enable free events that welcome the whole community, including Adelaide Writers’ Week and opening night concerts
• You help commission new work that would not otherwise exist
• You strengthen Adelaide’s place as an international cultural destination
• You provide access to Festival experiences for young people, and people who would not otherwise be able to afford to attend

Supporting Adelaide Festival is not just about a single season. It is an investment in creativity, community and future generations. 

An invitation to stand with us

Adelaide Festival has always been built by people who believe in the power of art to transform lives and places. As we look to the future, we invite you to stand with us and embolden the next chapter of this extraordinary Festival.

By donating today, you help ensure Adelaide Festival remains ambitious, inclusive and alive with possibility – bringing the world to Adelaide, championing artists with courage, and creating moments that stay with us long after the performance ends.

Please donate to Adelaide Festival’s Embolden appeal today.

With gratitude, 

Matthew Lutton
Artistic Director 

Julian Hobba
Executive Director