While visual art is represented to a degree during Adelaide Fringe and the Adelaide Festival, SALA is a time where visual artists of every hue have the opportunity to steal the limelight from those pesky comedians and cabaret performers.
This year’s South Australian Living Arts Festival program is a whopper, with almost 5,000 artists exhibiting in over 600 venues. With such an abundance of choice, you need a bit of help getting your itinerary started, right? Well lucky for you, we have painstakingly curated a list of five events to get you started… Phew, curating is hard; we need a lie down.
QUEEN STREET PARTY
28 July, 6pm to 10pm - FREEQueen Street (Elizabeth Street) Croydon
Western Adelaide's funkiest strip gets even funkier as Queen Street's shops and cafes burst open with a multitude of SALA exhibitions in a local celebration of creativity featuring live entertainers, arts activities and much more. Artists on show include Jackie Reichstein, Georgina Willoughby, Emma Sirona-Macdonald, Paul Brighton and Cassie Thring.
Image © 'All The King's Men' by Fiona HallART AFTER DARK: PECHA-KUCHA NIGHT
18 August - FREENexus Arts, Lion Arts Centre, corner Morphett St and North Tce, Adelaide
The world famous creative event returns to Adelaide as part of SALA's popular Art After Dark night, allowing creative people to share ideas, works, thoughts - just about anything, really! A range of South Australian artists will present in the PechaKucha style - showing 20 images for 20 seconds each - for a night of art inspired frivolity. And the bar will be open! Art After Dark sees Adelaide's west end come to life with walking tours, exhibition openings and more.
SALA ARTISTS PRESENT AT ADELAIDE CINEMATHEQUE
15, 22 and 29 August - FREEMercury Cinema, Morphett St, Adelaide
Be inspired by the films that inspire some of South Australia's best artists in this totally unique cinematic program. Each artist will introduce their selection and speak about how the film inspires their practice.
Image © 'All Due Restraint' by Jess TaylorDUG AND DIGGING WITH
22 July-27 AugustAustralian Experimental Art Foundation Lion Arts Centre, North Terrace, Adelaide
Seven experimental artists attempt to cause the AEAF to levitate. Yes, the whole building. We can't say any more, you'll just have to go and see for yourself. Official opening event Thursday, 21 July, 5-7pm.
THE ART GALLERY OF SA
On now until 4 SeptemberNorth Tce, Adelaide
SALA doesn't officially open until August, but some of the flagship exhibitions are already on now, like those by Robert Hannaford, Fiona Hall, Catherine Truman and Sue Kneebone at the Art Gallery of South Australia.
South Australia Living Artists Festival kicks off on 29 July and runs for most of August.
