The 29th South Australian Living Artists Festival is now underway, transforming venues across the state into galleries, studios and creative spaces for the month of August. More than 11,000 artists are showing work across 700-plus exhibitions and events, from Adelaide’s cultural institutions to regional wineries, heritage buildings and neighbourhood cafes.
SALA is Australia’s largest open-access visual arts festival, and its premise is simple: art belongs everywhere. For one month, South Australian artists take centre stage, offering a vivid snapshot of the state’s creative community.
Featured artist: Troy-Anthony Baylis
This year’s featured artist is Troy-Anthony Baylis, who works across painting, textiles, installation and performance. A descendant of the Jawoyn people from the Northern Territory and of Irish ancestry, Baylis’ practice centres on ‘queering’ and unsettling traditional representations of Aboriginality. His ambitious new exhibition Pile-up opens at Adelaide Central Gallery, combining iconic works with the South Australian premiere of two significant new bodies of work. You can also see his work at the Art Gallery of South Australia. A monograph on his practice, authored by Tikari Rigney and Sasha Grbich and published by Wakefield Press, accompanies the festival.
Tours and events
SALA has expanded its tours and events program this year. Highlights include:
Bus tours to the regions:
- Barossa Valley Bus Tour visiting Tanunda, Lyndoch and Seppeltsfield (8 August)
- South to Coast Bus Tour through Strathalbyn, Goolwa, Middleton and Port Elliot, including lunch (9 August)
- Adelaide Hills Bus Tour with a local artist host and lunch included (15 August)
- Hahndorf to Kanmantoo Bus Tour to meet artists and explore studios (29 August)
Guided walking tours in Adelaide:
- Street Art Walking Tour with artist Lucinda Penn (22 August)
- Wander & Wonder Walking Tour led by Alyssa Powell-Ascura (8 August)
- Artist-Run Initiative Walking Tour with Luna Chen of FELTspace (15 August)
- Kent Town Street Art Walk & Talk with Dave Court of Washdog Studio (29 August)
- Fire Talks yarning circles hosted by Dominic Guerrera at Milpinti Indigenous Art Gallery (8 August) and APY Gallery (29 August)
Jarvis Škoda Regional Self-Guided Tours offer routes through the Adelaide Hills, Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Encounter Bay, Limestone Coast and Loxton/Waikerie via the SALA app and printed program.
Special events
Open Studios Weekend (15 and 16 August) invites you behind the scenes to meet artists in their working spaces across the state.
SALA Up Late (15 August) offers an after-dark exploration of Port Adelaide’s creative precinct, with local artists as guides through galleries, bars, breweries and hidden spaces.
SALA Slide Night (20 August at Nexus Arts) is a fast-paced evening where contemporary artists share what’s on their minds. Hosted by Sam Faehrmann and featuring Robin Eley, Meg Riley, Charlotte Treloar, Cheryl Bridgart, Shirley Wu, Damien Warman, Niki Sperou, Jake Yang, Orlando Mee and Juanella Donovan.
SALA Date Night (14 August at Immersive Light and Art) pairs partners, friends or siblings for an evening of collaborative artmaking and playful challenges.
Artists & Galleries networking event (18 August at Keith Murdoch House) connects artists with gallery representatives in a relaxed setting.
At Immersive Light and Art, Matthew Quick’s exhibition Deaf in One Eye runs 6 to 29 August, presenting new paintings alongside an immersive animation. For photographers, Bryce Kraehenbuehl leads an infrared film and eco processing workshop at Wombat Workshop on 29 August.
Look out for this year’s SALA tote bags at Foodland stores, featuring artwork by Henry Cockington, Lisa Khan and Louise Vadasz.
Plan your festival at salafestival.com or download the SALA app.
Follow Fifty+SA on Instagram and Facebook, and subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
