The Adelaide Festival of Arts is a prestigious arts festival held biannually in Adelaide, South Australia. One of the world's greatest arts Festivals, it is internationally renowned and its cultural significance is unmatched within Australia. The Adelaide Festival has created a strong innovative tradition that, along with gaining it much respect, inspires celebration and enables the presentation of a diverse range of art from across Australia and around the world.

Begun in 1960, the Adelaide Festival of Arts occurs in Adelaide's warm autumn every 'even' year (2000, 2002, 2004 etc.). The Festival is actually comprised of several events, but overall features include opera, theatre, dance, classical and contemporary music, cabaret, and new media. The vibrant and electric atmosphere of the festival can perhaps be attributed to the city's design. Adelaide (CBD) was a planned city, and was laid out on a grid of one square mile, making everything within easy walking distance. The city's design, called Light's Vision, after Colonel William Light, also incorporated many public squares, and the entire city is surrounded a green-belt - the lush Adelaide Parklands.

The Festival bases itself on North Terrace, the cultural precinct. The Adelaide Festival Theatre, Elder Park, the State Library of South Austrlia, the Museum of South Australia, the Art Gallery of South Australia, the University of Adelaide, the University of South Australia and the Adelaide Botanic Gardens and Park are located on North Terrace, and the Festival takes full advantage. However, North Terrace is not alone the centre of the Festival; various other art galleries and entertainment venues are located throughout the city, not forgeting that Rundle Mall, Rundle Street and the East End add to the festive atmosphere - Rundle Street is a designated 'Eat Street', full of gourmet restaurants.

Features of the Adelaide Festival of Arts:

• Adelaide Fringe Festival
  • a sister event.
• Adelaide Writers' Week
  • the world's largest literary festival.
• Artist's Week
• Universal Playground
• Adelaide Film Festival
• WOMADelaide
  • held annually.
• Adelaide Festival of Ideas
  • a sister event.

Highlights of Festival 2004

The 2004 Festival was held from February 27 to March 14. Highlights included:

• Emio Greco PC’s Conjunto di Nero
• Prague Chamber Orchestra
• The Australian Dance Theatre’s Held
• Bangarra Dance Theatre
• Absolute Ensemble
• Ballet Nacional de España.

External links

• Adelaide Festival of Arts (http://www.adelaidefestival.com.au/)
• Adelaide Fringe (http://www.adelaidefringe.com.au/)
• WOMADelaide (http://www.womadelaide.com.au/)
• Adelaide Festival Theatre (http://www.afct.org.au/)
• Arts SA (http://www.arts.sa.gov.au/)
• SA Central (http://www.sa.gov.au/)
• Adelaide City Council (http://www.adelaide.sa.gov.au)