Funding boost for Adelaide Festival
The Adelaide Festival, which generated $62.6 million for the state’s economy in 2025, will benefit from a matched funding initiative introduced in the state’s new cultural policy.
The Adelaide Festival will receive $1.3 million of new investment, the state government announced today.
The government will invest $650,000 over two years to match philanthropic support.
This new initiative is part of Create SA’s Cultural Policy – A Place to Create – which encourages philanthropic donations by matching new private donations dollar-for-dollar.
The Adelaide Festival is responsible for Writer’s Week, along with events across music, opera, dance and more.
“This matching initiative presents us with a rare and powerful opportunity made possible through the generous support of the State Government to double the impact of every new major contribution through a $1-for-$1 match,” Tracey Whiting AM, chair of the Adelaide Festival Corporation, said.
“In 2025, the Adelaide Festival once again demonstrated its extraordinary cultural and economic value, attracting audiences, delivering a dynamic and diverse program, and reaffirming our position as Australia’s international arts festival.”
This comes after the Adelaide Festival brought in $62.6 million in gross expenditure into the state’s economy in 2025.
They also generated $47.1 million in new income and supported the equivalent of 338 full-time jobs.
Minister for Arts Andrea Michaels MP said the results “inspires us and exposes us to new ideas and experiences”.
“This new money brings together public and private investment and will support the festival to continue to grow and captivate audiences with stellar performances, artists and authors for years to come,” she said.
The Festival attracted 365,402 total attendances which includes 27,471 visitors to the state for ticketed events, which is a 40 per cent increase compared to last year.
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30 per cent of tickets were purchased by interstate or international visitors.
More than half of these interstate or international visitors stayed in Adelaide for more than seven days.
There was also an average of $4,162 spent per visitor.
Adelaide Lord Mayor Dr Jane Lomax-Smith said, “it was heartening to see ticket sales topping last year’s figures, especially in a cost-of-living crisis”.
