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Credit: Adelaide Festival.

Climate Crisis and the Arts

A free one-day event bringing together the arts and sciences to discuss climate action, storytelling and sustainability as part of Adelaide Festival.

What roles do creativity and the arts play in inspiring change? Can they help reimagine and create a better world? Can artistic communities create cultural movements? How do we more sustainably share culture from opposite sides of the world?

This one-day event brings together the arts and sciences to discuss the way forward over the next defining decade. Expanding on themes of regeneration, the power of storytelling, decarbonisation and whether it’s possible to party with the planet. Conversations with leading voices explore future challenges and opportunities afforded by championing creativity to educate, inspire and mobilise climate action.


Full program

Climate Crisis & the Arts will hold events across two stages. The main stage is the West Stage, where Adelaide Festival will host a series of panel discussions exploring the power and potential in connecting the arts with climate action.

The sessions on the Plane Tree Stage will take a deeper dive into tangible actions, available resources and ways to get involved. These discussions will focus on topics that are particularly relevant for those working in the areas industry.

Please note: this event will not be live streamed.

  • 9:30AM – opening address
    This event includes:

    • Welcome to Country with Uncle Mickey Kumatpi Marrutya O’Brien
    • Partner addresses from Rachel Healy and Neil Armfield AO (Adelaide Festival), Alison Tickell (Julie’s Bicycle – livestreamed from the UK), Helen Salmon (British Council), Adrian Collette AM (CEO of the Australia Council for the Arts) and Amber Brock-Fabel (youth climate activist)
  • 10:30AM – The Power of Storytelling with Rona Glyn McDonald, Damon Gameau and Gabrielle Chan. Moderated by Ben Brooker. It include a performance by Nancy Bates.
  • 11:45AM – Creative responses to the climate crisis with Ali Gumillya Baker, Tamara Baillie, David Finnigan and Caitlin Ellen Moore. Moderated by Matthew Wright-Simon
  • 1:00PM – Can I live? Fehinti Balogun in conversation with Dwayne Coulthard
  • 2:15PM – Is it possible to party with the planet? with Berish Bilander, Sharni Honor and Montaigne. Moderated by Christie Anthoney
  • 3:30PM – We’ve got this: what we can do as individuals & why it matters with Tiahni Adamson, Rob Brookman and Jess Scully. Moderated by Audrey Mason-Hyde
  • 4:40PM – The Bait Fridge Collective, An upcycled plastics installation and performance.

Please note Adelaide Festival’s COVID-19 Management Policy requires all patrons to be double vaccinated. Event-specific COVID-19 guidelines will be available on the Adelaide Festival website prior to the event.

Presented by Adelaide Festival 

Presenting Partner Green Industries SA.

In collaboration with Julie’s Bicycle as part of the UK/Australia Season.

Supported by The GREAT Campaign, British Council and Australia Council for the Arts.

With special thanks to James Darling AM & Lesley Forwood, Novo Wealth, Nunn Dimos Foundation and City of Adelaide.


Partners