ShowBroker: National Touring Arts Market will round up approximately 300 arts professionals including producers, artists and programmers to network, enjoy shows and set up lucrative touring deals with performers over Adelaide’s famed festival period. Hosting the event in February is a key tactic to the program’s success, as it will take place mid-Fringe Festival and in the lead up to the Adelaide Festival of Arts. Adelaide Fringe Festival CEO Heather Croall said that the festival period provides the “perfect setting” for such a marketplace, as arts luminaries and industry professionals inhabit the city over the season. “The arts industry from around Australia and the world descend on Adelaide each year for our summer festivals – there will be countless people to meet with at all times of the day and night,” Croall said.
The Adelaide Fringe Festival has grown enormously in recent years (photo: Tony Lewis)
The initiative is set to be delivered by Arts South Australia in collaboration with the Adelaide Festival of Arts, Adelaide Fringe, Adelaide Festival Centre and the South Australian Presenters’ Association with the endorsement of the Performing Arts Touring Alliance (PATA). PATA, a peak arts industry body that aims to bring live arts to a wider Australian audience, had earlier this year invited expressions of interest for cities to host the market, and South Australia succeeded in locking the deal. The announcement comes after much consternation over the state of funding for South Australia’s performing arts organisations, and discussions about how to help develop the industry in a sustainable manner such that artists will be able to make money from their work.
Adelaide Festival of the Arts also continues to grow, with record attendance at events in 2016
It is hoped that this market initiative will drive development of tour-ready product, and provide opportunities for South Australian artists outside of the festival period. South Australian Minister for the Arts Jack Snelling hopes that ShowBroker will facilitate “spin offs for tourism” and “further national and international recognition of our arts sector.” “ShowBroker will be an exciting addition to the already rich arts offerings at that time of year, when pop-up theatres and venues spring up beside our established cultural centres. This will immerse delegates in the full 24/7 festival experience,” Snelling said. pata.com.au arts.sa.gov.au
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