SA loses Australian Performing Arts Market

Posted on November 4, 2011

Adelaide has lost the Australian Performing Arts Market event to Brisbane from 2014.

The biennial performing arts event presents Australia and New Zealand’s best new performing artists, providing them with the opportunity to connect with other artists and programmers from around the world.

The Market has been held alongside the Adelaide Festival since 1998 and attracted 584 participants last year, including nearly 200 international delegates from 26 countries.

Leader of the Opposition Isobel Redmond said the loss of the Performing Arts Market added to a long list of events South Australia had lost under Labor.

“The loss of this event adds to the loss of the Rugby Sevens, the Jacob’s Creek Golf Open and international soccer matches,” Ms Redmond said.

“This Market provides emerging artists with a unique opportunity to connect with performing arts producers and programmers from around the world.

“Labor has always proclaimed that it has turned South Australia into an arts and festival state, but this won’t be the case if we keep losing significant international events.

“When the State Liberals were last in government, we worked closely with key stakeholders and the SA community to successfully establish major international events here.

"However, Premier Weatherill has picked up where former Premier Rann left off - unable to hold onto major international events."