2018 SALA Festival Announces Program

The South Australian Living Artists (SALA) Festival program is officially launched today, with a ground-breaking 9000 artists taking part in over 700 exhibitions and events across Adelaide and regional SA.

SALA, which runs from August 1-31, is an open access event that literally brings the colour, creativity and vision of the visual arts to our city streets, laneways, suburbs and country areas. SALA not only soaks our surrounds in amazing art works, it also redefines our traditional ideas of art, artist and canvas.

Celebrating its 21st year, SALA is Australia's biggest community-based visual arts festival that includes painting, sculpture, video, multimedia, photography, performance and so much more. This inclusive, far-reaching scope of SALA is at the core of its importance and significance to all South Australians.

Exhibition spaces this year include a hairdressing salon, cemetery, a day surgery, bathroom supplies store, tattoo parlour as well as shops, cafes, pubs, wineries, restaurants and more.

Some of Australia's most exciting and dynamic artists, both established and emerging, are represented in this year's program including: Aldo Iacobelli, Clare Belfrage, Catherine Truman, David Dridan, Gerry Wedd, Geoff Wilson, Ian North, James Tylor, Julia Robinson, Laura Wills, Robert Hannaford, Sera Waters, Tommy Watson, Vans the Omega and more.

See recycled items transformed into contemporary works created by older people participating in respite services in Adelaide's southern metro area in Art in the (Re) Cycle Lane. Or check out our little artists from Clarence Park Community Kindergarten as they show the grown-ups how to reconnect to art from the heart of a five year old.

Highlights of this year's festival include:

SALA PARLOUR: An interactive pop-up pop-in space for children and young people, come and contribute to an expanding colour installation. Special Sunday Sessions presented by Carclew's Pom Pom with a stellar line up of young contemporary artists guiding activities for 3-12 year olds.

Open every day in August (excluding Mondays). Generously supported by Credit Union SA.

ART AT THE AIRPORT: Adelaide Airport will take off with art as eight contemporary artists including Aida Azin, Liam Bosecke, Tracy Lymn, Kaspar Schmidt Mumm, Brianna Speight, Harry Thring, Dan Withey, Emmaline Zanelli spread all over the terminal. (July 18 to September 23)

THE GOVERNOR'S GARDEN: Government House will become a SALA venue once again, with His Excellency the Governor Hieu Van Le inviting 16 sculptors including Greg Johns, Nicholas Uhlmann and Clancy Warner to exhibit their work in the gardens, with two special open days on Sunday August 5 and Sunday August 19.

ART TOURS: Walk, cycle or drive your way through more than 25 art tours across the city, suburbs and regions, including the ever popular Bring the Baby Art Tour (August 16) and Dog Friendly Art Tour (August 18), and 18+ pub crawl Sketchy Art Tour where participants can "draw under the influence" as they bar hop (August 24). Plus street art tours with Vans the Omega and Jake Holmes and new this year a special date night tour.

ART AFTER DARK: SALA gets going when the sun goes down, bringing Adelaide's West End to life for one jam-packed night of exhibition openings, film screenings and "PechaKucha" - a fun event for creative people to share ideas. (Thursday August 9, 5pm to 9pm).

SALA FORUM DAY: A host of top practicing artists will lead a full day of discussion and debate at ACE Open in the Lion Arts Centre about the value of visual arts, now and in the future. (Saturday August 25, 11am to 4pm).

CLARE BELFRAGE AT THE JAMFACTORY: 2018 SALA featured artist Clare Belfrage is the JamFactory Icon. Clare has maintained a vibrant studio glass practice and is known for her distinctive artworks. This significant solo exhibition is inspired by the repetitious patterns found in nature and the woven lines of textiles. Clare is particularly drawn to the layered rhythms that mark growth, change and the passing of time.

THE PIECE PROJECT - CITY EDITION: Four street artists battle it out to be featured on the label of Longview's The Piece Project Shiraz. Enjoy all day beats and street food while watching the artists complete a huge mural as the Longview wines flow. Saturday August 18 3pm-10pm $25 - bookings at Eventbrite.

CREDIT UNION SA TRAM GALLERY: The Adelaide tram becomes a gallery for SALA Festival. Look out for the mobile gallery featuring the work of acclaimed street artist Vans the Omega. (July 9-September 19)

OPEN STUDIO WEEKEND: Meet local artists and visit their work spaces. Open studio weekend is officially August 11-12 with additional openings held throughout the Festival.

BUY SALA ARTWORKS ONLINE: New for 2018, SALA has partnered with Bluethumb, Australia's largest online gallery to offer SALA exhibition artworks for sale online. For details go to Bluethumb.com.au/sala

And don't miss the SALA Art Cars hitting Adelaide's streets during this year's festival, generously provided by Jarvis Skoda and wrapped in artwork by Anna Dowling and Eleanor Zecchin.

The 2018 SALA Festival will be officially opened on Thursday, July 26 at an invitation-only gala at the Art Gallery of South Australia. SALA Featured Artist and recipient of the 2018 SALA Wakefield Monograph Clare Belfrage will be keynote speaker at the event, and we will announce the recipient of the 2019 title.

SALA Festival Director Penny Griggs says: "This year's program reflects the diversity and inclusivity of the SALA Festival. We are thrilled that 9000 people will showcase their unique concept of living art to the people of South Australia.

"Art doesn't have to hang on gallery walls or be hard to access. SALA proves that art is everywhere and everyone has the right to create and contribute. There really are no barriers."

The printed SALA Festival program is available in the Advertiser today!

More information about all SALA exhibitions and events can be found online at www.salafestival.com or by calling 8233 0676. All SALA events are free unless otherwise noted.

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