Adelaide Guitar Festival 2020 Cancelled

Adelaide Guitar Festival cannot go ahead in 2020, due to the ongoing public health emergency of COVID-19. The closure of Adelaide Festival Centre venues to the public, the ban on public gatherings and interstate and international travel restrictions have significantly impacted our artists and programming.

Patrons who have already purchased tickets for early release Adelaide Guitar Festival performances will be notified by BASS via SMS or email and will automatically receive a full refund. Patrons do not need to contact BASS or the box office.

With a full program held every two years, Adelaide Guitar Festival 2020 was set to include workshops, panels and programs for emerging musicians, all culminating in a final weekend of ticketed performances showcasing the world's finest guitarists.

In the interim, the Adelaide Guitar Festival team has moved the Adelaide International Classical Guitar Competition online and is rescheduling its regional, community and wellbeing program to early 2021 to be held in Clare, Fleurieu, Adelaide Hills, Kangaroo Island, Port Lincoln and Port Augusta.

The team is also exploring ways to share digital content with audiences, with a taste of what's to come here.

Australia's favourite classical musical couple Slava and Sharon Grigoryan recently took to the Festival Theatre stage and poignantly performed Tanto Espaço ('So Much Space') by Mario Laginha to an empty auditorium. The full performance will be presented on Adelaide Festival Centre's Facebook page tomorrow.

Adelaide Guitar Festival Artistic Director Slava Grigoryan: "It is with a heavy heart that we announce the cancellation of this year's Adelaide Guitar Festival. Knowing how much love and time the incredible team at Adelaide Festival Centre has put into this year's program, and knowing the inspiring artists, from all over the world, that we had lined up for audiences makes this especially heartbreaking.

"But it is also with hope and optimism that we move forward with plans to connect to our audiences virtually and bring the joy of music into their homes during these difficult times.

"My wife Sharon and I had the opportunity of playing in an empty Festival Theatre a few days ago, and although the experience was haunting we hope that it inspires people to continue listening to music, watching performances online and looking forward to life becoming normal again."

Adelaide Festival Centre CEO & Artistic Director, Douglas Gautier AM: "Since it was first held in 2007, Adelaide Guitar Festival has become one of the most significant festivals of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere.

"While we are disappointed this year's program cannot go ahead, our priority is protecting the safety of our community, patrons, artists, staff, volunteers and their families.

"All our venues will remain closed until it is safe for us to reopen and welcome audiences back.

"Years of planning go into our festivals and I thank the team for investing so much thought and creativity into this year's Adelaide Guitar Festival program and who continue to adapt and deliver performances online.

"We invite people to stay connected with us on our social platforms as we explore new ways to do what we have always done - bring the best of the arts and culture to South Australians."

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