Feast 2004: 5 - 28 November

Feast 2005: 4 - 27 November

Feast 2006: 10 - 26 November

Feast 2007: 10-25 November

Feast 2008: 15 - 30 November

A FEAST FOR ALL THE SENSES!

Feast is Adelaide’s annual Lesbian and Gay Cultural Festival and features an exciting and culturally diverse program of theatre, cabaret, film, forums, literature, dance, visual arts, tourism, sporting and community events.

Feast was founded in 1997 by professional arts and community cultural development workers Helen Bock, Damien Carey, Luke Cutler and Margie Fischer.

From its inception, Feast was a multi-faceted, multi-art form, cultural festival involving the diversity of Adelaide's gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer communities.

Artistic Director: Daniel Clarke

Festival Manager: Jennifer Greer Holmes

Finance Manager: Geoff Crowhurst

Volunteer Coordinator: Kirsten Uhrig

Administration Officer: Matt Sincock-Crocker

FEAST AIMS AND OBJECTIVES – January 2005

• To produce Feast, Adelaide’s annual Lesbian and Gay Cultural Festival
• To develop collaborative strategic partnerships with Adelaide’s major Arts Organisations, peak lesbian and gay organisations and mainstream government, Youth, health, business and tourism organisations for input into the programming, marketing and promotion of FEAST
• To nurture, support and showcase artistically excellent, visionary and innovative arts and cultural events produced by SA gay, lesbian and queer artists
• To artistically direct the festival to maximise community involvement and social inclusion to promote a sense of pride, community identity, celebration and cultural diversity.
• To program Interstate and International performers and Companies to enhance the artistic program of FEAST and five Adelaide audiences access to outstanding productions and artists
• To seek input and cross fertilisation on content, marketing, sponsorship and tourism from other festivals
• To produce a high quality, successful festival in terms of content, audience figures, tourism development and economic benefit to Adelaide and South Australia
• To ensure FEAST is a major Adelaide cultural festival attracting Adelaide, Interstate and International audience which enhances South Australia’s arts profile.
• To provide high standard, cost effective management with energetic artistic direction and constant improvement through performance evaluation.
• To be able to pay the core staff, project workers and artists appropriately for their work for FEAST

Over the past nine years, Feast has engaged and supported brilliant teams of festival staff and involved as many people as possible in some aspect of the festival. It has benefited from contributions from

• an astounding number of Board and Advisory committee members
• Adelaide artists whose careers have flourished through their involvement with Feast
• hundreds of skilled and committed volunteers
• many creative partners
• wonderful sponsors
• and the unique Adelaide queer community who continue to embrace, support, contribute and attend Feast.
  

Every one of these contributions has assisted Feast to become a major South Australian Festival that is recognised nationally and internationally. To all these people: for your faith, support and hard work, we thank you!

To survive and thrive, Festivals need to keep in touch with and work with their community, plan and market effectively, and have a commitment to strong goverance and financial management. It can be a tough, hard ride at times, yet the rewards of joyful, proud, artistic celebration of the diversity of queer culture in Adelaide are so sweet.

Feast has become one of the top three Australian Gay and Lesbian Festivals distinguished by its diversity of artistic program, strong relationships to the arts, the gay and lesbian community, the corporate sector and all levels of government. Originally a grass roots community organisation, the festival and the organisation has grown over the past seven years and has become an important event on Australia’s gay and lesbian calendar.

A leading niche festival for South Australia it provides an essential resource for the queer and arts communities. Feast presents arts of the highest calibre, fosters the development of artists, achieves community participation, and conducts audience development programs. Feast is an event that reflects the style of its host city showcasing the culture, climate, food and wine, natural beauty and easy lifestyle.

Feast is as relevant, significant and valued as much now as it was in 1997.

LONG LIVE FEAST!