About the South Australian Living Artists (SALA) Festival
The South Australian Living Artists (SALA) Festival is a statewide festival of visual art taking place across South Australia annually, during the entire month of August.
The SALA Festival was established in 1998 to promote and celebrate the many talented visual artists in South Australia. The aim was -and remains- to extend visual arts audiences, and as an umbrella organisation, we have continued a policy of inclusiveness allowing all South Australian visual artists of any level and working in any medium to be part of our annual SALA Festival every August.
Founded by Paul Greenaway OAM (Director, Greenaway Art Gallery) and Sam Hill-Smith through the Australian Commercial Galleries Association (ACGA) it started as SALA Week in 1998. The Festival now spans the entire month of August, involving over 600 venues across the state and over 9,000 participating artists.
As part of our commitment to building new audiences for the visual arts, SALA began offering art tours. This started in 2002 as an way to encourage office workers to visit galleries in their lunch breaks. Today, SALA presents a diverse offering of tours and events -including bus tours to regional areas and bilingual tours.
SALA Festival also continues its dedication to creating and supporting opportunities for visual artists by liaising with sponsors and partners to offer a series of awards and residencies.
Purpose
SALA is a state-wide showcase and celebration of South Australia’s living visual artists.
It culminates in Australia’s largest and most inclusive visual arts festival, which takes place in galleries and non-traditional arts spaces across South Australia annually, during the entire month of August.
Each year, SALA takes the work of around 8,000 emerging, mid-career and established South Australian artists to more than 500 venues across the state (from sheds, cafés, offices and retail spaces to wineries, schools, public spaces, galleries and major arts institutions) to reach local and inter/national audiences of more than 850,000 people, and many more online.
Vision
South Australian visual artists working at any stage of career and in any medium are able to make, share and receive recognition for their work.
South Australian communities and audiences are enriched and inspired by their engagement with South Australian visual art, including the large number of ‘incidental’ arts audiences for whom SALA’s local exhibitions is their first point of engagement with the arts.
SALA is a vibrant and valued part of all South Australian communities, and inter/nationally recognised as a diverse, democratic and inclusive visual arts champion that enhances our own and the world’s understanding of this unique place and our pride in the art it creates.
Approach
ARTIST-CENTRIC
South Australia’s living visual artists are at our heart.
INCLUSIVE
Our democratic, open-access model includes South Australian visual artists working at every level, in any medium, from all backgrounds and all parts of the state.
CONNECTED
We listen and respond to our artists, connect and engage with our communities, and work in collaboration with our colleagues and partners.
SUPPORTIVE
We support and nurture South Australian visual artists and audiences, create pathways, amplify their voices, and advocate on their behalf.
INNOVATIVE
We are curious and innovative, always learning and evolving.
ETHICAL
We are professional, respectful and accountable.
Banner image: 2023 SALA Contemporary Art Tour. Photo Sam Roberts
