Spring has sprung – and so has our thirst for artsy discoveries around Adelaide. Check out this month’s guide for the latest events on offer and, of course, for some old favourites too. (Image: Anastasiya Badun)
By Alana Pahor | @Alana_Pahor
The birds are chirping, the flowers are blossoming, former Qantas CEO Alan Joyce has stepped down … one could say that nature is healing.
Spring has well and truly sprung, reawakening our thirst for vibrant arts events.
Fortunately, there’s plenty of artsy discoveries to be made around Adelaide this month, from pop-up markets to flamenco nights.
We’re still getting the occasional wintery burst of rain though; fittingly, there’s many past events and artists to re-discover this month too.
On that note, welcome to our (re)discovery edition of What’s On. We hope you find something below to quench your artsy thirst this September.
Visual art/film
If you’re looking for a spontaneous way to spend your Friday evening, check out Cinemechanica – Oscar Animation Event at Mercury Cinema tonight at 7pm.
The event features a screening of the 2023 Oscar Nominated short animations, plus a panel discussion of South Australian animators.
Speaking of film, The Art Gallery of South Australia is screening The Flower of Life on September 17 to celebrate the end of the Frida & Diego: Love & Revolution exhibition.
The 60-minute screening features a collection of short poetry films from Mexico, which delve into themes of memory, Indigenous roots, the colour of life and more.
Over at The Mill Adelaide, Yasemin Sabuncu’s multimedia exhibition Alchemical is showing until September 22.
Sabuncu’s career and life have been affected by endometriosis and ADHD; her exhibition explores “how to find safety, rest, home and love in a body that is often labelled wrong or is causing pain and disability”.
The Art of Banksy – Without Limits kicked off in the Myer Centre last month; if you haven’t seen it yet, it looks like an intriguing experience.
Banksy is considered “the most mysterious graffiti artist in the world”; he is famous for his painting, filmmaking and political activism, yet his identity remains unknown.
The exhibition features more than 150 of the artist’s works, including prints, photos, sculptures and more.
Festivals/markets
What could be more fitting for this month’s edition than 2023 MOD. Youth Board’s Discovery Market?
Head down to the Adelaide Town Hall on September 15 for a night of local creations – including jewellery, vintage clothes and ceramics – and music from live bands.
Writers SA is also hosting their Context Writers Festival from September 22 to 24 at the Adelaide City Library.
The three-day event is an opportunity for “writers and readers to connect and share new conversations”.
A notable event at the festival is the Writing and Advocacy Panel on September 23; it features author Pip Williams and playwright Elena Carapetis.
Williams, who wrote The Dictionary of Lost Words and The Bookbinder of Jericho, and Carapetis, the playwright of Antigone, will discuss storytelling as a mechanism for advocacy.
Talks/plays/workshops
Speaking of The Dictionary of Lost Words, a theatre adaptation of the book is showing at Dunstan Playhouse from September 22 to October 14.
The play explores the importance of recording words and their meanings, particularly in relation to women’s experiences.
As the protagonist, Esme, grows up, she realises how powerful the voices of silenced women activists are and “decides to lend them hers”.
Are you looking to get a job in the film industry? You may want to check out Mercury Cinema’s Launch Lab: Protocols, Etiquette and Advice on September 9.
The live show will feature crew members from entry level film departments, who will teach attendees about on-set film protocols and etiquette; plus, they’ll be dishing out tips for “nailing your first job on-set”.
For those looking to take this month’s “discovery” theme to heart, The State Library of South Australia is hosting their free The Bizarre, the Weird and the Wonderful talk on September 26.
Staff from the National Archives of Australia will tell visitors the eccentric South Australian stories they’ve unearthed from their archival records.
If you haven’t been to see a Lost in Translation Show yet, we’d recommend going to see this month’s special: Lost in Translation: Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Two Towers.
Each month, the Lost in Translation team takes a classic film script, runs it through an online translator a bunch of times, and reads the result live onstage.
This month, on September 30, they’ll “bash” together the scripts from Lord of the Rings 1 and 2 into a chaotic hour and a half show.
Music/concerts
Are you ready to immerse yourself in the world of flamenco dancing? Casa de Flamenco is performing Salero at Nexus Arts on September 30.
The night will feature “soulful flamenco dance, song and music” from Adelaide artists.
For those looking to re-discover old bands, Hindley Street Music Hall is playing host to Australian rock band Jet on September 23.
The band will play hits including “Are You Gonna Be My Girl” and “Rollover DJ” as they mark the 20th anniversary of their debut album, Get Born.
Tusk – the Fleetwood Mac Tribute Show is also back at The Gov on September 9 by popular demand.
The tribute band will celebrate 50 years of hits from Fleetwood Mac and Stevie Nicks with tunes “Go Your Own Way”, “Rhiannon”, “Edge of Seventeen” and more.
We hope you enjoyed this month’s (re)discovery edition of What’s On.
Make the most of the (intermittent) spring sunshine and stay tuned for our October edition!
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