Adelaide Festival Centre Redevelopment | Reopening Feb 2026
Adelaide Festival Centre reopens on 27 February 2026 following a major redevelopment.
Following an extensive 7-month redevelopment, the Adelaide Festival Centre has been officially unveiled by South Australian Minister for Arts Andrea Michaels MP, Adelaide Festival Centre CEO Kate Gould and Adelaide Festival Centre Trust Chair Karlene Maywald.
We were lucky enough to get a sneak peek into some of the mysterious areas of the Adelaide Festival Centre and even step onto the stage to help celebrate the reopening of this much-loved and iconic South Australian gem.
While some upgrades may go unnoticed by patrons, the most immediately visible improvement is the installation of high-quality seating across all theatres, providing a new level of comfort.
The full list of upgrades includes:
- New auditorium seats in Festival Theatre, Dunstan Playhouse and Space Theatre
- New foyer and auditorium lighting in all three theatres
- New stage flooring in Dunstan Playhouse and Space Theatre
- Improved pedestrian access to Adelaide Festival Centre with a new lift and staircase
- New auditorium and foyer carpet in Dunstan Playhouse and Space Theatre
- New foyer furniture in Dunstan Playhouse and Space Theatre
- Refurbished Festival Theatre dressing room wet areas
- Upgraded Banquet Room, including new ceiling and paint
Behind the Scenes
Standing on the stage of the Festival Theatre demonstrates how large and how versatile the space is. It has hosted 53 years of incredible productions featuring some of the world’s most notable performers, and if you’ve ever seen any of them, you’ve probably marvelled at the scale of the sets and how they move around the stage.
The theatre doesn’t just feel like a “space”, it’s home to memories of special moments and people. The wings of the theatre are an ode to those 53 years and home to a mix of quirky objects, posters and memorabilia from past productions.
One of the most impressive permanent features of the Festival Theatre is the 13-tonne Silver Jubilee Organ, crafted in 1978 by Rieger-Orgelbau of Austria for the 25th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s reign. It floats on an air cushion – an impressive feat of engineering and one of only two of its kind in the world!
On this occasion, we were lucky enough to venture down to the dressing rooms, which have also been upgraded.
For guests, one standout feature is a new restaurant with comfortable couches, table lamps, artworks, and tables overlooking Adelaide Oval. The restaurant, named the Angry Penguin, draws inspiration from the modernist artistic movement led by Max Harris and artists such as Sydney Nolan, Arthur Boyd, and Joy Hester. Guests will be greeted by Sidney Nolan’s painting, Ern Malley, before entering. The restaurant will offer an elevated dining experience under Executive Chef Alex Katsman.
The Festival Theatre gallery spaces have also been refreshed, with further hospitality enhancements on the way, including new feasting stations showcasing South Australian produce and a QR code ordering system for streamlined service.
The Angry Penguin and Adelaide Festival Centre open to audiences on 27 February 2026.
For more information and all enquiries please visit the Adelaide Festival Centre website.
At Play & Go Adelaide we make every effort to provide accurate information to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication. We recommend confirming times, dates and details directly before making any plans as details may be subject to change.
Image Source: photos by Play & Go
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