Tarnanthi Festival 2023
One of Australia’s most loved and celebrated singer-songwriters, Arrernte/Gurindji man Dan Sultan will kick off the opening weekend celebration of Tarnanthi, the Art Gallery of South Australia’s festival of contemporary Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art in 2023.
Acclaimed as Australia’s leading First Nations art festival, Tarnanthi this year comprises exhibitions at AGSA; a state-wide festival with exhibitions and accompanying events across 27 venues; and the Tarnanthi Art Fair.
Sultan will open the free public event on AGSA’s North Terrace forecourt on the evening of Thursday 19 October 2023, before audiences experience the Tarnanthi exhibition at AGSA alongside hundreds of artists from across the country, who will descend on Adelaide for the opening weekend.
Tarnanthi Artistic Director, Barkandji curator, Nici Cumpston OAM says,
‘The opening weekend of Tarnanthi is always a special event – presenting an opportunity to meet artists from across Australia, to gain deeper insight into who they are and their lived experiences through their works of art. Like so many artists in Tarnanthi, Dan Sultan’s voice will be the first to shine as we launch Tarnanthi festival 2023 before the exhibition officially opens.’
With six ARIA Awards, NIMA awards, top five ARIA charting albums, Sultan is thrilled that Tarnanthi will be his only Adelaide date on his upcoming national tour.
‘To launch this festival that showcases the extraordinary talents of our country’s First Nations people and culture is a real honour. I know there were some disappointed fans when we announced my National Tour, and we left off Adelaide, but we promised we had something special for you and with Taranathi Festival, we definitely have that. To perform on the steps of Adelaide’s premiere cultural institution there will be a real buzz as we open Australia’s leading First Nations Art festival,’ Sultan says.
Following Dan Sultan’s performance, Naarm (Melbourne) based Indigenous Australian DJ and producer Swayfever will bring his raucous energy and excitement to the AGSA courtyard as the exhibition opens to the public.
The opening weekend of Tarnanthi includes a series of artist talks, free public events at AGSA, as well as a panpapanpalya, meaning conference in the Kaurna language, featuring leading Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists, curators, and academics in a free insightful forum held in the AGSA courtyard.
Tarnanthi Art Fair
The popular Tarnanthi Art Fair also returns at a new venue – the Adelaide Entertainment Centre – offering a unique opportunity to meet and learn from artists firsthand about the thousands of works of art available for sale. The Art Fair is also held online in 2023, with all proceeds from the in person and online sales going directly to the artists and their communities. READ MORE HERE
At its heart, the Tarnanthi Festival is a series of exhibitions, artist talks, performances, and events, showcasing and celebrating contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art. The 2023 Gallery-wide exhibition will present works of art from studios, art centres, institutions, and communities.
VIEW THE FULL TARNANTHI 2023 PROGRAM
Key Dates:
Tarnanthi 2023 | 20 October 2023 – 21 January 2024
Official Launch | AGSA | 19 October 2023, 6pm
Tarnanthi Art Fair 2023 | Adelaide Entertainment Centre | 20 – 22 October 2023
AGSA Opening Hours
Galleries | 10am to 5pm, every day except Christmas Day
Gallery Store | 10am to 4.45pm, every day except Christmas Day.
Art Gallery Food + Wine | 10am to 4.30pm, every day except Christmas Day. Open until 9pm on the first Friday of each month.
For more information and all enquiries please visit the AGSA website.
What: Tarnanthi Festival
When: 20 October 2023 – 21 January 2024 | 10am – 5pm
Where: AGSA | North Terrace, Adelaide (and online)
Who: Everyone
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: Tarnanthi 2019 launch, Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide. Photo: John Montesi
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