The show goes on at Adelaide’s Feast Festival

Feast-Festival-Opening-Night-Party-Leather-Lungs-photo-by-Photo-JoFeast, Adelaide’s annual LGBTIQ+ Queer Arts and Cultural Festival is proceeding as planned and has officially opened registrations for artists and event organisers to participate in the November 2020 celebrations.

Given the COVID-19 crisis, rebuilding the critically affected arts sector is of great importance and with the Festival at the tail end of the year there is hope we may return to some semblance of “business as usual”.

That is why Feast is offering FREE or “Pay As You Can” registration for artists and event organisers who wish to participate in the 2020 program. The “Pay As You Can” registration is designed for those who wish to donate as little or as much as they’d like to Feast (a registered not-for-profit organisation) in lieu of the regular registration fees, the choice is entirely up to the individual or organisation.

“We are working hard to try and minimise financial roadblocks for LGBTIQ+ artists and event organisers which may prevent them from participating in this year’s Festival,” said Feast General Manager, Helen Sheldon. “We hope this is an incentive for artists and event organisers to register and be part of a united celebration of our LGBTIQ+ communities during these unprecedented times.”

As with any event or production there are many other associated costs involved, which is why Feast is working very closely with participating venues and hubs to work out ways that they can best support artists financially.

“We have several venues that are offering FREE venue hire for artists this year which is a huge financial support, considering the hospitality sector has also been impacted by COVID-19,” said Sheldon.

As the Festival registration model continues so will Feast’s commitment to returning 100% of artists and event organisers box office earnings, another way to continue supporting artists even during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Since 2017 we have been proud to return 100% of artists’ box office earnings, not only is it the right thing to do but it’s just another way a small boutique Festival like Feast can support the people who make it the fantastic event that it is,” said Sheldon.

In 2019 Feast had over 400 artists participate and over 100 events across the 16 day Festival and throughout the brand new concept of Pridevember – that turned the whole month of November into Pride Month.

In 2020 the Feast program will continue to showcase LGBTIQ+ emerging, mid-career and established artists from South Australia, interstate and overseas with events in cabaret, comedy, theatre, visual art, music, dance, film, literary events, forums, sport and community events.

Every year it is important to celebrate Feast, as a marker to show how far the LGBTIQ+ communities have come, but in light of COVID-19 there is no better time to bring the community back together (social-distanced if need be) to continue that celebration of pride and diversity in South Australia.

Anyone with a work in progress, show or event they want to have showcased during Feast should get in touch before registrations close on Monday 13 July 2020. Feast Festival runs from the 7 – 29 November 2020. For more information, visit: www.feast.org.au for details.

Image: Leather Lungs performs at Feast Festival’s Opening Night Party – photo by Photo Jo