Adelaide Festival Centre’s DreamBIG Children’s Festival launched its school program this week and is inviting South Australian children to reflect on their past, present and future, with the theme ‘I Was, I Am, I Will Be‘.
Between 7 – 17 May 2025, thousands of the state’s students will be entertained by more than 300 artists across 51 events and workshops at Adelaide Festival Centre, surrounding city locations, regional venues and schools.
“At DreamBIG, we believe that the arts nurture the values and skills that young people need to thrive. It is through this lens that we’ve put together our 50th anniversary program, which reflects on the festival’s legacy, while contemplating how it might evolve in the future,” says DreamBIG Children’s Festival Creative Producer Georgi Paech.
A special art exhibition, 50 Years of Dreaming Big, will commemorate 50 years of the popular festival – the longest-running curated children’s festival in the world.
Teachers can choose to host their unique opening parade at school on 7 May or can be part of the celebratory on-site event at Adelaide Festival Centre.
Other festival highlights include:
- Behind the Curtain – Secondary school students will get hands-on experience of what an arts career looks like from some of Adelaide’s best creatives, technicians and arts workers
- Fancy Long Legs – A glittery and vibrant musical adventure, based on the picture book by tinsel and craft icon Rachel Burke
- Glow & Tell – Imagined worlds are brought to life through the magic of storytelling and light, by South Australia’s award-winning Patch Theatre
- IMAGINE LIVE – A celebration of creativity, friendship and the wonders of our natural world, based on Alison Lester’s iconic best-selling book, Imagine
- The Princess, The Pea (and The Brave Escapee) – A reimagining of the much-loved fairytale, featuring live classical music performed by Australian Chamber Orchestra
- Tin Can Radio – A fun and creative workshop exploring the world of broadcasting via a pop-up radio station on Festival Plaza. All ideas are welcome at Tin Can Radio
- Write Now Festival – A one-day event for aspiring writers in secondary school, giving young people the chance to discover career pathways as a working writer.
“We look forward to welcoming students from across South Australia as we unite at Adelaide Festival Centre to commemorate DreamBIG Children’s Festival’s 50th year,” says Adelaide Festival Centre CEO & Artistic Director Douglas Gautier AM:
Minister for Arts, the Hon. Andrea Michaels MP says “the Malinauskas Government is proud to support DreamBIG Children’s Festival, a place for young people to connect to their community and their sense of self through world-class performances and engaging workshops”.
Since its inception in 1974 (as Come Out Festival), more than 2.5 million children have participated in the festival and it remains an intrinsic part of growing up in South Australia, by placing young audiences at the centre of inventive and inspiring arts experiences.
