2025 marked a special milestone for South Australia's arts landscape: the 50th anniversary of the beloved DreamBIG Children's Festival, (formerly known as Come Out Festival). To celebrate, DreamBIG brought back a cherished tradition, the DreamBIG Parade. Presented with support from Adelaide Festival Centre Foundation, the parade was a vibrant, inclusive, and deeply engaging celebration that reached across the state, bringing the joy of creativity to schools and students.
"Many of our students would never normally have access to an experience like this, and the support provided made a huge difference. That level of inclusion and consideration made the entire day even more special. Thank you for making the arts accessible and meaningful for all children, regardless of background. This has made our site thrilled with what is next from the DreamBIG children's festival event and will be waiting with anticipation for the events to come out for the years to follow." – Teacher
Schools across South Australia were invited to participate in various exciting ways including;
- In-School Parades which were supported with free resources from the DreamBIG team
- 30 Artist-Led Workshops, which included 16 regional schools
- The Opening Parade, which was celebrated on May 7th at Adelaide Festival Centre, where nearly 1,200 students gathered for an unforgettable experience.
The Artist-led workshops provided tangible examples of how to implement creative practices in the classroom. A teacher from Streaky Bay beautifully encapsulated this, saying, "Seeing how much fun the students are having makes me want to incorporate the arts into the classroom more."
DreamBIG regional workshops 2025
Image: Britt Plummer
"What an amazing workshop – a wonderful way to inspire our students in preparation for our DreamBIG celebrations. Thank you to you and your team for all of your work in preparing, travelling and presenting to our regional students – greatly appreciated!" – Teacher at Karoonda Area School.
"The DreamBIG resources encouraged creative and critical thinking across multiple learning areas. It used performances, stories, and visual arts as springboards for deep learning experiences. It promoted empathy, imagination, curiosity, and reflective thinking, key 21st-century skills. Activities were designed to be engaging, inclusive, and accessible for a range of abilities and age levels. It helped students connect learning to real-world ideas, such as identity, community, and social justice. Overall, the resource empowered teachers to deliver meaningful, arts-rich experiences that build both academic and emotional literacy in students." – Teacher
The DreamBIG Birthday Parade was more than just a celebration; it was a powerful demonstration of the transformative power of the arts. It brought joy, fostered creativity, and built connections across South Australia, ensuring that the magic of DreamBIG Children’s Festival will continue to inspire generations to come.
We are especially grateful to the Carthew Foundation and Ahrens for their generous support of DreamBIG 2025, thanks to them, the festival’s impact continues to grow. Here's to another 50 years of DreamBIG!
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