Today we launch our inaugural Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), furthering our commitment to be a destination where equity thrives and First Nations people and cultures are recognised, engaged, represented and celebrated.
Our Innovate RAP focuses on four areas – relationships, respect, opportunities, and governance, with actions including:
- Create opportunities for and support First Nations artists to present their work at Adelaide Festival Centre venues.
- Actively promote value and recognition of First Nations cultures, histories, knowledge and rights through cultural learning and sharing.
- Improve employment outcomes by increasing First Nations recruitment, retention and professional development.
- Ensure First Nations dedicated programming continues to be an ongoing strategic priority, year on year.
- Demonstrate respect to First Nations Peoples by observing cultural protocols.
Our goal is to attain unity and reconciliation between First Nations and non-First Nations people. This is done with the recognition that unity benefits all people and makes for a richer, stronger and more cohesive society.
Adelaide Festival Centre’s public commitment to reconciliation began in 2002, with the installation of the Kaurna Reconciliation Sculptures. Dedicated to the Kaurna People as a reconciliation gift recognising their ownership and custodianship of the Adelaide Plains, the sculptures were designed in consultation with Kaurna community by Kaurna artist Eileen Karpany and Aboriginal artist Darren Siwes with Tony Rosella. Initiated and funded by The Graham F Smith Peace Foundation with the support of public donations, they were sculpted by Donato Rosella. The plaza reopened in 2022 with the sculptures taking pride of place at the Festival Theatre entrance, as a symbol of the centre’s ongoing commitment to reconciliation.
