Barry Humphries, Cate Blanchett, Nick Cave and Olivia Newton-John Among Stars on Adelaide Festival Centre's WALK OF FAME

Adelaide Festival Centre's Walk of Fame is one step closer to realisation, with the public and critics' star recipients now announced. Big names honoured include Barry Humphries, Geoffrey Rush, Cate Blanchett, Tim Minchin, Benedict Andrews, Sir Robert Helpmann, Dame Joan Sutherland, Olivia Newton-John, Guy Pearce, Hugo Weaving, Nick Cave and Billy Connolly.

The star-studded walkway will celebrate the creative artists whose work has graced the stages of the Adelaide Festival Centre and is a key part of the Riverbank precinct redevelopment project. Adelaide Festival Centre partnered with The Advertiser on the Walk of Fame project, with the public selection of artists taking place by an extensive voting process through theadvertiser.com.au

The public selection process received overwhelming support from the people of South Australia, who were keen to vote for their favourite star from the list of over 3,000 artists who have performed at Adelaide Festival Centre since it began operations in 1973. The critics' choice, a list focusing on Australian artists, was decided upon by a panel of experts, including The Advertiser journalist and Adelaide personality Matt Gilbertson and South Australia's Performing Arts Collection veteran Jo Peoples. Between the public and critics' choice, two stars for each year between 1973-2015 have been selected.

In addition to honouring the great performers who have graced the Festival Centre stage, the Walk of Fame will create a new tourist attraction for the State. According to Minister for the Arts The Hon Jack Snelling MP, "not only will the Walk of Fame provide new access to Adelaide Festival Centre and Dunstan Playhouse from the River Torrens side of the building, it will also add a unique and vibrant attraction to the precinct for locals and tourists alike. The redevelopment of the Adelaide Festival Centre and the overall Riverbank Precinct will reinforce Adelaide as a destination for the arts around the globe."

Australian cabaret icon and key supporter of the Walk of Fame, Mr Barry Humphries, will be commemorated in the boulevard of stars for his 1979 show at Adelaide Festival Centre, A Night with Dame Edna and A Handful of Cobbers. Mr Humphries says in regards to being featured on the walk: "People have been walking all over me for years. So what's new?"

An additional star will be selected for each year of operation by the Adelaide Festival Centre Trust, which will be unveiled with the opening of the new walkway. The Walk of Fame is a significant part of the Adelaide Festival Centre redevelopment and is set to become a focal point of the new look Riverbank Precinct.

Douglas Gautier, Adelaide Festival Centre CEO & Artistic Director says: "The Walk of Fame is an exciting project for Adelaide Festival Centre, one which will allow us to truly celebrate and acknowledge great artists. By getting the people of Adelaide involved with the selection process we can be sure a diverse and well represented group of artists are chosen."

Former Adelaide Cabaret Festival Artistic Director, Kate Ceberano, couldn't be more excited about her star for her 2009 performance Kate Ceberano: Love & the Bottom Line. "I'm very excited to be part of the landscape (literally) of South Australia! It's such an honour and I'm thrilled that in my lifetime as a performing artist, as a festival director, I feel that I've contributed to the arts and to this wonderful State. And written in stone no less... I'm seriously chuffed!"

Looking to the future, the Walk of Fame pathway will be extended with stars added annually, with the public again being able to vote for their favourite performer at the end of each year.

Adelaide Festival Centre is South Australia's principal performing arts venue. Established in 1973, it is Australia's first capital city arts centre, hosting over 980,000 people and 1,800 events annually. As well as presenting theatre, dance, music and exhibitions, Adelaide Festival Centre produces four international Festivals - Adelaide Cabaret Festival, Adelaide Guitar Festival, dreamBIG Children's Festival and OzAsia Festival.