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The South Australian Government's "Made in Adelaide" delegation to the Edinburgh International Festival in August continues to reap rewards, with the Adelaide Festival today announcing it has received a major donation of $150,000 as a result of the initiative.
The generous donation from a US philanthropist followed discussions in Edinburgh with Adelaide Festival Artistic Director Rachel Healy, facilitated by former Edinburgh Festival Artistic Director Sir Jonathan Mills and South Australian Arts Minister Jack Snelling.
The funds will go towards the costs of mounting the Australian premiere production of Glyndebourne Festival's landmark opera Saul directed by Barrie Kosky, one of the major events of the 2017 Adelaide Festival.
The donation was made through the donor's Australian company Metal Manufactures Limited, trading as MM Electrical Merchandising.
Adelaide Festival Artistic Directors Rachel Healy and Neil Armfield said the donation lent crucial support to staging Kosky's epic opera production at the Festival.
Mr Armfield said: "Presenting international opera of the highest standard is a significant undertaking, and the Adelaide Festival has not attempted it for some years. It relies on the support of a range of private individuals, government and the business community, a shared vision for the art form, and an understanding of the role of international festivals in presenting this work. We are extremely grateful for this generous philanthropic act."
Ms Healy said: "The gift means a great deal to us; not only in terms of the direct financial support but also because it reflects our shared sense of the value of this endeavour. It will help us remount the production locally by helping us meet staging costs, and employing local technical staff and the chorus and musicians from the State Opera SA and Adelaide Symphony Orchestra. Those who contribute their personal wealth to help realise our city's creative and artistic ambitions are some of the real heroes of our community."
Minister for the Arts Jack Snelling said: "This generous donation is another example of just how successful our recent trip to the Edinburgh Festival was, with our amazing city on show at the Made in Adelaide Hub. It was there that this very giving benefactor was inspired to make such a generous gesture and it will go a very long way to make the 2017 Adelaide Festival even better."
Chair of Adelaide Festival Judy Potter said: "This donation is a great recognition of the Adelaide Festival, and its Artistic Directors Neil Armfield and Rachel Healy. Support from the corporate sector and private individuals, in addition to the government, is critical for the Adelaide Festival to embed its status as Australia's leading curated international arts festival."
An initiative of the South Australian Government, delivered by Arts South Australia and its partner organisations, Made in Adelaide saw a delegation of 89 independent South Australian artists, companies, festivals, venues, directors and producers travel to Edinburgh in August with the aim of boosting cultural exports and Adelaide's reputation as Australia's best festival city.
Today's funding announcement is another successful outcome of the delegation, which also saw the Adelaide Festival sign a Memorandum of Understanding with Edinburgh International Festival to formalise relationships and set out joint goals for artistic, business and community collaboration over the next three years.
Three shows have already been announced for the 2017 Adelaide Festival: Glyndebourne Festival's Saul directed by Barrie Kosky, Sydney Theatre Company's The Secret River directed by Neil Armfield, and Peter and the Wolf starring Miriam Margolyes with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra.
The full program will be announced on Thursday October 27 at 10.00am in a special event at the Festival Theatre in the Adelaide Festival Centre. For more information go to adelaidefestival.com.au
