Adelaide Festival has unveiled its 2026 program, featuring 59 events, 10 world premieres, 22 Australian premieres and 22 exclusives.
The upcoming Adelaide Festival program is the first directed by Artistic Director Matthew Lutton OAM, set to take over the South Australian city between Friday, February 27-Sunday, March 15, 2026.
Next year’s festival will kick off with iconic UK band Pulp playing a show at Adelaide’s Elder Park, and it’s entirely free to attend.
In the theatre world, Simon Stone is directing an adaptation of Anton Chekhov’s classic “The Cherry Orchard” at Festival Theatre; “History of Violence,” written and performed by acclaimed French writer Édouard Louis, will play at Dunstan Playhouse; “Whitefella Yella Tree” will run at Space Theatre, while legendary French actress Isabelle Huppert will portray Mary, Queen of Scots in “Mary Said What She Said.”
Writers’ Week features many notable events, including former New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern in talks with Sarah Ferguson at Bonython Hall on March 3. Australian author Trent Dalton will be in conversation with Julia Baird at Adelaide Town Hall on March 5.
In addition to the free opening event, audience members aged under 40 can purchase $40 tickets to the majority of ticketed performances in the program, as part of Adelaide Festival’s commitment to making art financially accessible to as many people as possible.
Discount ticket schemes for those facing a financial barrier include continuing established Festival initiatives Tix for Next to Nix and Pay What You Can, and inclusive equity program for category 1 – 4 schools, Festival Connect, thanks to the James & Diana Ramsay Foundation, Waternish and Adelaide Festival Benefactors.
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Those interested can become a Festival Friend for access to the best seats in the house, a 15% discount on applicable adult tickets, and a range of special offers.
Adelaide Festival Artistic Director Matthew Lutton OAM says: “The 2026 Festival program invites you to lower your guard and throw yourself into an ecstatic 17 days of exploration. It does not seek to narrow to a specific theme, instead, it elevates Australian and international artists who push boundaries and embody virtuosity.
“Yet, if you ask me about the preoccupations you might witness, you will find narratives focused on the need for love, belonging and a sense of self; the brutal barriers – some strong, some crumbling – the world hurls at us and the determination for hope, eccentricity, humanity and art.”
South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas MP says: “Since coming to Government, we are proud to have invested an additional $4.3 million in the Adelaide Festival to deliver major international drawcards and events. Adelaide Festival delivers real and lasting benefits to our state. It fuels imagination, creativity, and stimulates critical thinking.
“It drives local employment and visitation to our city and regions, strengthening our economy and reinforcing our proud identity as the Festival State. In a thrilling return to the large-scale concerts that are part of Adelaide Festival’s legacy, global icons Pulp will perform live – and free – at Elder Park on opening night.”
Find out more about Adelaide Festival 2026 here.