This year’s winter festival includes performances from Sonic Youth’s Kim Gordon, Dutch pianist Joep Beving and UK artist The Caretaker.

Illuminate Adelaide has revealed its epic 2024 program, with the musical component headlined by Sonic Youth’s Kim Gordan.

Taking place at various locations and venues throughout the city across three weekends from July 4 to July 21, the winter festival combines art, music, lights and technology into one all-encompassing visual and aural experience.

“This year the 2024 Illuminate Adelaide program features some of the most exciting creative innovators and artists the world has to offer – and we can’t wait for July when they will brighten our winter with installations, projections, performances and immersive experiences across the city for a full 18 nights,” Illuminate Adelaide’s co-founders and creative directors, Rachael Azzopardi and Lee Cumberlidge said.

This year’s event will include over 150 local, national and international artists, including 62 from overseas and 54 from South Australia.

Installations at this year’s festival include the Fire Gardens, a spectacular fire display from French masters of flame Compagnie Carabosse, held in the Adelaide Botanic Gardens, and the interactive and immersive Eden installation from acclaimed Berlin design studio flora&faunavisions.

The much-loved experimental music festival Unsound Adelaide returns for its tenth year on Friday, July 19 and Saturday, July 20. A stack of talented musical performers from around the globe is involved across the two nights, with the likes of Sonic Youth’s Kim Gordon, ambient British musician The Caretaker, experimental Japanese artist ∈Y∋ and Norwegian saxophonist Bendik Giske all must-see.

Unsound Adelaide offshoot Unsound Club is also making a comeback for those who don’t want the night to end. Featuring a lineup of DJs curated by Poland’s Unsound Festival crew, discover what Adelaide is really like after dark. Other musical highlights during Illuminate Adelaide include Dutch pianist Joep Beving's light meets sound narrative Hermetism and Australian double bassist, vocalist, and composer Helen Svoboda’s solo show at Lion Arts Centre.

City Lights will once again illuminate Adelaide streets and alleyways for seventeen nights from July 5 to July 21, while pop-up village Base Camp provides food, fire pits, and the winter’s best entertainment. The site at Lot Fourteen will feature installations, musical performances and beverages from some of SA’s best, including Alpha Box and Dice, 23rd Street Distillery, Bowden Brewing and more.

Audiovisual artist Max Cooper brings his live 3D/AV show to Hindley Street Music Hall. Projecting images onto a large screen backed by live music from club producer Motez, this performance is where art, science, and emotion intertwine.

As always, there are several children-centric events, including Patch Theatre’s interactive installation Superluminal and Universal Kingdoms: Prehistoric Nights, where kids can get up close and personal with dinosaurs.

For the full Illuminate Adelaide program and ticket information visit illuminateadelaide.com.

Featured