Britpop legends Pulp will stage a free concert in Elder Park to open the 2026 Adelaide Festival.
Famous for genre-defining hits like Common People and Disco 2000, Jarvis Cocker and his band will kick off the 41st festival with their unique mix of glam rock, disco, new wave and British indie, mixing beloved hits with tracks from new album More.
The concert, to be held on Friday 27 February, will be just one highlight in a packed program featuring 17 days of art created by some of the most cutting-edge minds in the world, crossing genres, eras and experiences across 59 events.
First-time Adelaide Festival director Matthew Lutton OAM (pictured) said he invited art lovers to "lower their guard" and throw themselves into the celebration of art.
"It does not seek to narrow to a specific theme, instead, it elevates Australian and international artists who push boundaries and embody virtuosity," Mr Lutton said.
After captivating Adelaide Festival audiences in 2025 with his operatic production Innocence, and previously with his reimagined contemporary productions of classic works Medea and Thyestes, Australian director Simon Stone returns in 2026, setting his sights on present-day South Korea with his new take on Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard.
Two productions place women of history at their core, with French actress Isabelle Huppert’s unmissable portrayal of Mary Queen of Scots in the visionary Mary Said What She Said; and Grammy Award-winning American soprano Julia Bullock paying tribute to legendary 1920s singer and activist Joséphine Baker in Perle Noire: Meditations for Joséphine.
Reimaged classics are explored by American theatre company Elevator Repair Service, who set their globally acclaimed production of The Great Gatsby in a modern office (pictured).
Beginning with an employee finding a copy of the novel in his desk, the action then unfolds over eight hours (yes, there are breaks!). Gatz breathes new life into Jay, Daisy, Nick and the rest by an ensemble of 12 actors who gradually transform from work colleagues to fellow characters as the iconic story progresses.
New in 2026 is Tryp, taking place over three separate events on the festival's opening weekend in a celebration of progressive contemporary music and featuring some of the most daring electronica and sound artists from Japan, the USA, Ireland, Finland and Australia.
Young, queer male relationships are explored in Édouard Louis’ autobiographical work, History of Violence, in the hands of one of the world’s most provocative and influential directors, Schaubühne Berlin’s Thomas Ostermeier; and between teenage boys Ty of the River Mob and Neddy of the Mountain Mob in Griffin Theatre Company’s powerful work Whitefella Yella Tree (pictured).
In between shows festivalgoers will be able to drop into CODA, the new Adelaide Festival bar on Festival Plaza. Open from 5pm until late and with free entry, delicious food and drinks, it’s the perfect spot to discuss and debate after a show, meet festival artists, or get the night started.
Beloved Festival staple events WOMADelaide and Adelaide Writers’ Week return, in Botanic Park and at the Pioneer Women’s Memorial Gardens respectively.
In her fourth year as director, Louise Adler AM’s Adelaide Writers’ Week program continues to offer mostly free events over six days, with authors including Percival Everett, Trent Dalton, A.C. Grayling and Kathy Lette, and dedicated days for young readers and secondary students.
Ticketed author events take place at Adelaide Town Hall, Her Majesty’s Theatre, Adelaide University’s Bonython Hall and the Drill Hall, with confirmed authors including former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, Tina Brown, Emily Maitlis, Christiane Amanpour and M Gessen.
Tickets, including a range of discounted offerings for people under 40 and people facing financial barriers, along with more program information can be found at www.adelaidefestival.com.au or by phoning 1300 393 404.
READ MORE STORIES LIKE THIS
