The Adelaide Festival proposes the launch of a new initiative—40 Under 40—to increase participation among South Australians aged under 40. This program will offer a minimum of 3,100 tickets at a reduced price of $40 across a curated selection of Adelaide Festival’s 2026 events. The initiative directly addresses the demographic imbalance identified in the 2025 ...
Adelaide Festival
40 Under 40 Program
GOAL
$22,000
Australia > SA > Metro and Regional
Field of Interest
- Arts and culture
Target Population
- General population
Adelaide Festival
Adelaide Festival (AF) is globally recognised as Australia’s pre-eminent, international arts festival. Alongside festivals in Edinburgh and Avignon, AF is cited as one of the top festivals in the world, providing audiences with the chance to see the most original and acclaimed artists working in the world today. Our curated program includes Australia’s largest (and only free) literary festival, Adelaide Writers’ Week, alongside a cross-section of theatre, opera, music, dance and visual art from artists of all backgrounds and cultures.
Project Summary
The Adelaide Festival proposes the launch of a new initiative—40 Under 40—to increase participation among South Australians aged under 40. This program will offer a minimum of 3,100 tickets at a reduced price of $40 across a curated selection of Adelaide Festival’s 2026 events.
The initiative directly addresses the demographic imbalance identified in the 2025 Adelaide Festival Audience Survey, where over 80% of attendees were aged 50+, and aligns with both the Adelaide Festival Strategic Plan 2024–2027 in the following ways:
– Inclusivity: Championing age diversity and accessibility
– Audience Development: Attracting new audiences while retaining loyal patrons
– Legacy and Visibility: Building a sustainable future for the Festival
– Accessibility: Removing financial and cultural barriers to participation
– Cultural Impact: Enriching South Australia’s cultural landscape
The Adelaide Festival is Australia’s only international arts festival, delivering over $10 million in wellbeing value to South Australians in 2025. However, the 2025 Audience Survey revealed a significant age skew:
– 50% of attendees were aged 65+
– Only 6.5% were aged under 40
For Adelaide Festival 2026, we will offer 3,100 tickets at a flat rate of $40 plus transaction fee (average 2025 Adelaide Festival ticket price $60.50; range $29 – $289). We are seeking a grant of up to $22,000 to fund the cost of providing low-cost tickets for this program (i.e. full price cost less the $40 offered price).
Project Outcomes
As our extensive festival audience research shows, younger audiences are underrepresented at Adelaide Festival events, yet they are vital to the Australian arts industry’s long-term sustainability, cultural relevance, and community impact.
The 40 Under 40 Program aims to:
- Remove financial barriers for younger audiences
- Foster lifelong engagement with the arts and Adelaide Festival
We will engage a younger audience by selling minimum 3,100 tickets at very low cost across Adelaide Festival events in 2026. We will survey participants of the 40 Under 40 Program to hear their reflections on the Festival experience and their suggestions, so that we can continue to refine the festival's offering and continue to engage and grow younger audiences. The 40 Under 40 Program will be promoted through a special Under-40s focused digital campaign, and through partnerships with universities, youth arts organisations, and social media influencers. This includes engaging the new Adelaide Festival Arts Club to help promote the initiative to eligible program participants.
Budget Breakdown
TOTAL BUDGET: $39,500
FUNDING
| Funding source | Amount |
|---|---|
| Adelaide Festival (additional program operational expenditure) | $17,500 |
| Funding gap | $22,000 |
EXPENSES
| Expense item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tickets (full price cost less $40 offer price) | $22,000 |
| Marketing | $10,000 |
| Administration | $7,500 |
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