Packed year ahead as diverse acts bound for Mount Gambier

JAM-PACKED YEAR: The Sapphires is among the many acts highlighted in the recently released Country Arts SA program for 2019.

JAM-PACKED YEAR: The Sapphires is among the many acts highlighted in the recently released Country Arts SA program for 2019.

COUNTRY Arts SA’s 2019 program invites audiences and communities to explore, enjoy, create and engage with great art across South Australia.

The diverse program reaches across the state with performances at arts centres in Mount Gambier, Renmark, Port Pirie and Whyalla.

Performances will also be showcased throughout community halls state wide with shows on the road including activities in Noarlunga, large-scale exhibitions and visual arts activities in galleries and outdoors, through to a series of workshops and engagements that will bring artists, performers and companies together with the wider community to share, make and enjoy art.

Highlights of the program include the multi-award winning musical comedy-drama The Sapphires, Opera Australia’s exquisite Madama Butterfly, which will be performed in Italian with subtitles, a triple bill by Sydney Dance Company which celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2019, the high-octane physical theatre and parkour prowess of Jump First, Ask Later and the delightful, magical tale of Oscar Wilde’s The Young King brought to the stage by South Australia’s own, internationally acclaimed theatre company Slingsby.

Country Arts SA took strides in 2018 in becoming a producer of art from regional South Australia, working with over 1100 artists and art workers, more than ever before.

In 2019, Country Arts SA will continue to build on this collaborative process with the premiere of new commissioned works including Euphoria by UK/Australian playwright Emily Steel, an intimate portrayal of the challenges of dealing with mental health in a regional community and the untold stories of Australia’s Aboriginal veterans brought to the fore in Vietnam – One In, All In, a contemporary collection of multidisciplinary works by Aboriginal artists and curators.

“The arts are essential to a strong and prosperous state, providing not only vibrancy, creativity and entertainment, but also a vital boost to the economy,” South Australian Premier Steven Marshall said.

“I encourage you all to explore this year’s exciting program across rural and regional South Australia.”

Country Arts SA chief executive officer Steve Saffell said he was “delighted” to share the program with the community.

“We are delighted to be able to share a wide-ranging program for 2019 which sits at the core of what we do,” he said.

“We deliver great art to the regions and bring regional stories to life.

“The 2019 program builds on our commitment to regional artists and the exchange of creative art making in local communities, with increased artist residency opportunities and community engagement.”

Tickets to performances are on sale now through countryarts.org.au, where full program details for the 2019 season can be found.