26 Oct, 2017

Splash Adelaide Summer Program To Bolster Business In East End

The former Royal Adelaide Hospital site will be turned into an experimental music and street festival this weekend as Splash Adelaide’s summer program kicks off across the city.

Applications received by Splash for the summer season came from city businesses, entrepreneurs, community groups and individuals wanting to add to the city’s summer buzz, with over 65 events set to be held between now and April 2018.

Co-creating to bring the city’s spaces to life, applicants for Splash’s summer program pitched their unique ideas for events and activities across Adelaide’s hidden laneways, breezy rooftops and bustling squares; using it as an opportunity to trial new ideas and see what works in city spaces.

One such event is Root Down 2017; an experimental music and arts festival being held this Saturday 28 October at the former Royal Adelaide Hospital site.

The event will have two stages located between the alleyways on the hospital site, with event organiser Steve Pitkin saying he is excited about using the former hospital as the site for his next Splash event.

“The hospital is a beautiful space with great surroundings for projections and lighting, and sets the stage for another great hip hop, roots, blues and soul music festival,” said Steve.

“Now in its second year, Root Down began in conjunction with Music SA’s Umbrella: Winter City Sounds and the winter Splash program, and we’re excited to once again be involved in this season’s calendar of events.”

Lord Mayor Martin Haese said that the Splash program of events is one way that Council is activating the East End of the city in the wake of the hospital’s relocation to the West End.

“Splash Adelaide provides an opportunity to contribute to the cultural, social and economic vitality of the city,” said Martin

“More than ever, we want to ensure that we’re doing as much as possible to support business and traders in the East End, and Splash Adelaide events certainly play a role in this.”

Other events being held in the East End as part of Splash’s program include:

• Meet Your Maker in Cinema Place on 2 December 2017: where South Australia’s gin, beer and wine makers set up stalls for tastings, talk about their products and offer tastings.
• Cirque Nocturne presents ‘Litha’ in Rundle Park on 6 January 2018: where people of all ages can get involved in circus skills training, juggling and acrobatics.
• MAKER 2018 in Ebenezer Place on 21 January 2018: where all things cycling will be celebrated, as part of the Santos Tour Down Under.

For further information or to secure an interview with Steve Pitkin or the Lord Mayor, please contact Matt Halliwell. For more information about upcoming Splash events, please visit splashadelaide.com.au

Matt Halliwell