Country Arts SA pays respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and recognises their continuing connection and spiritual relationship to these lands, waters and skies. We are committed to listening and helping care for Country, and safeguarding, sharing and celebrating First Nations’ living cultures.
Programming performing arts
Country Arts SA presents a curated program of performing arts across regional South Australia.
Our program is shaped by the places we work in and the audiences who attend. We present work intended to be shared live on stage or on screen, selected for its capacity to connect with regional communities, whether audiences are participating or observing.
Each year we receive many approaches and are only able to present a small number of works. The information below is intended to help artists and producers assess fit before getting in touch and to direct enquiries to the right place.
We also hear from artists and producers seeking information, local connections, or introductions so they can present work independently. While we can’t support all projects through our curated program, we are often happy to share context and connect artists with communities, presenter groups, or venues where appropriate.
How we program
We work across multiple genres and forms, programming performances and experiences that engage audiences in different ways.
We are particularly interested in work that connects with one or more of the following:
- regional artists or regional stories and perspectives
- work made with or for communities, or programmed for a clear local connection
- projects that support artists to grow their practice over time
What we present
Each year we present a small number of curated works across regional arts spaces, including:
Arts On Screen
Filmed arts experiences presented in local venues.
First Nations led storytelling
Work led by First Nations artists, across any genre.
Local & Live
Onstage opportunities for emerging regional artists, musicians, and bands.
Large scale presenting
Touring productions at major venues in Whyalla, Port Pirie, Renmark, and Mount Gambier.
Mornings At
Daytime performances for audiences who prefer relaxed, social events.
Shows on the Road
Small‑scale touring work designed to travel easily into community halls and intimate spaces, usually involving one to three performers. Read more
Soundworks
A touring music program for emerging to mid‑career First Nations and culturally and linguistically diverse artists.
Outside the Mornings At program, we do not generally present tribute acts or cover‑based shows.
Programming timelines
Curated programming for the following calendar year is usually finalised around July or August.
This means work is considered well in advance, late approaches are rarely programmed in the same year, and invitations often follow ongoing conversation rather than a single submission.
What's on
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16 Jul — 25 Jul 2026Skinny
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31 Jul — 31 Oct 2026Soundworks: Stories in Song
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25 Aug — 11 Sep 2026Whalebone
Submitting Your Work
Country Arts SA operates venues across regional South Australia. Alongside our curated program, venues support activity through commercial hire.
Artists and producers wishing to self‑present are welcome to contact us to discuss venue hire.
Where possible, we may also share local knowledge or introduce artists to regional partners or presenter groups. This support is offered as guidance and connection, rather than programming or financial commitment.
For curated programming consideration, please provide a presenter pack including:
- a clear description of the work
- examples such as video, audio, or images
- basic technical requirements
- available marketing material
- fees and touring date preferences
Highly designed documents are not required. Clear, practical information is most useful.
Due to the volume of enquiries, individual feedback may not always be possible. If your enquiry relates to self‑presenting or connections rather than programming, please note this in your email.
Contact Us
Curated performing arts programming
Sarah Knight, Executive Programmer
[email protected]
Local & Live, Arts on Screen, Mornings At
Sussan Baldwin, Art Centres Leader
[email protected]
Commercial hire
[email protected]
Past Projects
Mainstage Program
Ten Thousand Hours | Gravity and Other Myths
Eight world class acrobats investigate physical skill; how we obtain it, how we perfect it, and how it can transform our lives. Through highlighting the nuance of high-level acrobatics, audiences experience a heightened appreciation of the countless hours required to master the skills they are witnessing.
Music Program
Soundworks: Stories in Song
Set in a relaxed, onstage cabaret-style setting, the Soundworks series creates a welcoming atmosphere where audiences and artists connect up close. From the rhythm of a train line through the landscape to the quiet pull of home, Nathan’s music explores themes of place, identity, and belonging.
Producing and Commissioning
Euphoria
A Country Town. A Festival. A local tragedy and a town that doesn’t talk.
Euphoria is a rich and heart-warming story from award-winning South Australian playwright Emily Steel, bringing regional voices to the fore and an entire town to life with authenticity and unmistakable wit.
Gods of Strangers
It is said that if a stranger knocks on your door, you let them in – they could be a god in disguise. But, what do they bring in with them?
Inspired by the oral histories of Greek, Cypriot and Italian migrants to regional South Australia, this historical fiction explores the untold struggles of belonging, identity and family in post World War II Australia.
Shows on the Road
Barefaced Stories
Barefaced Stories is a modern type of storytelling, that can elevate those voices that might not easily find a microphone – real people, not just comedians or celebrities. At Barefaced Stories, you will see real people from your community, take to the stage armed only with a true-life tale. They are honest, raw, vulnerable, wear their bloody, beating heart on their sleeve, and are some of the bravest folk you’ll meet.