South Australian Living Artists Festival
The South Australian Living Artists Festival (SALA, or SALA Festival) is a statewide, open-access visual arts festival which takes place throughout August in South Australia each year.
The SALA features a range of approximately 600 venues including galleries and non-traditional spaces such as cafes, bookshops, and cemeteries which exhibit all forms of visual arts.
== Organisation ==
The SALA Festival was established in 1998 as an initiative of the Australian Commercial Galleries Association, SA Branch, to promote and celebrate visual artists in South Australia. Its aim is to extend audiences for living artists in South Australia, with a policy of inclusiveness which allows all artists at any level and working in any medium to be part of the Festival.
Originally called the South Australian Living Artists Week, its name was changed to SALA Festival in 2002.
The SALA Festival is a not-for-profit organisation that relies on government support, private sponsorship and earned income to invest back into South Australian artists.
=== Governance ===
==== Chair ====
Alexandrea Cannon, OAM, 2022-present
Paul Greenaway OAM, founding chair, 1998-2007
== Festival Awards ==
SALA Festival offers a number of prizes to artists and venues.
=== South Australian Living Artist Publication ===
The South Australian Living Artist Publication is an award launched in 1999 as part of the SALA Festival. With funding provided by the South Australian Government, a publication (book) is commissioned and written on a leading South Australian artist or craftsperson with potential for national and international promotion and published by Wakefield Press.
The first recipient of the South Australian Living Artist Publication was Annette Bezor. The most recent recipient whose publication will be published in 2024 is Julia Robinson.
==== South Australian Living Artist Publication recipients ====
Annette Bezor, 2000
Kathleen Petyarre, 2001
James Darling, 2001
Nick Mount, 2002
Ian W. Abdulla, 2003
Deborah Paauwe, 2004
Michelle Nikou, 2005
Aldo Iacobelli, 2006
Julie Blyfeld, 2007
Gerry Wedd, 2008
Angela Valamanesh, 2009
Khai Liew, 2010
Hossein Valamanesh, 2011
Mark Kimber, 2012
Stephen Bowers, 2013
Nicholas Folland, 2014
Giles Bettison, 2015
Catherine Truman, 2016
Christopher Orchard, 2017
Clare Belfrage, 2018
Louise Haselton, 2019
Kirsten Coelho, 2020
Roy Ananda, 2021
Mark Valenzuela, 2022
Helen Fuller, 2023
Julia Robinson, 2024
=== SALA Awards ===
Several prizes are awarded as part of the SALA Festival. Prizes and recipients from notable sponsors are listed below:
==== 2008 ====
The Advertiser Contemporary Art Award: Peter Drew
Core Energy Sculpture Award: Ariel Hassan
Centre of Creative Photography Emerging Artist Award: Tushar Wahab
Established Artist Award: Emma Sterling and Dan Monceaux
Atkins Technicolour Award Photo Based: David Evans
Non Photographic Medium: Claire Nielsen
JamFactory Contemporary Craft and Design Award: Sandy Elverd
SA Life Emerging Artist Winner: Tushar Wahab
Rip It Up Award: Robin Eley
Bunka Moving Image Award: Ryan Sims and Ray Meandering
==== 2009 ====
The Advertiser Business SA Contemporary Art Prize: Heidi Karo
Atkins Technicolour Photographic Award: Danica Gacesa McLean
Centre of Creative Photography Developing Artist Award: Jamie Nuske
Centre of Creative Photography Latent Image Award: Rebecca Whittemore
Core Energy Group Sculpture Award: Amy Joy Watson
JamFactory Contemporary Craft and Design Award: Wesley Harron
Gosia Schild Moving Image Award: Kyraki Maragozdis
Rip It Up Emerging Artist Award: Shannon Poulton
SA Life Young Artist Award: Amy Joy Watson
==== 2010 ====
The Advertiser Business SA Contemporary Art Prize: Jennifer Trantor
Atkins Technicolour Photographic Award: Alex Frayne
Centre of Creative Photography Developing Artist Award: Alison Woodward
Core Energy Group Sculpture Award: Samantha Bell
Gosia Schild Award for Best New Work in Moving Image Project: Kyraki Maragozdis
JamFactory Contemporary Craft and Design Award: Ilona Glastonbury
Rip It Up Special Art Award: Tutti Visual Arts and Design
Rip It Up Young Artist Award for the Best Young Artist: Kirsty Shadiac
SA Life Young Artist Award: Nic Brown
Adelaide Film Festival Moving Image Partnership Award: Susan Bruce
Adelaide City Council Encouragement Award: Ryan Sims
Adelaide Central School of Art Professional Development Award: Angela Black
OZ Minerals Copper Sculpture Awards: Chris Ormerod (Metro/Regional), Rachel Young (Upper Spencer Gulf/Far North), Victor Harbor High School (school students)
==== 2011 ====
The Advertiser Business SA Contemporary Art Prize: Christine Cholewa
Atkins Technicolour Photographic Award: Danica Gacesa McLean
Centre of Creative Photography Developing Artist Award: Pantelli Pyromallis
Centre of Creative Photography Latent Image Award: Nerissa Stanley
JamFactory Contemporary Craft and Design Award: Stephanie James Mason
Statewide Super Artist Opportunity: Swee Wah Yew and Peter Ahrens
Rip It Up Special Art Award: Community Bridging Services
Rip It Up Young Artist Award: Rebecca Prince
SA Life Emerging Artist Award: Carly Snoswell
Adelaide City Council Encouragement Award: Kyriaki Maragozidis
Gosia Schild Award for the Best New Work in the Moving Image Project: Ryan Sims
Adelaide Central School of Art Professional Development Award: Meaghan Coles
OZ Minerals Copper Sculpture Award: Mei Sheong Wong
==== 2012 ====
The Advertiser Business SA Contemporary Art Award: Christine Cholewa
Adelaide Central School of Art Professional Development Award: Madison Bycroft
Adelaide City Council Encouragement Award for Moving Image: Patty Chehade
Atkins Technicolour Photographic Award for Artists Award Winner: Peter MacDonald
Centre for Creative Photography Latent Image Award Winner: Lee Hopkins
JamFactory Contemporary Craft and Design Award Winner: Brenden Scott French
OZ Minerals Copper Sculpture Award: Nicholas Uhlmann
Rip It Up Publishing Artist Award for Best Young Artist: Wenjing (Cherica) Zhang
Statewide Super Artist Opportunity: Donovan Christie
The Austral Hotel Emerging Artist Award: David Frahm
==== 2013 ====
The Advertiser Business SA Contemporary Art Prize: Marc D. Bowden
Adelaide Central School of Art Professional Development Award: Therese Williams
Atkins Technicolour Photographic Award: Wayne Griveli
Centre for Creative Photography Latent Image Award: Gabriella Szondy
JamFactory Contemporary Craft and Design Award: Kim Thomson
OZ Minerals Copper Sculpture Award: Warren Pickering and Anna Small
Rip It Up Publishing Artist Award: Amy Joy Watson
The Austral Hotel Emerging Artist Award: Jacky Murtaugh
==== 2014 ====
The Advertiser Contemporary Art Prize: Henry Jock Walker
Atkins Technicolour Photographic Award: David Evans
Centre for Creative Photography Latent Image Award: Bridgette Minuzzo
JamFactory Contemporary Craft and Design Award: Jennifer Ahrens
OZ Minerals Copper Sculpture Award: Chris Ormerod
Rip It Up Publishing Artist Award: Glenn Kestell
The Austral Hotel Emerging Artist Award: Stuart Templeton
Adelaide Review Special Art Award: Community Bridging Services
UnitCare Services Moving Image Award: Madison Bycroft
Country Arts SA Breaking Ground Award: Morgan Allender
==== 2015 ====
The Advertiser Contemporary Art Prize: Jason Sims
Atkins Technicolour Photographic Award: Gary Sauer-Thompson
Centre for Creative Photography latent Image Award: Emmaline Zanelli
OZ Minerals Copper Sculpture Award: Mark Ryan
Rip It Up Publishing Artist Award: Jessica Clark
City Rural Emerging Artist Award: Alise Hardy
Adelaide Review Outsider Art Award: Michelle Willsmore
UnitCare Services Moving Image Award: Fiona Gardner
Country Arts SA Breaking Ground Award: Cindy Durant
Brighton Jetty Classic Sculptures Young Artist Award: Joel Zimmermann and Students of Trinity College Year 10 Art
Don Dunstan Foundation Award: Selina Wallace
==== 2016 ====
The Advertiser Contemporary Art Prize: Julia Robinson
Atkins Technicolour Photographic Award: Nathan Stolz
Centre for Creative Photography Latent Image Award: Nathan Stolz
OZ Minerals Copper Sculpture Award: Mary Ann Santin
Adelaide Review Young Artist Award: Emmaline Zanelli
City Rural Emerging Artist Award: Tina Jade Panagaris
Adelaide Review Outsider Art Award: Scott McCarten
UnitCare Services Moving Image Award: Ray Harris
Country Arts SA Breaking Ground Award: Chris De Rosa
Brighton Jetty Classic Sculptures Young Artist Award: Jess Taylor and Joel Zimmermann
Don Dunstan Foundation Award: Andrea Malone
City of Unley Active Ageing Award: Sheila Whittam
Centennial Park Environment Award: Tobias Staheli
==== 2017 ====
The Advertiser Contemporary Art Prize: Julia McInerney
Atkins Technicolour Photographic Award: Alice Blanch
Centre for Creative Photography Latent Image Award: Lee Walter
City Rural Emerging Artist Award: Jane Skeer
Adelaide Review Outsider Art Award: Len Harvey
UnitCare Services Moving Image Award: Trent Parke & Narelle Autio
City of Unley Active Ageing Award: Andrea Malone
SALA Festival Patron's Art Writer's Award - Andrew Purvis
==== 2018 ====
The Advertiser Contemporary Art Award: Kaspar Schmidt Mumm
UnitCare Services Moving Image Award: Cynthia Schwertsik
Atkins Technicolour Photographic Award: Emmaline Zanelli
Centre for Creative Photography Latent Image Award: Brett Hughes
City Rural Emerging Artist Award: Hannah Vorrath-Pajak
Adelaide Review Outsider Art Award: Alana Gregory
City of Unley Active Ageing Award: Chris Webb
Don Dunstan Foundation Award: Gerry Wedd
Country Arts SA Breaking Ground Award: Nellie Rankine
BlueThumb People’s Choice Award: Ellie Kammer
SALA Festival Patron’s Art Writer’s Award – Melinda Rackham
Credit Union SA Schools Award Winners: Woodside Primary, St Brigid’s School, South Coast schools collective including Encounter Lutheran College, Investigator College and Victor Harbor High School
Credit Union SA Schools Award Runner Ups: Elizabeth Grove Primary School, Bowden Brompton Community School and St John’s Grammar School
==== 2019 ====
The Advertiser Contemporary Art Award: Derek Sargent with Jess Miley
City of Unley Active Ageing Award: Maggie Cecchin
UnitCare Services Moving Image Award: Grant Parke
Atkins Photographic Award: Lee Walter
City Rural Emerging Artist Award: Steven Bellosguardo
Don Dunstan Foundation Award: Sue Webb & Deborah Baldassi
Centre for Creative Photography Latent Image Award: Joseph Haxan
4th Biennial RSASA / SALA Portrait Prize: Kate Kurucz
City of Onkaparinga Contemporary Curator Award: Steph Cibich
Credit Union SA School Awards Winners: St John's Grammar, Riverland Special School, The Heights School and St Gabriel's School
Credit Union SA School Awards Commendations: Bridgewater Primary School, Woodside Primary School and Bowden Brompton Community School
=== 2020 - present ===
== Awards ==
Ruby Awards 2017 Award Community or Regional Impact over $100,000: SALA Festival 2016
Ruby Awards 2015 Best Event: SALA Festival 2014
Ruby Awards 2006 Community Impact Award: SALA Festival
== Statistics ==
Adelaide Festival of Arts
Adelaide Fringe
Adelaide Film Festival

== External links ==
SALA Festival official website [1]
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