Feast Festival, Adelaide’s not-for-profit LGBTIQ+ Queer Arts and Cultural Festival, is delighted to announce the appointment of Adam Gardnir as the new Chair.
Gardnir takes over from the previous Feast Festival Chair, Adam Gibbons (Publicity, Marketing and Program Director Channel Nine, Adelaide) who served Feast Festival for just over two years.
Gardnir brings a wealth of knowledge, passion and integrity having previously served as a Board Member to the Board of Directors, Midsummer Festival, Melbourne. He has also been the Festival Director of, MELT Festival, Brisbane.
Other impressive artistic accomplishments include having worked as a producer for: Gaybies (Midsumma), Midwinta Ball (Midsumma), Portrait Prize (MELT), Beauty Pageant (MELT). A testament that Gardnir has honed his career in the Queer Arts and will no doubt be instrumental in the future development of Feast.
“It is a humbling honour to take on this role at Feast, a festival built on decades of progressive leadership and dedicated advocacy,” said Gardnir. “As a former artist, I am so proud to helm an organization which supports artists in their mission to bring about change.
“With over 100 acts this year, there are so many important messages we need to hear from these artists. We are facing a global conservatism like never before so festivals like Feast are as important as ever.”
“When it comes to gender and sexuality, well over half of the world still suffers legalised discrimination, including over two-thirds of the commonwealth nations. I believe this makes our mission urgent. I look forward to exemplifying to the world how an enlightened, democratic, diverse society can exist” said Gardnir.
Gardnir looks forward collaborating with the team headed by Helen Sheldon, CEO of Feast Festival. “Both Helen and I have taken a strategic review of last year’s festival in the hope to include a wider cultural ecosystem of Adelaide, both in broad festival terms and specifically where our beloved queer communities are heading,” he said.
“How we represent our community will be central to our thinking in 2023 and I welcome members from across the community to consider joining the board” said Gardnir.
“We are excited to have Adam on board as Chair. He has a fresh set of eyes and a different perspective with his wealth of experience from interstate queer arts festivals and he has already shown a great level of energy. I am looking forward to his valuable input,” said Helen Sheldon, Feast Festival CEO.
As well as acting as the new Chair for Feast Festival 2023 Adam Gardnir also holds an employed position as Special Events Manager at the University of Adelaide, which places him as a prominent figure amongst Adelaide’s cultural community and makes him well placed to retain the reputation of Feast festival as a jewel in the crown of Australia’s queer festivals.
The 2022 Feast Festival runs 5 – 27 November. For more information, visit: www.feast.org.au for details.
Image: Adam Gardnir – photo by Greg Balcombe