News: AFC Announces New Steel Ryan Fellowship

Festival CentreAdapted from a Media Release


The Adelaide Festival Centre has announced a new fellowship program for a young South Australian Aboriginal arts worker who aspires to a rewarding career in the arts.


An endowment from Richard Ryan AO made the new position possible. Commencing in March 2015 the 12 month Fellowship will go to an individual who is keen to develop a career in the arts. In 2015/16 the role will have a particular focus on programming and marketing of Indigenous work. The successful candidate will also be working on the GreenRoom Program (Adelaide Festival Centre’s youth arts membership program for 18 to 30 year olds), and attracting younger and multicultural audiences.


Richard Ryan AO says “This is an outstanding opportunity for a young South Australian to step into the fascinating world of the arts. This is hands-on experience in a world-class arts organisation and the aim of this fellowship is to set this young person on a course to future success as an arts leader.”


The original Steel Fellowship was created in 2000 in recognition of the Adelaide Festival Centre’s first CEO and distinguished Arts Administrator and Artistic Director, Anthony Steel. It provided 12 months of intensive professional experience in South Australia’s centre of creativity and heart of the arts.


Anthony Steel says “I am delighted that the Anthony Steel fellowship has expanded this year into the Steel Ryan fellowship, which has enabled the Festival Centre to employ its first Aboriginal arts worker to join the administrative team."


Adelaide Festival Centre CEO & Artistic Director Douglas Gautier says “For many years the Adelaide Festival Centre has nurtured the careers of young arts administrators under auspices of the Anthony Steel fellowship, named for the AFC’s first director Anthony Steel. This year, following a generous donation by former AFC Chairman and current Chairman of the Adelaide Festival Richard Ryan, we are able to offer the Steel Ryan Fellowship with a focus on the programming and audience development for indigenous work. We are grateful to both Anthony and Richard for their continued support and mentorship for the Adelaide Festival Centre.”