When it comes to events in Adelaide, there is one name that stands above others; The Social Creative. This company of creatives, tradesman, hospitality know-its and programmers have attracted attention not only for the scale of their events and how they weave the elements together, but for how they conduct themselves.
Irrespective of the jousting for political funding, the arts are important to South Australia, as are good food, good drink, local business and a good time. And the arts remain at the core of each project The Social Creative executes. Create a project like The Royal Croquet Club in the middle of the city without the binding agent of arts programming, and it doesn’t make as much sense. Create the Alpine Winter Village without the market element, and it’s not quite the same. Of course the bars play their part in attracting people, but they are a natural accompaniment to the selected food vendors – always South Australian, often the sort of vendors who excite and present a sense of theatre alongside their service. When miniature Warholian soup tins became the vessels for hand, crafted desserts back in their first year, and the massive smokery of the second year was given pride of place recently, you see that nobody involved in their projects is doing things in halves.
And now we’re on the brink of another project, erected in under a week might we add, as the Good Fortune Markets open this evening in Elder Park promising another destination, another opportunity created to draw us from our routine. We’ve already spoken about the incredible food vendors and the entertainment program – it’s these sorts of combinations that excite and their temporary nature is a part of the attractions. If you miss it, inevitably, you’ll hear about it from those who attended.
As we all wait in anticipation for a few more hours to see what they’ve thought of this time, the question also arises; where are they going next? A recent Chinese venture to dip their toe into the Asian market has drawn lessons which they will take forward, and we’ve heard rumours of more travel coming soon. The closure of their physical premises, Little Miss Dive Shop, seems to have been in part to accommodate these sorts of opportunities, taking their A-team with them. And it seems, like all decisions, the Arts remain at the core of their minds with the recent addition of a name synonymous with arts programming, especially experimental programming, recently added to their team.
If you don’t know Sam Wright’s name, then you’ve never been whisked on a bus into the middle of Kuipto Forest for a concert in the dark. Having established his reputation with his own business The Make Ready Lab through programming the arts into narratives nobody would think of in locations around the state, as well as working as part of the Adelaide Festival and Dark Mofo teams in recent years, Sam seems to fit the mold of The Social Creative to a T. He’s still young, has cut his teeth, shown his abilities and is well traveled to know what to bring to Adelaide for their future projects.
“I’ve been brought in because I have an ability to create experiences that appeal to audiences, more often than not in innovative ways,” says Sam, quite plainly. “I was introduced to the SC crew through Geoff Cobham of Barrio fame (remember Barrio?), and Nathan D’Agostino. Their brief is to keeping programming progressive, exciting and unpredictable. My favourite type of programming is the one that instigates the question ‘Did we pay for that? Or is that just happening?’ Programming shouldn’t be limited to just being in tents, it should be around you whether you know it or not.”
We don’t know about you, but that sounds like something we want to be a part of. And speaking for himself, Sam is adamant he wants the best programed arts acts to be executed in Adelaide, irrespective of The Social Creative’s next move.
So, as we’re being tantalized this coming fortnight by some Good Fortune, keep in the back of your mind that there is more to come. Plenty more by the sound of things.
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