On Friday 23 May, Nature Festival will launch our 2025 theme FLOW by inviting South Australians to gather in the heart of the city for a powerful celebration of music, place, and connection.
The launch is a three-part experience that invites movement across ideas, disciplines, and communities. It is a progression from insight to celebration, from dialogue to expression, and from systems thinking to collective feeling.
Taking place on the newly revitalised Festival Plaza just a short walk from our city’s most significant river system Karra Wirra Parri, this event will unite industry leaders, artists, and the public in a moving celebration of South Australia’s love for nature — through music, conversation, and creative experiences.
ARTISTS AS AGENTS FOR CHANGE.
PART I: 3:30-5:00pm: Industry Development Forum
This forum invites artists, musicians, event producers, curators, venue managers, and festival leaders into a rich, cross-sector conversation on the role of creative practice in environmental and social transformation. If you produce or support events that aim to position artists as agents of change, then this panel and discussion is for you.
- Heidi Lenffer (NSW)— Musician and founder of FEAT., a trailblazing platform enabling artists to invest in renewable energy through touring.
- Craig Wilkins (SA) — National Director: Murray-Darling Conservation Alliance.
- Nancy Bates (SA) — First Nations leader and cultural voice connecting traditional knowledge with contemporary environmental challenges.
- Naomi Keyte (SA) — Songwriter exploring place, memory and belonging through poetic, grounded sound.
- Tom West (SA) — Singer, songwriter and outback tour guide.
The forum also marks the launch of Nature Festival’s partnership with FEAT's Solar Slice — a bold step forward in integrating sustainability into the event economy through a micro-levy on tickets.
LAUNCH. DRINKS. INVITATIONS.
PART II: 5:30-6:30: Official Festival Launch: FLOW 2025
A poetic reflection on FLOW from Tessa Leon, an artist and public thinker whose words will help anchor the audience in the theme's emotional and philosophical depth.
Opening announcements from Festival Chair Vicki-Jo Russell AM and Director Ryan Hubbard, including first-look programming and the official opening of public registrations.
CURRENTS: PUBLIC CONCERT
PART III: 7:00–9:00pm: Live. Lyrical. Local.
- Nancy Bates: Emerging from the wings of Archie Roach after years of touring as backing vocalist and rhythm guitarist, Nancy Bates offers a colourful blend of lyrics and music that we all yearn to infuse within our souls
- Naomi Keyte uses the vehicle of contemporary folk music to explore multiple ways of connecting; connection to self, connection with others, and connection to personal and collective narratives.
- Tom West: singer, guitarist, songwriter and outback tour guide performing with an androgynous vocal style, finger-picked guitars, and stories of place and heart.
These artists are deeply connected to themes of place, ecology, and belonging. Their music moves audiences emotionally, grounding complex environmental ideas in personal, embodied experience. With deep values, inclusive vibes, and a strong sense of place, this concert invites people to feel what it means to live in flow with the world.
ABOUT THE EVENT
This event is more than a launch — it is a purposeful, collaborative moment of cultural activation. Nature Festival has always been more than a festival of events. It is a growing platform for systems change — one that builds capacity in both the creative and environmental sectors, and cultivates a culture of care, reciprocity and active participation. We aim to embody those values, inviting audiences, artists, industry and partners to come together in a shared exploration of FLOW: how we move through the world, how we relate to each other and the living systems around us.
Set against the milestone of the 10th anniversary of Adelaide’s UNESCO City of Music status, we will also celebrate the unique power of music and musicians to tell stories of connection — to our land, to each other, and to the deeper rhythms of nature. We strongly believe artistic practice can be a lever for change, and the cultural and music industries can play a leading role in shaping a more sustainable and interconnected future.
IT TAKES A VILLAGE
It takes our great community of event hosts and partners to make the Nature Festival possible. Our Principal Partner is Green Adelaide, our Major Partner is the South Australian Tourism Commission, and our venue partner for this event is Festival Plaza. You can see our full list of festival partners here.
