Shoppers of culture, rejoice , Feast Festival has ushered in a new era with queer artists Skye Bee and Katherine Sortini stepping into joint leadership, signalling a bolder, community-led countdown to the festival’s 30th anniversary and a celebration of queer creativity across Adelaide.

Essential Takeaways

  • Two-headed leadership: Skye Bee is Executive Director and Katherine Sortini is Creative Director, the first time both roles are occupied by queer artists.
  • Artist-led perspective: Both leaders are practising artists and producers, which means programming will be shaped by lived creative experience.
  • 30th birthday build-up: The duo are already planning a big 2027 celebration, with the upcoming festival focusing on joy as a radical act.
  • Community-first approach: Expect programming that foregrounds accessibility, local queer voices, and collaborative projects.
  • Festival basics: Feast runs 1–22 November, with further program and partnership details to come.

A striking change at the top , why this matters

Feast has long been a touchstone for queer arts in Adelaide, and the appointment of Skye Bee and Katherine Sortini feels like an intentional passing of the mic. There’s a tactile warmth in the news when two makers who still make their own work take charge , you sense programming will be practical, empathetic, and designed with artists’ realities in mind. According to reporting in local outlets, this is the first time the organisation has put both an Executive and Creative Director in place together and the first time both are queer, which reads as a symbolic and practical commitment to representation.

Meet the pair , complementary strengths

Skye Bee brings experience delivering large-scale events with an emphasis on cultural integration and safety, while Katherine Sortini is known for intimate, emotionally honest theatre-making. That mix of ambition and nuance is handy: one person thinking about logistics and broad reach, the other tuned into storytelling and audience feeling. Their own remarks about being a “dream team” underline a collaborative energy that should translate into programme choices that both dazzle and land with impact.

What to expect from programming and themes

Feast’s next edition will lean into joy as a political, radical stance , a theme Bee has described as defiant and celebratory. That’s timely when public conversations can feel heavy; joy-centred work tends to be visceral and communal, the sort people remember because it made them feel seen. Look for a blend of large public events, queer-first cabaret and theatre, and projects that amplify new voices alongside nods to the festival’s history.

Community, access and the practical details

Both leaders have emphasised that Feast is “by our people and for our people”, which suggests programming decisions will prioritise accessibility, safe-spaces policy, and local engagement. For artists and audiences that can mean clearer pathways to participation, transparent application processes, and events designed to be welcoming. If you’re an artist hoping to get involved, now’s a good time to check Feast’s site for open calls and venue liaison guidance; if you’re an audience member, expect more community-run events and collaborations with local LGBTQIA+ groups.

Looking ahead to the 30th , a festival in build

With the 30th anniversary in 2027 framed as a “big, beautiful, gay and fabulous celebration”, the next 18 months will be a slow-burn of creative reveals. Bee and Sortini are already planning a robust, bold artistic program that honours the festival’s history while asking new questions about what queer culture needs now. It’s a neat moment of continuity and reinvention: Feast retains its role as a cultural landmark while intentionally evolving under artists who know the stakes.

It's a small change that can make every celebration feel more like home.

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