Adelaide Festival Centre Signs Memorandum Of Understanding With National Centre For The Performing Arts, China

Adelaide Festival Centre has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA), China, formally outlining our cooperation and friendship with one of the world's leading theatre companies.

Adelaide Festival Centre CEO and Artistic Director Douglas Gautier AM is in Beijing to sign the new agreement, which was co-signed by NCPA President Wang Ning during a ceremony in the Chinese capital Thursday night (June 20).

This is the second three-year MoU between the two arts organisations, with the first signed in 2015. The new MoU will encourage the exchange of skilled staff and cultural collaboration between Australia and China, as well as furthering Adelaide Festival Centre's leadership in the arts in the Asia-Pacific region.

Douglas Gautier is in China to speak at the Beijing Forum for Performing Arts 2019, where he will present on the upcoming Asia-Pacific Creative Cities Conference which will be held in Adelaide in October 23-26, 2019. The inaugural four day conference will feature delegates from the UNESCO Creative Cities in the Asia-Pacific region, together with government officials, world-leading thinkers and creative practitioners, that will discuss topics about sustainable development, bilateral partnership, tourism and marketing strategies, as well as honour the UN International Year of Indigenous Languages.

Adelaide Festival Centre CEO and Artistic Director of Douglas Gautier AM: "The Memorandum of Understanding is a vote of confidence for Adelaide, the Festival Centre and the leadership we have taken in arts in the Asia-Pacific region. NCPA is a greatly admired organisation with their own opera company, orchestra, dance company, children's theatre companies, choirs and music festivals. They have been a beacon for the arts in Asia and we are delighted to continue our relationship with them."

The UNESCO Creative Cities Network was created in 2004 to promote cooperation among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development. The network of 180 cities covers seven creative fields: Design, Literature, Music, Film, Crafts and Folk Arts, Media Arts and Gastronomy. There are 12 cities in China that form part of this UNESCO Creative Cities network including Beijing - City of Design. Adelaide was designated as a City of Music in 2015, and is Australia's first and only City of Music. Australia's UNESCO Creative Cities include Adelaide City of Music, Sydney City of Film, Melbourne City of Literature and Geelong City of Design.

Australia's UNESCO Creative Cities are Adelaide City of Music, Sydney City of Film, Melbourne City of Literature and Geelong City of Design. This project has been assisted by the Australian Government. Adelaide was designated as the first and only City of Music in Australia 2015.