Adelaide Festival Welcomes Arts Leader Julian Hobba as New Executive Director

The Adelaide Festival Board is thrilled to announce the appointment of arts leader Julian Hobba as its new Executive Director, commencing September 2025.

A proud South Australian, Julian joins Adelaide Festival after five years serving as Executive Director of State Theatre Company South Australia. There, he supported some of the most ambitious productions in the Company’s history under Artistic Director Mitchell Butel and helped deliver a prolific series of national and local co-productions and tours.

 

 

His dynamic career spans key roles across the country, including Executive Director of The Blue Room Theatre in Perth and Program Manager for the Centenary of Canberra, where he oversaw major cultural commissions such as Patricia Piccinini’s iconic Skywhale—a work that has since captivated audiences at two Adelaide Festivals.

Julian was fortunate to begin his professional career at Malthouse Theatre in Melbourne working under Artistic Director Michael Kantor and Executive Producer Stephen Armstrong during a time of great reimagination of contemporary Australian theatre. He began his artistic journey as a playwright, producing his own work in Melbourne’s independent sector.

Of his appointment, Julian Hobba:

I am incredibly excited to be taking on the role of Executive Director at Adelaide Festival. I’ve been attending Adelaide Festivals since the mid-1990s and they’ve long been a cornerstone of my artistic life, providing a consistent source of inspiration and some of the most powerful and memorable artistic experiences of my career.

I’m deeply committed to building on the Festival’s unique and vital role in South Australian and Australian culture — as a showcase for international excellence grounded in the best qualities of our shared humanity, imagination, empathy, and cultural exchange. I’m passionate about ensuring the Festival celebrates and elevates the outstanding work of our local artists and creative sector as part of that exchange.

I look forward to working closely with Artistic Director Matthew Lutton OAM and the exceptional Festival staff and Board to deliver unforgettable and transformational cultural experiences for audiences here in South Australia and visiting from across Australia and the world.

Minister for Arts Andrea Michaels MP welcomed the appointment:

The Adelaide Festival is a cornerstone of South Australia’s cultural identity and I’m looking forward to seeing Julian bring fresh energy and insight as he leads this iconic event into a new era. I congratulate him and the Festival on this appointment.

Adelaide Festival Chair Tracey Whiting AM :

We are thrilled to welcome Julian to Adelaide Festival. He is an exceptional leader with profound knowledge of the creative sector and a proven ability to turn bold ideas into reality. His leadership, in partnership with Artistic Director Matthew Lutton OAM, promises an exciting future for Australia’s international arts festival.

Julian Hobba succeeds Kath M Mainland CBE, who completed her tenure as Chief Executive of Adelaide Festival in April.