The proposal for an arts festival in Adelaide was made in 1958 by former newspaper journalist and editor Lloyd Dumas and John Bishop, professor of music at the University of Adelaide. Taking inspiration from the Edinburgh Festival (established in 1947) Dumas and Bishop believed that Adelaide could host a successful cultural festival encompassing all aspects of the arts.

The concept was floated at the Adelaide Club in 1958, and it was from this meeting that the majority of financial backers and the first 'Board of Governors' was formed. The inaugural Adelaide Festival of Arts was held in 1960. Bishop was the artistic director. 

Highlights of the program included a number of symphonic performances, the Dave Brubeck quartet, a production of TS Eliot's Murder in the Cathedral and the first Writers' Week.

The Adelaide Festival of Arts is a biennial event, staged over three weeks during March in 'even' years. It is considered, along with Edinburgh and Avignon, to be one of the top three arts festivals in the world. Festival performances, events and exhibitions are from wide variety of artists spanning various art forms including visual arts, music, dance, theatre, opera and literature. Held at the same time as the Adelaide Festival of Arts, Adelaide Fringe provides alternative and complementary programs of events featuring independent artists.

Each Adelaide Festival has had a distinctive poster specially designed to embody that year's festival. The 2008 poster seen here features the sculpture go, you little dynamo, go! by Michael Kutschbach. The ambiguity of the sculpture reflects the 2008 Festival's motto 'What are you seeing?'

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