About

Desert Festival 2024, 27th – 29th September
Alternate realties and shifting perspectives
The theme of the 2024 program is ‘Alternate realties and shifting perspectives’, focusing on immersive experiences and opportunities for play that assist audiences to immerse themselves into stories from the heart of Australia.

What is Desert Festival?
Desert Festival (AKA Desfest) is Red Hot Arts’ annual signature event; a multi-arts festival held each September showcasing local and regional content to celebrate arts, culture and community. It is the only local event that provides a multi-disciplinary platform for Central Australian artists from diverse cultural backgrounds across all artforms.

Through collaboration and partnerships, we are able to maximise community connection to the arts, support incubation of new works, promote artists and artistic opportunities and co-ordinate professional development opportunities for the local arts sector.

Desert Festival also successfully partners with local sector peers and businesses, such as Music NT, 8CCC, ABC Alice Springs, Triptic, Desert Knowledge, Alice Springs Town Council, AS Print, Bendigo Bank, Megafauna Central Alice Springs, Alice Springs Airport, local accommodation providers, hotels, and other businesses.

Why is Desfest important?
Desfest is an important festival because we are multi arts oriented and support all sectors of the community, showcasing art forms and mediums from all sectors of the community, and playing a vital role in centering and celebrating diverse voices such as First Nations, LGBTQI, disability, women and CALD communities.