THE LAB ADELAIDE

The Lab has launched in Adelaide and offers something a little bit different to what we’re use to as a theatre and performance venue. The Lab is part of Light Adelaide, a new home for inspiration in performance, art and hospitality and it’s not for hire and privately funded. Nick and Sophie Dunstone have launched their not-for-profit venue ‘The Lab’ with an injection of $10 million to create a new Adelaide arts hub that is self-funded. The Lab defines a modern art and hospitality hub for the city. The arts program will be curated by Music SA Chairperson Anne Wiberg.

Anne Wiberg’s career has been extremely diverse working in local government, state government, numerous arts and music festivals in South Australia, the corporate sector, the contemporary music industry and the performing arts industries. She has worked as a social worker, youth worker, community development worker, counsellor, program manager, team leader, event manager, and festival producer and programmer.

Over the years, Anne has sat on various committees, judging panels, assessment teams and boards including the SA Live Arts Board and has chaired Music SA for the past four years. After over 20 years working for various arts related companies, Anne has positioned her own business to work as a freelancer in music, arts and event management. The focus of her work is project management, programming, and event producing.

Her most recent roles include, Contemporary Music Consultant at Grounded/Super Massive festival 2018, Music Programmer at Darwin Festival 2018, Content Producer at Adelaide Fringe Festival 2018, Associate Producer at Adelaide Festival of Ideas 2018 and Programming Director at Ruby Awards 2017. In addition to her project work, Anne also mentors students annually for the University of South Australia’s Business Mentorship program and she DJ’s regularly at private functions and local events.

The Lab is curated to ensure access to a full range of artists, from digital artists, bands, DJs, to theatre, gaming, dance and classical music, will provide residencies and the time and space to experiment, play and develop new work. Curation is led by considerations of diversity and creativity in using the space and digital canvas – a digitally immersive, multi-functional, multi-genre performance space supporting arts and culture. The lab has 50 square metres of high-end LED video screens allowing artists to explore ideas and create unique performance experiences. The Lab is part of Light, an independent creative project in Light Square, Adelaide, inside an 1880s heritage-listed building carefully repurposed for this new chapter.

The Dunstone’s hope the immersive LED screens will be the drawcard for immersive art. “When big events with lots of people are difficult to organise, the need to utilise big technology and online capabilities to connect people has become increasingly important. The Lab sought to have the intimacy of an artist space typically located in the classic back room of a pub, but with the highest end of both audio and visual technology. “The idea emerged to create a hospitality venue and a performance venue using technology to create a digital canvas for artists and performers.”

The Lab program is well underway showcasing a stella program from the classical, celtic and contemporary through to a call out ‘seeking Rats from all walks of life with interests or skills in immersive audio, visual, performance, art science, technology and a desire to learn, collaborate and create.’ The first Artist In Residence has been appointed – Emma Beech.

Your next stop is – The Lab.