The City of Adelaide will celebrate NAIDOC Week between 6 July and 13 July with a series of events across the Adelaide CBD and North Adelaide.
The national theme for NAIDOC Week 2025 is "The Next Generation: Strength, Legacy and Vision", building on last year's theme of "Keep the Fire Burning! Blak, Loud and Proud!"
Key events hosted by the City of Adelaide include the Lord Mayor's NAIDOC Award Morning Tea and 'NAIDOC in the Mall'.
"The City of Adelaide proudly honours NAIDOC Week as a time to reflect on the enduring contributions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples - past, present and emerging," said Lord Mayor Jane Lomax-Smith.
"Looking ahead we remain committed to supporting NAIDOC as a platform that celebrates community strength, cultural pride, and the leadership of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples."
The Lord Mayor's NAIDOC Award recognises the outstanding achievement and service of an extraordinary Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander community member who has made a significant contribution to strengthening relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-indigenous people, for the benefit of all Australians.
NAIDOC in the Mall is being held on Tuesday, 8 July, where the public can interact with Aboriginal businesses while enjoying activities for all ages, light refreshments and entertainment.
Other NAIDOC Week activities supported by the City of Adelaide include the annual NAIDOC March along King William Street to Parliament House on Friday, 11 July. The march will be followed by a Family Fun Day in Tarntanyangga / Victoria Square.
There also are various art exhibitions and community events across the City of Adelaide, including contemporary art displays at the Adelaide Town Hall.
A summary of key NAIDOC Week events within the Adelaide CBD and North Adelaide is:
Monday, 7 July 2025, 12:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Adelaide Town Hall
Tuesday, 8 July 2025, 10:30 am - 1:00 pm
Gawler Place Canopy, Rundle Mall
Lord Mayor's NAIDOC Award Morning Tea
Wednesday, 9 July 2025, 10:00 am - 11:30 am
Adelaide Town Hall
Friday, 11 July 2025, 10:30 am for 11:00 am start
Tarntanyangga / Victoria Square to Parliament House steps
Friday, 11 July 2025, from 12:00 pm
Tarntanyangga / Victoria Square
NAIDOC Week 2025: The Next Generation - Strength, Vision, and Legacy
12 July 2025, 2:00pm - 4:00pm
North Adelaide Community Centre, North Adelaide SA
Celebrate NAIDOC Week 2025 with an afternoon of culture, connection, and community at the North Adelaide Community Centre. Aligned with this year's theme, The Next Generation: Strength, Vision, and Legacy, this special event is led by young Aboriginal community members inspired by the strength of their Elders and carrying that legacy forward. Guests can enjoy live music, learn some Kaurna language, hear inspiring stories, and sample a light afternoon tea featuring Indigenous ingredients.
1 July 2025 - 2 February 2026
First Floor Gallery, Adelaide Town Hall
Purkarari: Slow Down is a new exhibition by Zaachariaha Fielding, best known as one half of the acclaimed music duo Electric Fields and an emerging figure in the visual arts. The exhibition features collaborative works created with artists from the APY Art Centre Collective, including Sandra Pumani of the Yankunytjatjara people; Yaritji Young, Nyunmiti Burton, Jennifer Ingkatji, Yaritji Heffernan, Margaret Richards, and Megan Lyons, all of the Pitjantjatjara people.
Fielding's visual art has received national recognition, with works shown in the Ramsay Art Prize at the Art Gallery of South Australia and the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards. This exhibition will also feature as part of the SALA Festival in August 2025 and be included in Tarnanthi: Festival of Contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art from October 2025 to January 2026, presented by the Art Gallery of South Australia.
May - August 2025
Ground Floor, Adelaide Town Hall
This exhibit honours Iparrityi, a respected Kaurna Elder, for her significant contribution to contemporary understandings of Kaurna culture and language. Located next to the Uluru Statement from the Heart, the display features rare archival materials including photographs, documents, and historical records from the City of Adelaide Civic Collection, the State Library of South Australia, and the South Australian Museum.
Contemporary Artworks by First Nations Artists
Adelaide Town Hall - Prince Alfred and David Spence Rooms, and Mankurri Apu Ku
Artworks from the City of Adelaide Civic Collection by First Nations artists are on display throughout the Adelaide Town Hall, celebrating First Nations culture and stories. In the Prince Alfred Function Room, artworks by James Tylor and Michelle Joy Magias, both Kaurna artists, are presented. In the David Spence Function Room, works by Anna Dowling, a descendant of the Badimia people from the Yamatji region in Western Australia; Kylie O'Loughlin, who is Narungga and Nantowarra Kaurna; and Caroline Oakley, who is Gamilaroi, are featured.
At Mankurri Apu Ku, a presentation by Carly Takari Dodd, who is Kaurna, Narungga, and Ngarrindjeri, is on display, alongside video presentations of significant First Nations projects.
10 June - 12 September 2025
History Hub, Adelaide City Library, Rundle Place
Visit the History Hub to view Community, an artwork by Gabriel Stengle-a proud Ngarrindjeri, Narungga, and Kaurna woman. Commissioned by Public Library Services through Aboriginal-owned business Ochre Dawn, this piece celebrates libraries as places of connection, learning and progress. Featuring journey lines, meeting places and kangaroo tracks, the artwork symbolises the role of LibrariesSA in supporting communities across South Australia.
Unveiled in 2024, this powerful work has toured public libraries across the state and invites ongoing reflection on the role of libraries in community and cultural life.
Alongside this display, our libraries proudly showcase their diverse Aboriginal Culture Collection, developed in partnership with Kaurna community representatives. This dedicated collection celebrates the contributions of Aboriginal authors and shares their stories alongside the general collection. It offers a broad range of materials for adults, teenagers, and children, all available for borrowing across our library locations.
