Participate in the festival

The last two years have given us countless opportunities to reimagine how we engage with and operate in the world. Everywhere, people have embraced the chance to reconsider and rebalance how they work, play, communicate and connect. The 2022 History Festival theme represents an opportunity to be bold and reimagine your events in terms of content as well as presentation. We invite event organisers to plan events around this idea in any way you choose. Here are some ideas to spark your thinking: 

• How can you reimagine familiar stories and share them in new and engaging ways or from a different perspective? 
• Have you reimagined your approach to research and sharing history in a way that has opened up new possibilities and discoveries? 
• How have stories been an important tool in your community? Reimagine the ones that have united people for a cause, started a new project or ended an injustice. 
• Watch for variations on the REIMAGINE theme evolving from the registrations we receive. 

Now! Registrations open 

20 January: Earlybird registration deadline (5pm) 

3 February: Event registrations close 

15 February: Last day to make event listing changes 

31 March: Program launch (TBC) 

28 April: Opening night event (TBC) 

1-31 May: South Australia’s History Festival 2022 

To ensure the high quality and compelling content History Festival attendees have come to expect, please make sure your events meet the eligibility criteria listed below. All SA History Festival events must: 

• take place in South Australia (unless it is a filmed, pre-recorded or streamed event); 
• be available to the public (ie not ‘members only’ or ‘invitation only’); 
• connect in a meaningful and demonstrable way to South Australia’s history; and 
• provide a written, spoken or performed interpretation, background, context and/or analysis of historical events or objects, allowing visitors to learn, consider, discuss, experience, share and better understand the subject of the event. For this reason, any event with the selling or trading of goods as its main focus is not eligible to participate in the HistoryFestival. 

If you have questions about your event’s eligibility or would like advice about adhering to our event criteria, please contact us.

Note: up to four images can be included in your web listing at no extra cost.

• A dedicated event page on the History Festival website. This includes up to four (4) images, your 700-character event description, contact and booking details. In 2021, the History Festival website had more than 59,000 visits during the festival. 
• An event listing including a 350-character description in up to 40,000 copies of our printed program, distributed statewide. 
• Professionally printed A3 festival posters and A2 event signage. 
• The right to use the SA History Festival brand to promote your event. 
• Advice and support from the History Festival team. 
• Exclusive info sessions, webinars and workshops. 
• Benefit from an overarching statewide History Festival promotional campaign: printed program, our festival website, digital advertising, social media and traditional media. 
• SA History Festival marketing kit: social media templates, print templates, web badges and more. 
• Ability to communicate with a history-loving audience across South Australia. 

• Providing accurate event information when registering and checking your proof and notifying HTSA as soon as possible with any changes. 
• Organising your own venue hire and any necessary equipment. 
• Managing event bookings, if applicable. We strongly recommend using an online booking system such as Humanitix, Eventbrite or Trybooking. 
• Organising your own Public Liability Insurance with a minimum cover of $20 million for your event. 
• Coordinating your event promotion, specific to your event, location and target audience. 
• Using the correct SA History Festival name and branding to show you’re part of the wider event. 

Each year, we aim to group events into themed programs to make it easier for audiences to find events that meet their interests. 

In 2022, the History Festival program will feature: 

• First Nations histories (note: National Reconciliation Week runs from 27 May to 3 June) 
• Open Doors/Built heritage (see below) 
• Family friendly events 
• LGBTIQ+ history 
• Migration and multicultural history 

Additional themes will be highlighted depending on registrations received. 

Open Doors is a special program within the History Festival that explores the stories behind heritage buildings and architectural history. This year, Open Doors will be held as a focus program with events throughout the month of May. To be part of Open Doors, events must include an activity that helps visitors learn about the building or place. This can include tours, talks, children’s activities, displays or self-guided tours.