Adelaide’s Feast Festival has announced the appointment of Skye Bee as Executive Director and Katherine Sortini as Creative Director, marking a significant new chapter for the organisation as it moves toward its 30th anniversary in 2027.
The theme for the 2026 festival has also been shared.
The festival said this was a first in its long history, appointing new team members to both leadership roles at the same time.
“This is the first time the organisation has appointed both an Executive Director and Creative Director in tandem, and the first time these roles have been held by queer artists,” the festival said.
“It is a leadership structure that mirrors the Festival’s own values: community‑led, artist‑driven, and unapologetically queer. Together, Skye and Katherine bring a powerful combination of operational expertise, creative vision, and deep community connection. Their joint appointment signals a renewed commitment to authenticity, artistic integrity, and care at every level of the organisation.”
Skye Bee steps into the Executive Director role as a multidisciplinary artist, producer, and performer working on Kaurna Yerta, with a distinguished career spanning large‑scale event delivery, inclusive arts practice, and organisational leadership.
Described as a respected figure across Adelaide’s performing arts and queer community scenes, they have built a reputation for producing bold, ambitious work that centres creativity, cultural integration, and community safety.
“As an arts leader, Skye brings a rare combination of operational rigour, creative sensibility, and deep sector knowledge, and is widely regarded as a passionate and values‑driven advocate for access, inclusion, and the transformative power of the arts,” the festival said.
“Feast has always been more than a festival,” said Skye Bee. “It is a living, breathing expression of queer culture, connection, and joy. This next chapter is about deepening that impact, creating space for bold artistic voices, and ensuring that access, inclusion, and care are embedded in everything we do.”
Katherine Sortini steps into the newly created Creative Director role, having already proven her value to Feast Festival as Creative Producer and Artist and Venue Liaison.
An acclaimed and award‑winning artist and theatre‑maker, she brings a practice grounded in emotional honesty, storytelling, and artistic integrity, and is known for creating deeply affecting, human‑centred work that resonates with audiences long after the curtain falls.
The festival said Sortini’s elevation to Creative Director reflects both the organisation’s confidence in her vision and its commitment to investing in the artists already embedded in its community.
“Katherine is a powerful creative, with a remarkable body of work and the passion and vision to move us forward in meaningful ways,” said Skye Bee. “Her appointment reflects our commitment to a strong and ambitious creative future for Feast.”
“Feast has always held an incredible amount of creative energy and this festival belongs to the community. For me, this next chapter is about harnessing that energy and giving it form – shaping a program that is bold, inclusive, and deeply reflective of the people it exists for. I’m excited to build something that feels both locally grounded and unapologetically expansive,” Sortini said.
Penny McAuley, Chair of the Board, shared their excitement about the new appointments.
“This invigorating change for Feast Festival is making a statement about the significant contribution, place, and relevance of South Australia’s queer culture, our communities, creative innovation, and belonging.
“As we approach our 30th year, our focus is on unity, collaboration, and sustainability for the future. The Board, Executive Team, Staff and Volunteers of Feast Festival share not only the vision, but the manner in which we will achieve these objectives. Where kindness, courage and strategy simultaneously sit at the table of success.
“Are we excited and ready for this new chapter – you better believe we are. Our ambition is to inspire you to join us on this journey. Welcome home.”
Feast Festival 2026 will run from 1 to 22 November, with Joy as its guiding theme. For Skye Bee, joy is not a soft concept. It is a radical one.
“Joy is an act of rebellion,” said Skye Bee. “In a world that often asks queer people to shrink, to justify, or to survive quietly, choosing joy is powerful. It is resistance. It is visibility. It is community. This Festival is an invitation to celebrate that, loudly and unapologetically.”
