The DreamBIG Children's Festival is an iconic arts festival for children and young people held every 2 years in South Australia.

The festival was originally known as Come Out Children's Festival, and started in 1974. Since then it's become an important part of South Australia's preschool and school calendar.

The festival includes:

• a poster competition, where the winning entry is used in festival materials
• an opening event involving around 2,000 children
• performances such as theatre dance, music and circus
• interactive installations
• workshops
• statewide projects
• exhibitions
• masterclasses for secondary school students
• teacher resources and professional learning opportunities.

The festival has:

• a schools program, where students take part in events and performances through their school. The schools program is complimented with teacher resources and professional learning.
• a general public program for families, this includes the Big Family Weekend.

When and where

The next festival will be held 12 to 22 May 2027.

Events are held all around the state, including at the Adelaide Festival Centre, Elder Park and throughout Adelaide. There are also several opportunities for schools (particularly regional schools) to participate in statewide projects and to host DreamBIG artist workshops and other events at their site.

2027 DreamBIG poster competition

• The 2027 festival theme and poster competition entry information will be launched in November 2025.
• The competition is for artwork created by South Australian reception to year 12 students during term 1 of 2026.
• Entries are due by the end of term 1, 2026.
• The winner receives a $500 gift voucher and their artwork is professionally incorporated into the festival poster and promotional materials.

DreamBIG teaching and learning resource

The DreamBIG teaching and learning resources are produced by the Department for Education for each DreamBIG Children’s Festival. The resources can be used to maximise the learning experience of students attending the festival and enhance arts learning in schools and preschools. The resource is designed to be used by educators at any time of year, regardless of festival attendance.

Using a learning design approach, resources are aligned with the SA Curriculum, the Australian Curriculum (version 9) and the artistic program of the festival. They contain arts learning sequences spanning preschool to year 10 aligned to the festival’s theme.

The 2025 resources are available below along with past editions. The resources are distributed to all schools and preschools at the end of term 3 the year prior to the festival. The resources feature:

• information about the DreamBIG theme statewide projects, professional learning, Arts education, Arts curriculum and Department for Education information and resources
• information and resources to run your own DreamBIG events
• ideas for developing learning in, through and about the Arts
• learning across dance, drama, media arts, music and visual arts
• additional materials, playlists, resources and equipment lists for the learning sequences are available in the companion.

DreamBIG statewide projects

Each festival a range of statewide and in-the-classroom activities are on offer.

View the schools program which is released at the end of term 3 in the year prior to the Festival to see all the opportunities.

DreamBIG teacher professional learning

DreamBIG teaching and learning resource workshops – metropolitan and regional

The DreamBIG Statewide Professional Learning Program is released at the beginning of the festival year.

The workshops are:

• aligned to the learning sequences in the DreamBIG teaching and learning resources
• suitable for all preschool, primary and secondary educators
• hands-on and practical in nature
• aligned with the SA Curriculum and Early Years Learning Framework
• focused on the Arts and integrating the Arts with other learning areas, developing dispositions and capabilities, and connecting with the cross-curriculum priorities
• complementary to, but not reliant on participation in the festival
• designed for ongoing thematic arts learning in preschools, primary and secondary schools.

Consent and entry forms

Student material submitted to DreamBIG must be accompanied with the specific consent and/or entry form. Students and teachers participating in festival activities will be required to complete a DreamBIG media consent form. The relevant forms will be provided.

Become an arts ambassador

Arts ambassadors are educators in schools and preschools in South Australia who are interested in or are teaching the arts. Arts ambassadors assist in promoting DreamBIG at their site.

Arts ambassadors receive the termly eNews with up-to-date information about DreamBIG, plus Arts specific professional learning and opportunities for teachers, schools and students.

Subscription to the arts ambassadors eNews is free.

To subscribe or update your contact details, email your name, school, year level(s) you teach and your role to education.DreamBIG@sa.gov.au.