Behind the Music: Meet the Makers of Make Music Day 2026

When Make Music Day returns to Adelaide on 20 June, the city will come alive with free performances in venues, public spaces and unexpected corners across the CBD and North Adelaide. Behind every artist, venue and performance is a team working year-round to make it happen. Ahead of Make Music Day 2026, we sat down with organisers Alex Dearman, Lily Pitney and Felicity Edwards from the City of Adelaide to talk about what goes on behind the scenes, why supporting local music matters, and what they hope people take away from a day dedicated to creativity, connection and community.

Tell us a bit about yourselves and your roles with Make Music Day.

Alex:
I lead much of the artist liaison and venue curation in our team for both Music in the Square and Make Music Day. A big part of my role is working with diverse performers and venues to build a program that showcases the incredible breadth of talent we have in Adelaide.

Lily:
I'm a Project Coordinator in the City Experience team at the City of Adelaide. For Make Music Day, I work across communications, promotion, stakeholder engagement and event delivery, helping bring the program to life and connect audiences with everything happening on the day.

Felicity: My role is to ensure Make Music Day contributes to Council’s Strategic Plan, the Cultural Policy, our designation as a UNESCO City of Music and drives visitors to the City. I set the plan, budget, communicate up and support the team, I’m part of the curation panel too – the fun stuff!

What does Make Music Day mean to you personally, beyond just being an event on the calendar?

Lily:
For me, it's a meaningful way for the city to support local music.

It gives people a reason to get out and experience live music during a quieter time of year, while also creating opportunities for artists to perform, particularly emerging musicians who are building their careers.

I also love that it's completely free and spread across the city. There are performances in all kinds of venues and spaces, covering a huge range of genres and styles. People can really create their own experience and discover something new.

Was there a moment during last year's Make Music Day where you thought, "This is why we do it"?

Lily:
One moment that really stood out was seeing the Festival of Music choir perform in Rundle Mall.

There were hundreds of primary school students singing and the crowd was enormous. People stopped in their tracks to watch, listen and be part of the atmosphere.

What I loved most was hearing conversations in the crowd. People were talking about how great it was that these performances were free, and making plans to check out other events happening throughout the city. That's exactly what Make Music Day is designed to do.

Felicity:
A big moment for me was actually this year, when I informed an artist on a call that their application was successful - their overwhelmingly excited response and gratitude blew me away. The penny kind of dropped that maybe we have indeed created something pretty cool here.

People see the performances, but not always the work behind them. What actually goes into bringing a city-wide event like this to life?

Alex:
A huge amount of work.

Every year we receive hundreds of applications from artists and venues, and a big part of the process is carefully matching performers with spaces where they'll thrive.

There's a lot of consideration given to pairing emerging artists with more established acts, matching genres to suitable venues, and creating opportunities for audiences to discover something new. Beyond that, there's ongoing coordination with venues, performers and partners to make sure everyone has the information and support they need.

It's a massive collaborative effort, but seeing it all come together on the day makes it worthwhile.

Felicity: Can I also shout out Saige Prime our graphic artist this year? The design has taken it to a new level. 

Why is it important for events like Make Music Day to support emerging artists, diverse performers and local venues?

Alex:
A healthy music scene relies on opportunities for new artists to develop and grow.

Supporting emerging musicians today helps ensure Adelaide continues to have a vibrant music community in the future. At the same time, it's important that the program reflects the diversity of people, cultures and creative voices that make Adelaide what it is.

Make Music Day creates a platform where audiences can discover artists they may never have encountered otherwise, while also supporting the venues that play such an important role in our live music ecosystem.

Felicity:
Anyone in the music community in Adelaide will tell you it’s a labour of love to be a working musician or venue owner. We want Make Music Day to be part of the solution to uplifting that community.

We’re also really aware that there are a number of different scenes and music communities in Adelaide and we want to be proactive in making sure that diversity is well-represented.

What makes Adelaide the right city for something like Make Music Day?

Lily:
Adelaide is Australia's only UNESCO City of Music, so celebrating music is already part of our identity.

Being recognised as a UNESCO City of Music means Adelaide is part of a global network of cities acknowledged for their commitment to music, creativity and cultural development.

Make Music Day is a perfect expression of that identity. It showcases the incredible talent we have here while inviting people to experience music in a way that's accessible, welcoming and community-focused.

If someone wandered into Make Music Day for the first time this year, what do you hope they feel by the end of the day?

Alex:
I hope they leave feeling connected, to the city, to the artists performing, and to Adelaide's wider creative community.

Sometimes Adelaide gets a reputation for being quiet, but Make Music Day is proof of just how much talent, creativity and culture exists here. It's an incredible showcase of local artists and venues, all packed into one day and completely free to enjoy.

At its heart, Make Music Day is part of a global celebration that encourages people to experience music in all its forms. Whether you're performing, discovering a new artist or simply enjoying the atmosphere, it's a reminder of how powerful music can be in bringing people together.

Felicity:
Tired from dancing all night?! 😊

Make Music Day returns to Adelaide from morning until midnight on Saturday 20 June, transforming the city into a celebration of live music, creativity and community. With hundreds of free performances taking place across venues, laneways, public spaces and unexpected corners of the CBD, there’s something for every music lover to discover. Whether you're planning your day around favourite artists or simply following the sound of music through the city, explore the full program and be part of Adelaide's global day of music.