Opened in 1973 — the first purpose-built arts centre in Australia — the Festival Centre sits on the north bank of the Torrens at the western end of King William Street. The brutalist complex contains four performance spaces, including the main Festival Theatre (capacity 2,000) and the smaller Dunstan Playhouse.
The Adelaide Festival of Arts (biennial, in March of even years) and the Adelaide Fringe (annual, in March, the second-largest fringe festival in the world after Edinburgh) are both based here. The outdoor plaza is a good spot for lunch and river views. The building itself has aged interestingly — its angled concrete planes are rather fine in the right light.