Iconic poster art to shine a light on diversity and inclusion on Australia Day
Free, community event – Aus Lights on the River 2025 – on January 26 will include a giant lantern telling the stories of the people in Adelaide artist Peter Drew’s evocative AUSSIE posters series.
It would be safe to say that the majority of Adelaideans are familiar with the work of local street artist Peter Drew, even if his name does not immediately spring to mind.
His Real Australians Say Welcome and AUSSIE poster series, featuring archival photographs of Australians, have been pasted across buildings throughout the city and interstate for around a decade, encouraging us to embrace multiculturalism, diversity and unity.
They follow on from Drew’s Bound for South Australia series in 2014, which was produced as a counterpoint to the incendiary speech that dominated the news at a time when the Federal Government’s Operation Sovereign Borders had just been introduced and ‘stopping the boats’ was a pledge made by both major parties.
Drew’s AUSSIE posters use images sourced from the National Archive of Australia of people who had applied for an exemption to the dictation test, one function of the White Australia Policy.
Most of those featured in the AUSSIE series were born in Australia and were required to take the test if they wanted to return home after travelling overseas.
The portraits will light up the Elder Park Rotunda into a glowing symbol on inclusion and unity as part of the Australia Day Council of South Australia’s Aus Lights on the River 2025 event at Elder Park on January 26.
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Drew said he hoped the lantern would help South Australians identify themselves in the photographs, recognising similarities and the value of multiculturalism in the story of our nation.
Kishner (of Aloomba), 1909, age 31, born in India.
Asked about the greatest opportunities that can come from multiculturalism, he said there was an opportunity to contend with human nature’s tendencies towards discrimination and intolerance.
“I think that the difficulties that my posters and my work contend with are human nature,” he said.
Australia Day Council of SA CEO Jan Chorley said the Aus Lights on the River event is a chance for all South Australians to come together to reflect on the diversity and richness of our community.
“Whether we were born in Australia or are citizens by choice, let us reflect on this great nation and consider what difference we can make to shape a reconciled and unified nation,” Chorley said.
“We are offering free events designed to support a feeling of community and inclusiveness.
“The activities we have curated aim to respect the breadth of the South Australian community, highlighting what unites us.”
Adding to the spectacle, this year’s January 26 event coincides with the Santos Tour Down Under Final Stage Presentation and the cycling crowd is encouraged to stay on for the AusLights activities, which will begin at 5pm with a full program of fun for children and families.
Aus Lights on the River is a free public event
Children will be invited to create their own self-portraits based on Drew’s Aussie poster series. The children’s work will be exhibited as a growing art installation throughout the evening.
The program also includes a parade of up to 2000 people from cultural, community and volunteer groups weaving its way across the River Torrens towards the illuminated Elder Park Rotunda.
The Respecting Country Parade at 7pm will be followed at 8pm with an official ceremony including performances by singer-songwriter John Schumann, the Adelaide Youth Orchestra and contemporary a cappella singers Festival Statesmen Chorus.
Aus Lights on the River will end with a spectacular fireworks display at 9.30pm.
Aus Lights on the River 2025 is assisted by the Australian Government through the National Australia Day Council and the City of Adelaide and is supported by the Government of South Australia.
Respecting Country Parade sponsors are Adelaide PHN and Credit Union SA. The Official Ceremony is sponsored by Green Gold Energy.
