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The
Australian Festival Association (AFA)
on
SPLENDOUR IN THE GRASS
cancellation
Quotes attributable to Mitch Wilson, Managing Director, Australian Festival Association:
“We are devastated by the news of Splendour’s cancellation. The Australian music festival industry is currently facing a crisis, and the flow-on effects will be felt across the local communities, suppliers and contractors that sustain our festivals and rely on them to support their livelihoods.
Some festivals have seen strong ticket sales this summer, but with costs up 30-40% across the board and affordable insurance difficult to obtain, margins are tight.
Festival organisers haven’t raised ticket prices to offset or meet these increases due to cost-of-living challenges being faced by everyone.
We need government at the table to help us through this period and assist in stabilising our industry to sustainable levels. This needs a national approach.
The Australian Festival Association call on the Albanese Labor Government to substantially increase and continue the Live Music Australia grants for festivals in the upcoming federal budget.
We call on State Governments to support music festivals with time-limited funding to help us through the next two seasons.
The Minns Labor Government in particular must ease the regulatory pressures being faced with user pays police, liquor licencing and medical and ambulance costs.
The Allan Labor Government must outline their Live Music Major Events Fund.
Festival-goers, if you don’t want to see more of your favourite festivals cancel please show your support and buy your tickets early.
We acknowledge the current poor strength of the Australian dollar and high travel costs impacting the ability of festival promoters to entice headline artists from overseas, further impacting peoples’ demand for tickets when disposable incomes are tight.
If we all step back and let market conditions determine our future, cancellations will continue. Do we, as a community want to lose more of Australia’s favourite cultural events?”
BACKGROUND
535 music festivals were presented across Australia in the 2022–23 financial year, with Victoria and New South Wales presenting the highest number of festivals – 149 each. That is almost 1.5 music festivals for every day of the year. Australia has more festival per capita than the United Kingdom, known for its large and diverse festival industry.
More than $234 million of revenue was attributed to contemporary music festivals in 2022, making up 11.7% of the total revenue of the Australian live performance industry (third highest behind contemporary music and musical theatre).
In the 18–25-year demographic demand for tickets in this key age group has decreased when compared to the same age group prior to the pandemic.
About AFA
The Australian Festival Association (AFA) was formed to represent the shared interests and importance of the Australian festival industry. The AFA is committed to delivering safe and well-run festivals around Australia and providing a framework for industry operating standards. Our members are committed to ensuring the ongoing viability of festivals as thriving businesses, significant municipal events and sites of global cultural exchange in the interest of all Australians.
AMNPLIFY – DB
My nickname is “The Amnplifier”. Why? Because around here my focus is on being a conduit for providing greater outcomes that people come here for. My day to day “work” is living in the moment, and I love helping others concentrate on finding their connection to themselves through their experiences.
Why start a music environment? The truth is I love music, I love writing, and I love life. I work with musicians every day, and I feel certain that I will be until they put me in the ground. I have been managing people in businesses of some sort for over thirty five years so along the way I have developed some “wisdom” from my regular and constant “observations”.
Amnplify your experience. That is what we want you to do here, and if you want to let me know why you do, or don’t, shoot me a message on Facebook.
Hope you enjoy yourself here and find something that hits you somewhere.
