Local MP and Shadow Minister for the Arts Kevin Anderson has stressed the need for state governments to do more to support the live music festival industry.
Speaking at the Golden Guitar, Mr Anderson and Tamworth Country Music Festival organiser Barry Harley argued for the cultural significance of live music, and the reforms needed to save the sector after the impact of Covid-19, weather events and cost of living, caused the Byron Bay Blues Festival to become the latest in a long line of festivals to pull the pin.
“Off the back of Covid we’ve seen it be a very, very difficult environment for live music festivals and events, we’re seeing a significant number of events being forced to cancel due to the costs,” Mr Anderson said.
“We’ve had Groovin the Moo and Splendor in the Grass [cancelled] and now, sadly, Byron Bay Blues Fest have announced this will be the last year.”
Groovin the Moo and Splendour in the Grass both emerged in the early 2000s, while Bluesfest has been on the radar even longer.
A church of live music since the 1990s, the festival in northern NSW has hosted a number of artists over the years, from Australia’s own bustling Cat Empire right through to blues giant B.B King and even Bob Dylan.
Mr Anderson said it was hardly surprising events are being forced to close their doors with running costs continually on the rise.
“We’re suggesting that there should be some sort of fee relief” he said.
“Whether it’s government fees and changes to public liability insurance as well, that should be afforded to these festival event organisers so that they can continue to provide what we know and love so well.”
Mr Anderson emphasised the importance of regional festivals such as the Tamworth Country Music Festival, and the Parkes Elvis Festival as economic boosters to the region.
“These things also affect tourism, don’t they? They’re huge tourism draw cards.”
“Think about the Tamworth Country Music Festival over 10 days, the economic boost that it brings to our region.
“Think about what the Byron Bay Blues Festival, the economic benefit for that location, or the Gympie muster, which is coming up very shortly, the same they are significant economic drivers, significant tourism benefits for those regions.”
Speaking after his announcement about the future of Bluesfest, founder of the event Peter Noble said the festival industry is at a crossroads.
“There is an extinction event occurring,” he said.
“We need the infrastructure and the venues to bring down the costs.”
Event organisers struggle to pay for policing costs and often-prohibitive security requirements, as well as finding the right infrastructure and venues for artists, Mr Noble said.
Mr Anderson further said he believes that the care taken by venues and event organisers to provide a safe environment should be taken into consideration when looking at insurance premiums.
“The insurance policies have gone through the roof, in some instances quadrupled, which is crippling those events and forcing them out of business.”
“So we’re calling on the government to think about broadening those status selection criteria to allow for support, like waiving government fees and charges, which will allow festivals to expand, but in addition to that, allow more festivals to come onto the calendar right across New South Wales.”
On the local front, Mr Harley said a strong 2024 Country Music Festival has propelled preparations for next year’s edition. He highlighted a couple of strengths that help the Tamworth festival thrive while others are struggling:
“We actually aren’t a gated festival. We actually cooperate with over 60 or 70 percent of the other venues. And so what that does is not only mitigate the risk, it also drives the impact to the economy, directly to the end user.”
Mr Harley stated that the size of the festival also attracts a good deal of state government sponsorship through Destination NSW, as well as “Hallmark Status”:
“It doesn’t come easy. You have to earn it, and we apply for it each year. But we’re in a we’re in a pretty strong position, plus we attract some commercial sponsorship as well, and so, but it’s very, very important that all festivals survive across across the state and across the nation, because that drives the the industry.”
Mr Harley said the ability of tourists to visit any of over 2000 live events over the course of the ten day festival makes it separate from a metro or traditional festival where patrons pay a fixed fee and see a curated selection of artists.
Whether or not Bluesfest and its younger cousins have a second wind remains to be seen. One thing’s for certain – more eyes will be on the Tamworth Country Music Festival in 2025 than ever before, a festival that shows no signs of slowing down.
Last month the local festival was held up as an example at an ongoing federal government inquiry into the future of live music. The inquiry was called after more than 25 festivals were cancelled across the country this year.
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