Australian Festival Association

“[The festival circuit] is too important to lose,” said Minister for Music and Night-time Economy John Graham. themusic.com.au/industry/five-…

I joined @Tony_Burke at the National Folk Festival to help announce a $25 million boost to the Revive Live program. 🎻🪕 Supporting local venues, festivals & artists across the country #auspol

NSW agrees to pill testing trial at music festivals amid calls from experts to decriminalise drugs theguardian.com/australia-news…

The NSW Government will begin a 12-month pill testing trial at music festivals in early 2025 to reduce harm from illicit drug use. The free, anonymous service will allow festivalgoers to have substances tested for purity, potency and contaminants by qualified health professionals. “Ultimately, our hope is that this trial saves lives,” said NSW Premier Chris Minns, speaking at a press conference this morning. Authorities emphasise that this is not an endorsement of drug use but a step to help people make safer choices. The trial includes an amnesty for personal-use testing but maintains that drug possession remains illegal, and police will continue targeting suppliers. The initiative will cost over $1 million to implement.

Liquor & Gaming NSW Takes Over Compliance:

Liquor & Gaming NSW Takes Over Compliance:

The Bill passed in Parliament Thursday & was signed yesterday! This marks a major shift in how NSW festivals are regulated & supported. Check out the challenges we faced and the big wins for the community below 👇#MusicFestivals

Together, we're making sure that music festivals in NSW are here to stay.

We're providing emergency funding for music festivals struggling under the pressure of rising costs.

Read the full article here: smh.com.au/culture/music/…

House of Mince has cancelled its October event due to NSW’s Music Festivals Act, which labelled it “high-risk” and imposed excessive police and ambulance fees. This is one of many events affected by these regulations. The AFA is calling for urgent reform to support live events.

Organisers of the iconic Birdsville Big Red Bash have announced the music festival will ‘take a breather’ next year. Festival founder Greg Donovan said in a statement, “after eleven successful years of staging the event and overcoming so many challenges and obstacles along the journey, our awesome team is overdue a break to reset and recharge. So, we are having a ‘BRB breather’ in 2025". The multi-day event attracts thousands of country music enthusiasts from across Australia and the world to the Simpson Desert, 35 kilometres west of Birdsville. Organisers of the most remote music festival in the world say it’s set to return in July 2026.

@creative_gov_au From reducing stages to seeking more sponsors, festivals are making tough choices to cope with rising costs. Learn how Australia’s music festivals are innovating to stay afloat.

@creative_gov_au 77% of festival income comes from ticket sales, with food and beverage adding another 20%. But for non-profits, grants and sponsorships play a bigger role in keeping the show going. See how the financial model differs across the sector.

The Soundcheck Two report from @creative_gov_au reveals the financial pressures Australian music festivals face in 2024, from rising insurance costs to increased policing fees. Organisers are adapting, but challenges remain. Full report: linktr.ee/australianfest…