Triple J

• Regional touring festival Groovin’ The Moo has announced its cancellation only eight days after placing tickets on sale, citing low demand.
• So why are we seeing so many Australian music festivals cancelled?

Growing challenges for festivals

• Higher overheads Rapidly increasing overheads, such as rocketing public liability insurance costs for both venues and festivals alike, affect the viability of such events.
• This problem began with the COVID pandemic, but extreme weather events exacerbated by climate change have compounded these issues as well as affecting the viability of outdoor summer music festivals.
• In 2022 alone, more than 20 Australian festivals were cancelled because of extreme weather.
• Read more:
  No festivals, no schoolies: young people are missing out on vital rites of passage during COVID

  4.

• The consolidation of taste While “variety” festivals such as Groovin’ the Moo and Falls Festival – which feature diverse, multi-genre lineups – are struggling, genre-specific festivals and major artist tours continue to perform well.

Is this anything new?

• Uncertainty is inherent in the music business, where an oversupply of product meets a market driven by the vagaries of taste.
• Festival programmers must “forecast” what will draw a crowd, booking performers up to a year in advance.
• However, mega-crises, such as the pandemic, climate change and financial shocks, create deeper uncertainties that fundamentally challenge business as usual.

Sam Whiting receives funding from Creative Australia and the Australasian Performing Right Association. Ben Green receives funding from the Australian Research Council and the Australasian Performing Right Association.