Council and Australian National Events cancel 2023 Goulburn Blues Music Festival

His comments follow a mutual decision by the council and festival managers, Australian National Events (ANE) to cancel the 2023 fixture and concentrate on the 2024 festival.

In a joint statement, the organisations said the event had been impacted firstly by bushfires in February, 2020, then COVID in the two ensuing years. When the 2022 festival was shifted to November, storms hit and the major outdoor venue had to be shut down due to safety concerns.

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"Like everything, event costs are increasing, and it is becoming harder to obtain sponsorship. Industry wide, events and festivals are doing it tough, and people are not spending like they once were, through both sponsorship and general attendance," the council's marketing, events and culture manager, Sarah Ruberto said.

"By moving the event to November 2024, it allows the council and ANE to consider the success and challenges of the past few years, and plan for delivery of a stronger festival, with greater community and business support."

Despite this, the 2022 fixture broke even, Mrs Ruberto said.

ANE won the right in 2019 to run the Blues Festival for five years, following an expression of interest process. The council pays the company $30,000 annually and provides in-kind support. A council spokeswoman said the agreement did not tie the company to an annual event. But ANE event producer, Scott McDuff, told The Post that following recent discussions between the two parties, the agreement was amended to reflect the fact the 2023 festival wouldn't be held.

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Cr Walker said he'd be disappointed if it became a two-yearly event.

"We need to do everything we can to get it back to being an annual festival," he said.

"...I've had a lot to do with the Blues Festival whether on council or in my past life (as Goulburn Workers Club CEO). It's something we can't afford to lose and we have to look at every opportunity to make it successful. I'll be guided by advice on what we need to do."

The mayor said while society couldn't blame COVID-19 anymore, it had hurt events across NSW. He believed it was difficult to re-motivate people and secure volunteers.

Mr McDuff said it had been a challenging time and his company had run just two festivals since 2019.

"It was also a free event for a long time so that was a budgetary challenge in terms of making sure you were financing acts, infrastructure, accommodation and travel (for the artists)," he said.

"Since COVID, every expense has gone up...This gives us time to talk to the council and work out the best strategy for what the 2024 festival will look like."

In 2020, the organisers imposed a small entry fee. Mr McDuff said there was a "negative response" to this and patronage was down.

"We need to sit down and put a strategy in place that ensures the event is sustainable, whether that's environmentally, socially and economically," he said.

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Mr McDuff told The Post that ANE's decision to take on the now 25-year-old festival was "never about money," but a love of running music festivals. Nevertheless, his company also had to put "food on the table." He argued sponsorship was also a major challenge in the current environment but there was no problem securing acts.

Asked whether his company would re-apply for the Blues Festival contract when the agreement ended next year, he said he hadn't thought that far ahead and was focused on planning for the November 2024 event.

Geoff Bell, whose agency, Laing Entertainment, ran the festival for nine years, said he was personally disappointed the event wouldn't be held this year.

"But it's difficult to comment when I don't know the situation. It is a battle to keep it alive for so many years but anything like that is good for Goulburn," he said.

Mr Bell said the music industry had lowered its expectations due to external factors like the cost of living. In addition, international artists had taken money out of the domestic market.

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Mrs Ruberto said ANE and the council would meet later this year to review all aspects of the festival. Once completed, planning for the 2024 festival would start.

" The council has enjoyed a positive and collaborative relationship with ANE since they took on the management of the Australian Blues Music Festival. (They) have had a difficult time with the festival due to issues associated with bushfire smoke, COVID cancellations and major storm events, yet despite this, they see the possibilities and opportunities and are committed to delivering the final year of the five-year festival agreement. Council's marketing and events staff look forward to working with them to deliver another successful festival in 2024."

She said there had been no discussion at this stage on the event's staging beyond 2024. The council generally calls expressions of interest when the agreement ends.

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