If you’re a fan of music and arts festivals in Australia, you’ll want to sit up and take notice.
The organizers of Victoria’s Gaytimes Festival have just announced that the event will be going on hiatus after this year’s festival.
But what does this mean for the future of one of Australia’s most popular LGBTIQ+ events?
A Decade of Fun and Self-Discovery
For nine years, Gaytimes Festival has been bringing people together with its unique blend of music, arts, and self-expression.
From its humble beginnings in 2016 with just 300 festivalgoers, it has grown into a multi-day event that attracts over 1,500 people each year.
The festival has become a staple of the Australian music and arts scene, providing a safe and inclusive space for the LGBTIQ+ community to come together and celebrate.
Rising Costs and Falling Revenue: The Perfect Storm
So, why is the festival facing an uncertain future? According to Festival Director Anna Whitelaw, rising costs have forced the organizers to take a step back and reassess their plans.
“We’ve been hit with skyrocketing cost increases, which has led to two consecutive years of losses, despite increasing patron numbers,” she said. “Many of these costs, such as transport, staging, equipment, and insurance, have more than doubled since 2020.”
With the current economic climate making it difficult to secure acts and sell tickets, the festival is struggling to stay afloat.
A Call to Action: Let’s Make This Year’s Festival One to Remember
While the current plan is for the festival to take a year off and return in 2027, nothing is certain. Festival Director Anna Whitelaw is encouraging potential festivalgoers to attend this year’s event and make it a celebration to remember.
“If there’s one thing we’ve learned from running a festival through years of bushfires, storms, pandemics, and inflation, it’s that nothing is certain, and nothing lasts forever,” she said.
“So, this is an invitation to our beloved LGBTIQ+ community: if you love Gaytimes as much as we do, or if you’ve never been and always wanted to go, this year’s festival in March is your chance to come along and experience what we still believe is one of the best festivals in Australia, and one of the best queer parties on earth.”
The Bigger Picture: What’s Happening to Australian Music Festivals?
The news of Gaytimes Festival’s hiatus comes amid a spate of cancellations for major Australian music festivals, including Groovin the Moo, Splendour in the Grass, You & Me, Spilt Milk, The Birdsville Big Red Bash, and Harvest Rock.
It’s clear that the music festival scene in Australia is facing significant challenges, and it’s time for fans and organizers to come together to find a solution.
Will you be attending this year’s Gaytimes Festival and showing your support for the LGBTIQ+ community?
Let us know in the comments!