Melbourne festival loses cash

The Melbourne Comedy Festival is set to make a hefty loss, despite celebrating its biggest audiences.

The 26-day event is facing losses of around AU$ 100,000 (£40,000) because of an extensive marketing blitz designed to combat ‘festival fatigue’ after the city’s Commonwealth Games and Grand Prix.

The sports shunted the comedy festival back almost a month into less dependable autumn weather – and sparked fears that audiences would be reluctant to venture out again.

However, that now seems unfounded. Festival director Susan Provan told The Age newspaper: ‘This year was quite a big jump in numbers. It seems to just get a lot bigger each year.’

Final ticket sales have not been collated yet, but the estimates are that more than 350,000 tickets were sold – around ten per cent up on last year. This makes the comedy festival the biggest cultural festival in Australia, and as big as sporting events such as the Australian Open tennis tournament.

The 20th annual festival boasted 233 acts, 15 per cent more than in 2005, and saw the launch of a new venue, Trades Hall.

Festival organisers are now in talks about the $500,000 Victoria state subsidy the event receives. Next year’s festival will clash with the FINA world swimming championships in Melbourne and Provan says a similar advertising campaign to combat that would not be financially viable.

 

Published: 8 May 2006