Bluesfest cancellation to cost more than $10 million in losses

Australia's peak arts and entertainment industry body, Live Performance Australia (LPA) has suggested that the cancellation of Bluesfest will result in more than $10 million in losses that could "destroy" businesses involved with the event.

LPA has highlighted that Bluesfest not only supports musicians but hundreds of employees who run the event as well as small businesses who host stalls at the festival site - all of whom will be impacted by the cancellation.

Advising that NSW Health’s “eleventh-hour” decision to halt the event could cost many their jobs and livelihoods after a devastating 12 months for the live-entertainment industry, LPA Chief Executive, Evelyn Richardson stated “this has cost hundreds of jobs, musicians who were about to perform their first gig in a year have been shut down, thousands of people who were attending the seated, COVIDSafe approved event have been turned away, and the local regional economy has been severely impacted.”

Since last year, LPA has been calling for a Business Interruption Fund to support musicians and artists struggling during the pandemic.

Explaining the need for this, Richardson added "this is irrefutable proof that a business interruption fund is critical to the survival of live entertainment events in an environment where no promoter or producer can get insurance.

"This is a watershed moment ... continued snap lockdowns and border restrictions are killing consumer and industry confidence. We have been shut down for a year. We can't survive the next six to 12 months without some form of insurance."

Organisers said they were "heartbroken" and expressed sympathy for those impacted by the last-minute cancellation, which was announced following a single case of community transmission on Wednesday.

We won’t be beaten.
We won’t lie down.
We will get up.
We will fight.
We will never give up.
We will return.

The whiteboard in Peter Noble’s office at the cancelled Blues Fest @9NewsSyd pic.twitter.com/N3JH8RMrV3

— Ruth Wynn-Williams (@RuthWW) April 1, 2021

In a statement they advised "the Bluesfest team has worked day and night for a year to achieve the approved COVID-19 Safety Plan - the first of its kind in the music industry and have been told by the NSW Health that it exceeded other major sporting events in its depth and ability to protect the public."

‘Postponed’ not ‘cancelled’
Media reports this morning suggest that organisers are in discussions with NSW Health and the artists involved regarding a possible postponement for the event.

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard is quoted as saying “while the cancellation of Bluesfest is disappointing for music lovers and the local community, I hope that ticket holders would support Bluesfest and hold on to their tickets as I understand Bluesfest will be working on a new date as soon as possible.”

Suggesting that the event had been postponed rather than cancelled, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said she would have "loved" for Bluesfest to have gone ahead "but under the circumstances it just wasn't viable", adding “yes, the festival going ahead would have been great, but it is just a postponement as far as I am concerned and the government will continue to work with the organisers to see if that can be resurrected at a future stage.”

Ticket Refunds
According to event organisers, "should the event be cancelled by government, Bluesfest 2021 ticket income will be held in a locked bank account".

The conditions add "if the event is unable to proceed on the advertised date or location by Government order, Bluesfest reserves the right to reschedule the Event, and offer a credit or exchange to the rescheduled date, or offer a refund request window of 28 days."

These details have yet to be announced as an alternative date is negotiated.