Festival organisers invited to participate in survey on ongoing insurance challenges

Cancellations of music festivals due to climate-related events have increased over the last five years with some festivals also having to manage extreme weather impacts during events that have already commenced.

The Black Summer 2019-20 bushfires drove away Falls Festival (Lorne, Victoria), Lost Paradise (Glenworth, New South Wales) and Yours & Owls (Wollongong, NSW).

Floods throughout 2022 held up Strawberry Fields (Tocumwal, NSW), This That (Newcastle, NSW) and Vanfest (Bathurst, NSW). Many other Australian festivals have also been affected.

Insurance premiums are becoming more expensive and, in some cases, won’t cover festivals for risks such as bushfire-related cancellations.

FEAT., an artist-led, results-oriented, climate innovations agency spearheads innovative approaches to solving modern sustainability challenges.

In response to the ongoing challenge of rising insurance costs facing the Australian live entertainment sector, FEAT. are investigating the reasons behind rising Public Liability insurance costs for festivals and exploring alternative insurance solutions for managing the current market risks that are being exacerbated by a warming climate.

Their project is being supported by Creative Australia and Music Australia, and they are inviting all festival organisers to contribute to the live investigation they are leading. 

FEAT. are requesting the support of all festival organisers to answer five questions about Public Liability premiums and claims history

The survey is quick, easy and will help FEAT. to understand which alternative insurance solutions might benefit the Australian festival sector.

FEAT., will use this information in the following way:

1. To better understand how the current insurance policy landscape is influencing and impacting on the costs and risks to your festival.

2. To explore alternative insurance solutions for the sector; specifically, the potential benefits of collective insurance models, such as a Mutual. (A Mutual is a not-for-profit, member-owned collective, designed to provide long-term premium stability, and industry-tailored insurance to serve the unique needs of an industry.)

Participate in the Survey