Northern Culture and Festivals Infrastructure Plan being developed for Tasmania

The Tasmanian Government, through the 2030 Strong Plan for Tasmania’s Future, is developing the Northern Culture and Festivals Infrastructure Plan, with Visit Northern Tasmania engaged to deliver it.

Visit Northern Tasmania will manage development of the northern strategy in collaboration with Events Tasmania. It will align the project with the work being undertaken by DarkLab towards a southern venue strategy.

DarkLab was founded in 2016 by David Walsh, the owner of the Museum of Old and New Art (Mona) with the team being behind Dark Mofo and responsible for expanding Hobart’s winter program. In addition to producing the Dark Mofo festival each year, DarkLab work with a range of collaborators on cultural and commercial developments in Australia and internationally, and operate a number of venues in the Hobart CBD.

The Tasmanian Government’s 2030 Strong Plan is aimed at future-proofing the infrastructure needs of the festival and events industry in northern Tasmania.

Tasmanian Minister for Sport and Events, Nic Street, said the plan was an important step for the north of the State noting “having a long-term plan in place to support our culture and festivals infrastructure is critical, and we are pleased to see the wheels in motion.

“Festivals and events play a significant role in growing Tasmania’s visitor economy, and it is key that we explore the needs of the sector so that we can forecast opportunities for growth, as well as support events that will attract visitors to our state.”

Minister Nick Duigan, and Liberal Member for Windermere, said the plan’s development would be a collaborative process with Minister Duigan adding “a key part of developing the plan will be bringing together a steering committee from across the events, tourism, hospitality and infrastructure sectors, as well as local councils.

“We expect this work to include an audit of the current event and festival venues in the north and north-west and consider opportunities to encourage more events.

“Importantly, it will analyse proposed developments and their cultural, social and economic impacts and within, and for, the regions.

“If we want to attract and retain vibrant and healthy festivals and events in the north, and across the state more broadly, we need to make sure the infrastructure is there, and that’s what we are examining.

The Northern Culture and Festivals Infrastructure Plan is expected to be completed in the next 12 months.

Image. MONA gala Credit DarkLab