Rising on pause; Dark Mofo ticket sales delayed. The government must insure our arts events
The festival has announced a “pause” on shows for the coming week. The arts are again confronted with the total loss of ticket revenue, just as the sector was tentatively recovering. It is another terrible setback for a bruised industry. Lockdowns and border closures in 2021 have already forced shows to cancel at the Sydney, Adelaide and Perth festivals, while Byron Bay Bluesfest was cancelled at the last minute. Reacting to the developing situation in Melbourne, Tasmania’s Dark Mofo — scheduled for June — has delayed ticket sales. We need to do better in putting a floor under losse...