Corroboree Sydney: Indigenous festival cancelled after funding dispute with NSW government

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Corroboree Sydney: Indigenous festival cancelled after funding dispute with NSW government

By Andrew Taylor
Updated

A festival described as "a fantastic celebration of our nation's Indigenous culture" has been cancelled because of a funding dispute between organisers and the NSW government.

Corroboree Sydney will not be held this year after Destination NSW, the state government's tourism and events agency, refused to increase its financial support for the festival.

Former NSW Governor Marie Bashir with school students at the launch of Corroboree Sydney in 2013.

Former NSW Governor Marie Bashir with school students at the launch of Corroboree Sydney in 2013.Credit: Peter Rae

Artistic director Hetti Perkins said the festival could not succeed given the level of funding provided by Destination NSW.

"There was not the appropriate amount of funding for this year to allow the festival to be financially sustainable nor to build on the successes of 2014 and to meet the KPIs set by DNSW," she said.

Thousands of children paraded through the city in the Gurung Parade to launch Corroboree Sydney in 2014.

Thousands of children paraded through the city in the Gurung Parade to launch Corroboree Sydney in 2014.Credit: James Morgan

The cancellation of the festival, which featured a street parade of young children, an Aboriginal arts market, educational tours of major public institutions and free concerts at the Sydney Opera House, has come as a disappointment to Perkins.

"We're just fed up with begging for scraps from the table," she said. "Where's the support for Indigenous culture?"

She said the festival, established in 2013, had been a "fantastic achievement" over its two years.

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"The collective statistics tell the story of a festival which went from attendances of 35,000 in year one to almost 50,000 in year two – a significant uplift in just 12 months," she said, "and partner growth from the original nine in 2013 to over 20 in 2015."

Fijian dance ensemble RAKO performed at the Sydney Opera House. at last year's Corroboree Sydney.

Fijian dance ensemble RAKO performed at the Sydney Opera House. at last year's Corroboree Sydney.Credit: James Brickwood

Last year's Corroboree festival featured Perkins in conversation with AFL footballer Adam Goodes, who spoke about his upbringing and fondness for jigsaw puzzles.

Former NSW Governor Marie Bashir hosted a picnic and concert for the students in the grounds of Government House as part of the 2013 Corroboree festival.

Corroboree Sydney's artistic director Hetti Perkins in 2013 with dancer Karwin Knox (left) and Roy Kennedy from the Corroboree Council of Elders.

Corroboree Sydney's artistic director Hetti Perkins in 2013 with dancer Karwin Knox (left) and Roy Kennedy from the Corroboree Council of Elders.Credit: Anna Kucera

Perkins said a number of indigenous artists and cultural organisations in NSW would be affected by the decision to end the festival.

"There are many stakeholders who are impacted by this outcome, however it is not possible to continue the festival without adequate financial backing," she said.

Perkins said it seemed the state government's tourism and events agency preferred sporting events. In contrast, state governments in Queensland and NT had provided strong backing to the Cairns Indigenous Art Fair and Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair.

"Junk tourist shops – is that the best Sydney can offer?" she said. "Is that all we've got to say to people when they come to Sydney?"

The NSW government announced in April 2013 that Destination NSW would support Corroboree Sydney for three years.

"Corroboree Sydney is a fantastic celebration of our nation's Indigenous culture and the NSW Government is a proud supporter of the event," said former NSW deputy premier Andrew Stoner in 2014.

The decision to cancel the Indigenous festival followed a review by the Transitional Advisory Group, a group representing Corroboree's founding organisations, which recommended it become a biennial event.

"The fundraising model with DNSW was one that decreased year on year over the three years of the contract, based on what was in hindsight an overly optimistic expectation of securing sponsorship appropriate to a major event," Perkins said.

"The [TAG] put a proposal to DNSW that asked for a moderate increase in funding over two years (2015/16) to set the festival up for growth, success and future sustainability and to allow the festival to meet the KPIs set by DNSW."

DNSW spokesman Rhys Haynes said the state government's tourism and events agency had not withdrawn funding for Corroboree Sydney.

"Destination NSW supported the approach of changing Corroboree Sydney to a biennial event but was not able to meet the requested significant increase in funding," he said.

Haynes would not reveal how much money DNSW had given to Corroboree Sydney but disputed the quantum of additional funding requested by organisers.

He said promoting Indigenous tourism and events remained an important part of the agency's activities, with 80 per cent of its Aboriginal Tourism Action Plan 2013-2016 already implemented.

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