ORDINARY MEETING

14 NOVEMBER 20182

CAIRNS FESTIVAL 2018 – EVENT REPORT

Claire Heathcock | 79/5/12-07 | #5880281

RECOMMENDATION:

That Council:

1. Acknowledges the success of the 2018 Cairns Festival; and 2. Congratulates all parts of Council for assisting in the delivery of the event.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

The 2018 Cairns Festival once again showcased a very successful array of events with over 75,000 people attending, participating and engaging with the Cairns Festival events.

The Cairns Festival programming team maintains a strong focus on creating a curated program whilst building partnerships with major local talent and touring companies. It provides outstanding opportunities for local artists and performers.

The 2018 Cairns Festival was celebrated from 24 August to 2 September delivering events from Babinda to Trinity Beach. The 2018 program featured music, circus, poetry, comedy, roving performances, projection, film and visual arts activating venues in the city and throughout the region. The programming team maintained a strong commitment to the festival vision of delivering a vibrant, progressive and collaborative arts and cultural festival that reflects the region's unique stories and celebrates the distinctive colours and hues of the tropical lifestyle. Furthermore, to ensure the Cairns Festival is accessible to audiences across the region there is a continued focus on programming free events. In 2018, 90% of events were free to public.

The delivery budget for Cairns Festival was over budget in four key areas, marketing, salaries as well as infrastructure and entertainers’ costs. There was also a drop in sponsorship income for this year’s event.

BACKGROUND:

Annually the Cairns Festival seeks to provide a platform for local talents to shine, with over 180 local artists, performers and students featured in this year’s program. The 2018 festival also saw the continuation of partnerships with AGB Events and Circa with Giles Westley, Artistic Director from AGB Events working with students from James Cook University and trainers from Circa Training Centre completing a week’s residency with students from Yak Yak Yak and Cycas Circus. Queensland Symphony Orchestra also delivered the Symphony for Tomorrow program to students from eight local high

schools resulting in performances at Suburban Satellites and Superheroes at Munro Martin Parklands.

2018 presented a number of firsts for the Cairns Festival. Queensland Symphony Orchestra performed for the first time with the full orchestra since 2015 and for first time at Munro Martin Parklands. Melbourne based puppet collective Snuff Puppets visitedthe region for the first time presenting their unique, anarchic style of street performance and Gold Coast based theatre company Shock Therapy Productions for the first time presented with their imaginative site specific show, The Magic Garden.

Overall attendance numbers for the Cairns Festival were slightly down in 2018. This has been attributed to the overall success of Festival 2018 in April of this year with many families investing time and money in attending events at Festival 2018.

Program Highlights

City Lights Mix Tape – Attendance 15,000This year’s large scale projection on the Cairns City library featured works by local artist Vanghoua Anthony Vue. The vibrant geometric patterns were influenced by Vue’s Hmong heritage and experiences of growing up in Cairns. The work showcased another unique story from our region for locals and visitors alike.

Citadel It’s Latin for Little City – Attendance 500This unique installation was conceived and created locally. Part building, part artwork and part canvas, Citadel allowed kids from Cairns and all over the world to add their mark to this mini settlement.

Seagulls by Snuff Puppets – (As a roving act it is difficult to estimate numbers)Snuff Puppets landed on the Esplanade with their pack of noisy quarrelsome Seagulls. These experimental and hand-made puppets unashamedly accosted members of the public and tourists around the Esplanade over the first weekend of the Cairns Festival.

Grand Parade and Fireworks – Attendance 20,000This year the Grand Parade was celebrated with the theme of ‘Kaleidoscope’ with 67 floats, 2,666 people and 39 dogs participating. Local performers from Jute Theatre School, The Young Company and Sassy Catz, entertained audiences prior to the parade. Furthermore, throughout the day the mainstage featured some of the best female artists from the region. The event concluded with a spectacular fireworks display.

Sunday Funday – Attendance 4,000This year the Sunday Funday featured events along the Cairns Waterfront. In the morning, families could enjoy puppet-making workshops with artist Hayley Gillespie, the Travelling Story House, Open Air Disco and the Seagulls roving. Starting from 1:30pm the Festival Family Concert showcased a terrific line up of local artists before featuring Tiwi Islands musical act B2M and self-proclaimed Tropical Ambassador, Bobby Alu. The Cairns Festival Long Lunch was also held at the Harbour Lights Boardwalk.

Suburban Satellites – Attendance 450Suburban Satellites were delivered at the Freshwater CWA Hall, the Babinda Picture Theatre and Trinity Beach Community Centre. Each event was slightly different,

showcasing both local and international talent. This year also saw the first partnership with a major performing arts company to deliver the events. Cairns Festival programming team hope to grow on these partnerships in future.

Light Moves – Attendance 700For the second year, new media students of James Cook University, lead by Head of Media Arts Russell Milledge, created a pop up event at Lake Placid. The event featured projection and performances from CQUniversity dance students, Miriki Performing Arts, Natalia Mann and Merindi Schreiber to create a unique new media, projection, music and dance experience.

Humans by Circa – Attendance 456Circa presented Humans this year in the intimate surrounds at Tank 3, offering a world class theatre experience to audiences of all ages.

The Magic Garden – Attendance 350Gold Coast based Shock Therapy Productions presented their site specific children’s theatre show at Muddy’s Playground and the Tanks Arts Centre. The show took kids and parents alike on a fun-fuelled interactive journey of exploration and creativity.

Superheroes by Queensland Symphony Orchestra – Attendance 2,283Queensland Symphony Orchestra returned to the region for the first time since 2015 presenting a spectacular outdoor music event featuring famous scores from films such as Star Wars, Indiana Jones and Harry Potter.

Carnival on Collins – Attendance 20,000Families from around the region again attended this annual Father’s Day celebration which featured over 200 market stalls, a fantastic local line up of music and roving entertainment from Cairns and around Australia.

COMMENT:

Cairns Festival is made successful each year through the ongoing engagement from the Cairns community. From people participating in the Grand Parade, to volunteering and attending as audiences, the unique energy and feel of our distinctly ‘Cairns’ festival comes from this. As such, the team would again like to thank the community for another safe and successful Cairns Festival.

Furthermore, the Cultural Services team would like to extend thanks across Cairns Regional Council where annually the programming team calls on people and departments across the Council to assist in delivering all aspects of the Cairns Festival – the event would not be possible without this ongoing collaboration.

OPTIONS:

Option 1: (Recommended)

That Council:

1. Acknowledges the success of the 2018 Cairns Festival; and 2. Congratulates all parts of Council for assisting in the delivery of the event.

Option 2:

Council requests further information be provided.

CONSIDERATIONS:

Council Finance and the Local Economy:

2018 Cairns Festival Income and Expenditure

Actuals Budgeted VarianceOperating Income Sponsorships – Cairns Airport 2,500 2,500 0TOTAL INCOME 2,500 2,500 0

Operating ExpensesEmployee Costs 69,763 67,000 (2,763)Materials & Services 374,937 374,100 (837)Internal Charges 28,612 16,000 (12,612)Contributions and Donations 9,000 7,500 (1,500)TOTAL EXPENSES 482,312 464,600 (17,712)

NET GAIN / (LOSS) (479,812) (462,100) (17,712)

External In-Kind ContributionsPakmag Advertising Sponsorship 11,295Pacific Toyota 11,600Technical Direction Company 49,240Final Touch Productions 9,500Xplosive Art 15,000Cairns Airport 2,500

TOTAL IN-KIND CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED 99,135

Notes:

Income from sponsorships dropped this year. Sponsorship strategies need to be reviewed for the 2019 event.Internal charges are reading over due to Traffic Services charges coming through internally instead of direct to supplier as per previous years.There was additional expenditure in equipment and staff time to ensure the Suburban Satellite partnership with Queensland Symphony Orchestra could be delivered.Marketing costs are over budget due to budget reductions coming through mid-campaign, however contracts with key media outlets were already committed to.

2018 Carnival on Collins Expenditure

Actuals Budgeted Variance

Operating ExpensesEmployee Costs 20,363 33,000 12,637Materials & Services 36,623 30,640 (5,983)Internal Charges 1,112 2,000 888Contributions and Donations 0 0 0TOTAL EXPENSES 58,098 65,640 7,542

NET GAIN / (LOSS) (58,098) (65,640) 7,542

External In-Kind Contributions

TOTAL IN-KIND CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED 0

Corporate and Operational Plans:

The festival meets the strategic goals of Council’s Corporate Plan1. Economy

Deliver events, activities and performances that bring economic and social benefits to the community.

3. LiveabilityMaintain the region’s relaxed nature.

4. Community & CultureSupport a rich and diverse culture through accessible public facilities andcommunity initiativesBuild vibrancy through community events and activitiesSupport social and community groupsCulture, heritage and place are valued, shared and celebrated.

5. Serving the CommunityDeliver best value customer service to the communityCollaborate and build working partnerships between community and government to plan and deliver better servicesConsidered decision-making based on collaboration, transparent and accountable leadershipPromote a safety culture of ‘everyone home safe & well today and everyday’.

Policy:

Arts and Culture Policy To be a more vibrant, progressive and collaborative community, working together to achieve greater local, national and international recognition for the unique and culturally diverse artistic excellence of our region and its distinctive, tropical lifestyle

ATTACHMENTS:

Attachment 1 – Attendance FiguresAttachment 2 – Cairns Festival Photos

Stephen FosterManager Cultural Services

Linda KirchnerGeneral Manager Community, Sport and Cultural Services

Attachment One – Attendance Figures

Event AttendanceCitadel - It's Latin for Little City 500

Festival Friday Concert 800

Spectrum Pop Up Street Party 500

City Lights - Mix Tape 15,000

Guilt Free Comedy - Paid or Pain 100

Grand Parade - Day Time Program 2,500

Grand Parade and Fireworks 20,000

Sunday Funday - Morning 1,500

Sunday Funday - Family Concert 2,500

Cairns Festival Long Lunch 111

Suburban Satellites - Freshwater 150

Suburban Satellites - Babinda Picture Theatre 100

Suburban Satellites - Trinity Beach 400

Outside the Lines - Projection 500

Family Film Nights 1,050

Humans Circa 456

Energy Exhibition Launch 300

Light Moves - Lake Placid 700

The Magic Garden - Muddy's 200

Jazz Under the Stars 700

Superheroes at MMP 2,283

Carnival on Collins 20,000

Japanese Bon Dance 5,000

TOTAL 75,350

Attachment Two – Cairns Festival Photos