In 2018-19, 15 festivals received operational funding from Creative Victoria, reporting on employment, volunteering, income and expenditure and attendance and programming.
7 of these festivals are located in regional Victoria.
Definition of festivals are a series of events and activities celebrating a cultural concept, facilitating exchanges between audiences and creative practitioners.
Finance
In 2018-19, Creative Victoria provided $10.5 million to festivals, around 27% of their total income. Total income for all festivals was $38.8 million.
Every $1 provided by Creative Victoria leveraged a further $2.71 income to the funded sector.
Sources of income
- Earned income was the largest component of revenue at 46% of total income.
- Creative Victoria funding was 27%.
- Other Government funding was 9% of total revenue (including Commonwealth, local and other State funding).
- Private support was 18% of total revenue.
- $2.4 million cash sponsorship
- $2.3 million in-kind sponsorship
- $1.3 million donations and fundraising
- $0.9 million foundations (incl. philanthropy)
Sources of income | ||
---|---|---|
Earned income | $17.8m | 46% |
Creative Victoria | $10.5m | 27% |
Other Government | $3.5m | 9% |
Private support | $7.0m | 18% |
Other | $0.0m | 0% |
Local Government provided 5% of the total income, around $1.8 million.
Expenditure
- 69% of sector expenditure went towards production costs
- 18% on administration costs
- 12% on marketing costs
Expenditure | ||
---|---|---|
Production | $26.0m | 69% |
Administration | $6.8m | 18% |
Marketing | $4.6m | 12% |
Other | $0.4m | 1% |
Depreciation | $0.2m | 0% |

Workforce
The sector employed 640 people, relying particularly on temporary staff due to the seasonal nature of festival work.
- Total employment is equivalent to 124 full time employees.
- 71% are employed on a casual basis.
Sources of income | ||
---|---|---|
Full time | 57 | 9% |
Part time | 126 | 20% |
Casual | 457 | 71% |
15 festivals engaged the services of 4,124 creative practitioners.
1,767 volunteers provided 36,947 hours of service.
Audience
15 festivals reported attendances of 1.8 million.
- 81% were from metropolitan Melbourne
- 12% from regional Victoria
- 5% from interstate
- 2% from overseas
15 festivals reported 4.3 million online visits
8 festivals reported 1 million views on digital platforms (incl. radio, TV, live streaming, downloads).
Programming
Festivals presented 2,434 events, including:
- 1,130 productions
- 138 exhibitions
- 95 workshops and classes
- 565 lectures, seminars and conferences
- 40 films
- 466 other events
Sector development
10 festivals offered children or youth participation programs recording 26,305 children or youth attendances through 541 sessions.
A number of organisations offered targeted programming:
- 11 offered programming for First Peoples
- 11 offered programming for children (up to 12 years)
- 12 offered programming for youth (12 to 25 years)
- 10 offered programming for people from culturally and linguistically diverse communities
- 6 offered programming for senior citizens
- 6 offered programming for people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and/or intersex
- 9 offered programming for people who identify as women
- 8 offered programming for people who identify as having a disability
- 10 offered programming for people living in regional communities.
Tours | ||
---|---|---|
Inbound | - | 134 |
Outbound | Victoria | 134 |
Interstate | 156 | |
Overseas | 61 |