No rain on Sydney Festival’s parade

Despite 2012 recording one of the wettest Januarys to date, the measure of Sydney Festival’s contribution to the NSW economy has grown by 13% since last year.

The findings of a three week survey, conducted at both ticketed and free events by Deloitte Access Economics, found that the Sydney International Arts Festival’s estimated total contribution to the NSW economy was $56.8million – $6.6million more than last year’s event.

The total figure includes the impact from an estimated 35,664 unique vistors from interstate and overseas and 24,836 residents of regional NSW who travelled to the Festival.

“The survey shows how enthusiastically Sydney Festival has been embraced by the public and its economic and cultural importance to the State,” said Minister for Tourism, Major Events, Hospitality and Racing and Minister for the Arts, George Souris.

“This great event is an opportunity for us to help showcase Sydney to our interstate and international visitors and ensure that their experience of Australia is both memorable and sufficient to encourage them to visit us again sometime in the future.”

The $56.8 million total economic contribution includes direct value added as a result of visitor expenditure ($31.9 million) and indirect flow-on generated through the Festival ($24.9 million).

Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore MP, and Chair of the Festival Board, said the survey confirmed the hard economic value of supporting Sydney’s creative life.

“Our $1.6 million investment contributed to the Sydney Festival’s terrific buzz in January, and helped give the city’s hotel, restaurant and retail sector a $24.9 million boost,” the Lord Mayor said.

2012 saw more than 125,000 tickets sold across 399 performances of 122 events – including 11 world premieres, 15 Australian exclusives and 14 Australian premieres – with an average ticket price less than $50.

Together with the free events, more than 580,000 attendances at the 2012 Festial in a celebration of summer, art and life engaging with audiences and artists across the city.

2012 marks Lindy Hume’s third and final year as Festival Director.