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Regional festivals: community is key in an increasingly crowded market

From Castlemaine to Tennant Creek, regional arts festivals are flourishing, and maintaining a community focus is paramount to their success.

5 Nov 2014 12:00

Richard Watts

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Writing and Publishing

Castlemaine State Festival opening night 2013: image via Vimeo

Across Australia, from Mildura and Shepparton to Albany and Broome, regional councils are embracing the arts as a means of rejuvenation and engagement. But does the proliferation of regional festivals also present a risk for established events, such as the Castlemaine State Festival, in that they will have to fight harder for audiences and funding dollars?

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Richard Watts

Richard Watts OAM is ArtsHub's National Performing Arts Editor; he also presents the weekly program SmartArts on Three Triple R FM. Richard is a life member of the Melbourne Queer Film Festival, a Melbourne Fringe Festival Living Legend, and was awarded the Sidney Myer Performing Arts Awards' Facilitator's Prize in 2020. In 2021 he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Green Room Awards Association. Most recently, Richard received a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in June 2024. Follow him on Twitter: @richardthewatts