Additional event industry support

What is the ask?

Council is requesting the Victorian Government:

• encourage and incentivise events of state significance to hold components of their programs at Port Phillip public spaces or cultural venues. Examples include the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Melbourne International Film Festival, Rising, and Always Live
• recognise the St Kilda Festival as an event of state significance, including funding consideration and support for marketing and tourism through agencies such as Visit Victoria, public transport alterations and services through Public Transport Victoria, and support from Victoria Police and Ambulance Victoria
• consider the impact of restrictive Environment Protection Authority (EPA) and planning regulations that significantly affect capacity to deliver events such as live music in and around our City, particularly in line with our collaborative work on live music precincts.

What is the issue this initiative will address?

The events industry across Victoria, including in the City of Port Phillip, has been significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns.

As well as causing events to be cancelled during lockdown, the pandemic has created additional barriers and financial burdens for organisers, reducing the viability of future events.

In 2019/20, we permitted 34 outdoor major events, compared to 14 in 2020/21 (excluding small, local community and trader events).

Prior to COVID-19, St Kilda was the most frequented inner-city destination for visitors outside of the CBD, with events a major drawcard to support the local creative sector, hospitality and tourism industries and the broader community. The loss of events and tourism in 2020 and 2021 has created a crisis in St Kilda that can be partially addressed through hosting events and the tourism that they bring. Creative industries and events in Port Phillip, including St Kilda Festival, need additional Victorian Government support to flourish again.

What is Council proposing?

Council is asking the Victorian Government to consider:

• supporting the delivery of the St Kilda Festival through funding contributions to drive tourism and visitation through economic activation of St Kilda and surrounds
• advocating for special consideration relating to restrictive EPA and planning regulations that significantly impact capacity to deliver amplified events in and around our City, in line with work on proposed live music precincts
• continuing to support major events through forthcoming and contributory collaboration with service agencies such as Public Transport Victoria, Victoria Police and Ambulance Victoria
• advocating for simplified processes for approvals required from other Victorian Government agencies such as the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP), Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation (VCGLR) and EPA or support Council delegations to manage major event approvals on behalf of these state agencies.

The project will:

• provide significant support for the creative sector, events industry and tourism businesses, across Victoria not just in Port Phillip
• help encourage new events across the municipality and attract potential partnerships with established events such as the Melbourne Fringe Festival, Melbourne International Film Festival, Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Melbourne Food and Wine Festival, Rising and Always Live.
• support live music and creative industry regeneration as well as local business activation.

How does this initiative align with the Council Plan and Victorian Government priorities?

Council

Council Plan 2021-31: Vibrant Port Phillip - a City that has a flourishing economy, where our community and local business thrive, and we maintain and enhance our reputation as one of Melbourne cultural and creative hubs.

• Vibrant activity centres: Council-produced events such as St Kilda Festival and St Kilda Film Festival are designed to maximise opportunities for local creatives and traders while bringing local, interstate and international tourists to our City.
• Events Strategy 2017 – 2022: Currently being reviewed, the new iteration is expected to be adopted in September 2022.

Victorian Government

This request would build on existing supports to the industry available under the Victorian Events Support Package and aligns with the principles of the Victorian Government’s Creative State Policy 2025.

How does this initiative assist the community recover from COVID-19?

This funding and assistance would be directly used to encourage and promote additional events within the municipality as well as cover the increased costs of safely staging major events by including COVID–19 precautions.

Alongside the allocation of funding for direct public health measures, this funding would allow for increased and measurable benefits for the live music industry, local businesses and tourism operators in St Kilda and across Melbourne, and for the community at large who are seeking ways to once again come together safely.

Cost and current status?

Cost

The St Kilda Festival is funded annually by City of Port Phillip at a net expense in the region of $1.7 million.

Status

Planning for the St Kilda Festival is already underway. Outcomes for 2023 would be informed by any funding decisions made.

The scalability of any major events would be significantly impacted if further resources are not made available. Council will run an Expression of Interest for 2022/23 major events in September 2022, seeking submissions to build the major events calendar for the 2022/23 event season.