12 January 2004
Local Event Sets International Standard
12th Annual New Zealand Community Trust World Buskers Festival, Christchurch, New Zealand Thursday, 20 to Sunday 30
January, 2005 Entertainment industry contingents, from New South Wales and Victoria, will be hoping to pick up some
valuable tips of the trade by studying the New Zealand Community Trust World Buskers Festival when it opens on Thursday,
20 January.
“The Festival has a history of strong links with the international community”, says Festival Director, Jodi Wright.
“Each year we attract interest from overseas entertainment presenters”.
John Logan Entertainment is sending a twenty-strong group from its Coffs Harbour company headquarters. That group will
be joined next week by representatives from the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.
The Australians believe they can learn some valuable information from Christchurch’s Festival which presents the
greatest number of performers and performances, and is also the longest in duration and scale, attracting over 200,000
visitors during the 10 day event.
Unlike most large-scale events, there are several peculiarities unique to a street performance festival. Of particular
interest will be The World Busker Festival’s use of multiple open air venues and their management, operations and
scheduling.
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Last year the Festival cut the daily set-up time by 25% for its main theatre-style show, the Busker Comedy Club, held
each night in the historic Arts Centre, while increasing overall quality – with more space and comfort for spectators
and a longer show. Planning times were also reduced, measurable satisfaction rates increased, and operational efficiency
improved for the entire Festival. Marketing and promotion costs are an example of the heightened efficiency. Festival’s
succeeded in attracting an additional 125,000 attendees at a cost just 16 cents per person allowing a smaller percentage
of the overall budget on this function.
“Although we’re the largest street festival in the region, we don’t lose sight of the need to continually earn our
reputation for fresh ideas and great talent,“ says Wright.
About the Festival The Festival was founded in 1994 by Festival Trust – a charitable trust established to foster the
arts by producing high profile and accessible arts-based events.
The 2005 World Buskers Festival is core funded by the Christchurch City Council. Naming sponsor is the New Zealand
Community Trust. Other sponsors include; The CPIT, The Radio Network, TV3, Pacific Blue, The Christchurch Press, Allied
Domecq Wines (NZ) Ltd, The Arts Centre of Christchurch, the Loaded Hog, Waho, the Hyper Factory, Placemakers Riccarton,
Starbucks, Smokefree, Copthorne Durham, Ticketek and Hadlee Kippenberger and Partners. The Festival is the recipient of
grants and donations from the Lion Foundation, The Southern Trust, Scottwood Trust, The Community Trust, Bendigo Valley
Trust, The Canterbury Foundation, Caversham Trust, Royal Netherlands Embassy, ASIA 2000, and a variety of other
supporters – in kind, contra and financial.
www.worldbuskersfestival.com
ENDS