AusLeisure

Creditors including multiple suppliers and contractors of a failed music festival will likely get nothing after the company behind The Grass is Greener was wound up with debts of over $3 million.

Hand Picked Events and Marketing went into administration late last year after low ticket sales for its shows in Cairns and Geelong left the company without enough funds to pay the artists booked to play.

While there had then been hopes that a deed of company arrangement would result in some money being recouped, with artists cancelling their appearances, administrators officially liquidating the company.

The Grass Is Greener festival had been set to go ahead throughout October last year on the Gold Coast, Canberra, Cairns and Geelong.

However, in early October, headliners Ty Dolla $ign, ZHU and Mary Jane Coles and Australian act ONEFOUR pulled out.

Sole director Oliver Frost said he appreciated how hard suppliers and staff had worked to build the festivals, telling The Gold Coast Bulletin “prior to Covid, we had put on successful music events for six years and our intention was to continue to expand on these great experiences for fans and artists.

“Unfortunately, spiralling costs following Covid, coupled with unforeseen extreme weather conditions and an already tough environment for the live entertainment and hospitality industries, greatly contributed to this outcome.

“It was never our intention to do anything other than create a festival that had a positive economic impact for our community - including for staff and suppliers, many of which are friends - and the artists involved.”

Administrators found that Frost had used substantial funds from the festival to prop up a number of his other business ventures with interest free loans, which will now not be paid back.

Among the total debts $158,340 is owed to the Australian Taxation Office, while $120,900 is owed to ticket holders.

BCR Advisory was appointed as liquidators on 9th December last year with Hand Picked officially entering liquidation as of 17th July.

Related Articles

21st July 2023 - Adelaide Guitar Festival attracts more than 18,000 attendances

13th July 2023 - Inaugural popular culture festival coming to Lake Macquarie

10th July 2023 - Theatre, music, circus and cabaret among the inclusive Darwin Fringe Festival 2023 offerings

6th July 2023 - Rising water fears cause cancellation of light component of Moama Lights Festival

5th July 2023 - Musicians Foundation’s Summer Festival combines music and wellness with addressing inclusivity

3rd July 2023 - Funding enables Brisbane Festival to provide paid opportunities for arts workers

29th June 2023 - Hobart to play host to another major winter festival

20th June 2023 - Rialto announces new winter lights festival for Melbourne

19th June 2023 - Australian Festival Industry Conference reveals full program

17th June 2023 - Crowds head to Kingscliff for ‘Seas the Day’ Women’s Surf Festival

15th June 2023 - New report highlights economic impact of Sydney Fringe Festival

9th June 2023 - Barunga Festival marks 35th anniversary of landmark Barunga Statement

2nd June 2023 - New major festival to bring live music back to Melbourne’s Royal Exhibition Building

---

Support our industry news service
We hope that you value the news that we publish so while you're here can we ask for your support?

As an independent publisher, we need reader support for our industry news gathering so ask that - if you don't already do so - you back us by subscribing to the printed Australasian Leisure Management magazine and/or our online news.