Rodney Stevens
A report into the economic benefit of Bluesfest to the Northern Rivers region and the state has revealed the music festival, which is in jeopardy of not continuing beyond 2025, contributed $148 million to the region and $235 million to the NSW economy this year.
Lawrence Consulting were contracted to prepare a report into the economic impact of Bluesfest which reveals significant economic contributions at a crucial time as the festival prepares for it’s final 2025 event due to the breakdown in attracting investment from the NSW Government.
The report found that Bluesfest 2024 has a gross regional product contribution of $42.4 million to the Byron Shire, $83.2 million to the wider Northern Rivers, and $130.5 million to NSW, creating 358.5 full time jobs in the Byron Shire which generated $54.4 million in wages.
From the total economic output of $235.1 million across NSW, the report estimates attendees to Bluesfest 2024 spent $32.7 million in the Byron Shire, $54.6 million in the Northern Rivers region, and $70.5 million within NSW in relation to the festival.
Based on these figures, over the 35-year history of Bluesfest, the economic contribution of the festival to NSW would be in the billions of dollars.
Bluesfest Executive Chairman, Peter Noble said the results of $235 million contributed to the NSW economy from the 2024 festival were nothing short of remarkable.
“Sharing these numbers with you is bittersweet in light of our recent announcement that 2025 will mark the final chapter of Bluesfest,” Bluesfest Executive Chairman Peter Noble said.
“This is an amazing achievement, not only for the Byron Shire but for the entire state, demonstrating just how significant Bluesfest is to our local and state economies, yet in 2024 Bluesfest lost money, and we still delivered an amazing result for NSW.”
Mr Noble said current circumstances made continuing the festival impossible.
“I want to make it clear that it was never my intention to end Bluesfest,” he said.
“I have always believed in its future, and I still do.
“But the current circumstances make it impossible to continue the festival in its current form.
“That said, I firmly believe Bluesfest is something worth preserving – not just for today’s music lovers, but for future generations, including those who haven’t even been born yet.
“The arts, and events like Bluesfest, are worth protecting.”
Member for Ballina, Tamara Smith has launched an online petition calling on the NSW Government to provide a rescue package to Bluesfest, with the aim of gathering 20,000 signatures so a debate can be held in NSW Parliament about the future of Bluesfest.
“Bluesfest is not just a festival; it’s a crucial part of our community, our economy, and our cultural identity,” she said.
In just 3 weeks the petition has already attracted more than 6000 signatures.
Sign the petition and share it with your friends and family at https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/la/pages/epetition-details.aspx?q=R3_KU5w90AcnCkWT1-E0_A&ref=bluesfest-cm