This has contributed to a cumulative $1.2 million loss for the Play on the Plains Ltd, which also puts on the Deni Ute Muster.
Adding to the losses has been the cancellation of the both the 2020 and 2021 Ute Muster.
‘‘Unfortunately the future of Play On The Plains is not so bright as it was not supported with ticket sales,’’ Play on the Plains Ltd general manager Vicky Lowry said.
‘‘(We sold) under half of what was needed to be viable.’’
Pre-COVID, the Ute Muster was a multi-million dollar weekend for the region’s economy.
It was hoped the Play on the Plains festival, which only debuted last year, would become a complementary event to the Ute Muster, bookending the summer festival season.
It caters to those interested in indie, pop and electronic genres, while the Ute Muster is primarily tailored to country music fans.
‘‘We started this festival for that 18 to 25 year-old demographic,’’ Mrs Lowry said.
‘‘For locals of that age to see that calibre of artist, they would usually have to travel to the city or a bigger regional centre.’’
Mrs Lowry said the loss to the region’s performing arts sector due to the pandemic, including incidental spending at local businesses by visitors coming to the region, was in the tens of millions of dollars.
‘‘(Play on the Plains Festival Ltd) has lost $1.2 million — and this does not include the profit we would have made at the 2020 and 2021 Deni Ute Muster, contributions to community groups, $3 million spent locally and $20 million of economic stimulus to the region,’’ Mrs Lowry said.
Play on the Plains might have an uncertain future, but Mrs Lowry has promised the beloved Ute Muster, which started in 1999, will go on.
She added a $400,000 boost announced by Deniliquin based Senator for NSW Perin Davey last week would help support the Ute Muster.
‘‘The funding will go towards costs to put on the 2022 Deni Ute Muster,’’ Mrs Lowry said.
‘‘Funding received allows us to put on an event to the standard that it is known, assuring that patrons still come to the region to attend the Deni Ute Muster as they know it.
‘‘2022 is looking to be one of our biggest and best Deni Ute Musters, with Brad Paisley headlining with a great line up of Australian artists, and a huge around-the-ground program including a Bluey stage show.’’
Senator Davey said she was pleased to back the organisation’s application for a Restart Investment to Sustain and Expand fund, which is a COVID-19 recovery fund for the regional and rural arts and culture sector.
‘‘It has been surreal to be in Deniliquin on the October long weekend and not see all the campers and lights out at the Muster site,’’ Senator Davey said.
