Australia’s midwinter solstice festival Dark Mofo has announced its 2021 festival will go ahead from June 16-22 in Hobart, Tasmania.
The festival was cancelled in 2020 due to Covid-19.
“Dark’s back, which, in the immortal words of Mark Spitz, who was also making a comeback, ‘could be good, could be great, could be terrible’," said MONA Museum owner and festival guru David Walsh.
"Mark didn’t mention that there is another possibility: it could be cancelled. But it wouldn’t be worth doing if there was no risk. There’s lots of risk, so it must really be worth doing.”
Leigh Carmichael, Dark Mofo creative director said: “It’s with some trepidation that we announce Dark Mofo will descend in 2021 from June 16-22.”
“Like everyone else, we’ve been soul searching for almost a year, trying to understand our place in a changed world.
"Last year we lost our sense of purpose overnight, and it appears that experience is having a resounding impact on this year's festival program. Our patrons will be pleased to know they can expect a typically grim and gloomy affair in June.”
“This year the festival will run for one week only, making it smaller and more intense."
“We’re dropping all sponsorship activations, as we felt they were having a detrimental effect on the festival. While we’ve appreciated the support from many high-profile brands, we want to be able to pursue our own cultural agenda free from restraint and with a renewed commitment to the art.”
This year is the final year of the festival’s five-year agreement with the Tasmanian Government. Dark Mofo’s future beyond this event isn’t clear or guaranteed.
“The Hobart City Council have withdrawn financial support and this will impact the scope and scale of the Winter Feast, which will be reduced to five nights," said Carmichael.
“While our future is a little uncertain, we are optimistic that there is enough gunpowder in the barrel to propel us into 2022.”
The full Dark Mofo program will be announced in April 2021.
See darkmofo.net.au
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