Australian Festival Industry Conference Sets 2025 Event in Brisbane

The Australian Festival Industry Conference (AFIC) is heading to the future Olympic City, Brisbane.

After pressing pause on the 2024 edition, the conference locks-up September 8th-9th, 2025 at the Rivershed, marking its first time in the Sunshine State's capital.

“It’s been great to have a break during 2024. I took the opportunity to get out and attend some amazing festivals across the country," comments Carlina Ericson, AFIC founder and event director.

“I met some amazing contacts along the way and was able to see first-hand what’s going on in the industry right now. It’s clear that the industry is still facing a number of key issues, which therefore reinforces the need for AFIC to return”.

The relocation to Brisbane, the host for the 2032 Summer Olympic Games, is announced as the state's new LNP government grapples with the city's host stadium problem. Those proposals on the table include a renovation of the existing Gabba stadium, and an audacious bid to build a new stadium and entertainment precinct in Victoria Park, close to the CBD.

AFIC will closely follow BIGSOUND 2025, which returns to Brisbane's Fortitude Valley from  September 2-5, and present ahead of the Australian Women In Music event, typically held in late September or early October.

The AFIC 2025 program will include keynotes, presentations from industry-leading professionals, a Q&A with Greg Cavanagh, CEO of Gympie Music Muster, panel discussions and more.

Ericson, an experienced content and event producer who has worked closely with Destination NSW, Sydney Festival, Screenwave International Film Festival and others in the past, surveyed the conference landscape and found festival management was typically only addressed in one session out of an entire program.

She went about changing that with AFIC, which began life with two-day event in October 2019 in Coffs Harbour. The following year, the pow wow was shortlisted for the Australian Event Awards.

The conference program will be formally unveiled next year. Visit australianfestivalconference.com.au for more.