Brisbane Festival sets new attendance record

The recent Brisbane Festival (September 8—29) has broken a new box office record.

Queensland arts minister Leeanne Enoch announced, “Brisbane Festival, one of our most exciting annual events, hit a new box office record this year with over 80,000 tickets sold – breaking last year’s record by the first week.”

It featured 160 sell-out performances, eight world premieres and concluded with a superhero-themed Sunsuper Riverfire finale bursting across Brisbane’s skyline.

Club and festival promoter Secret Sounds was one of the presenting partners of the closing party, and rock acts that performed included Violent Soho, Meg Mac, Methyl Ethel, WAAX, MANE, Last Dinosaurs DJs, Tired Lion DJs, I OH YOU DJs and a surprise cameo from Bernard Fanning.

Minister Enoch said, “Adored by locals and visitors alike, the festival featured 1,000 local, national and international artists, and delivered 600 arts and entertainment experiences in a city-wide cultural celebration.

“Close to half-a-million people visited Treasury Brisbane Arcadia at the Cultural Forecourt to be part of the festival vibe and see #CelebrateBrisbane River of Light – The Story of Maiwar, a moving and beautiful depiction of the Indigenous story of the creation of the Brisbane River.

“We are fortunate to boast a dynamic arts industry, and I applaud our wonderful local artists and companies on captivating audiences with their exceptional work throughout September.”

The Brisbane Festival injects around $33.5 million into the Queensland economy.