Output 8.6 Events

Overview

CMTEDD has worked to maximise a broad range of economic, social and community outcomes for the ACT through event delivery, development and marketing.

To achieve this, the directorate planned, promoted and delivered a suite of community and tourism events for locals and visitors. It also provided leadership on event related matters to the ACT Government and the event sector, and contributed to the development of the Canberra events calendar through the administration of the annual ACT Event Fund grant program.

The directorate also oversees the National Arboretum Canberra which is home to 94 forests of rare, endangered and symbolic trees from around Australia and the world. There are approximately 44,000 trees on the 250 hectare (617.8 acre) site at the western end of Lake Burley Griffin.

Highlights

Against this output in 2015-16 the directorate:

  • delivered Floriade and Floriade NightFest 2015, exceeding targets for economic impact, attendance for NightFest and patron satisfaction, including:
    • generating the equal largest direct expenditure impact on record ($46.9 million), giving rise to a $68.8 million increase in Gross Territory Product; and
    • attracting a total of 480,451 people to Floriade, including 105,551 interstate and international visitors (based on individual visits) who came to Canberra specifically to attend Floriade or extended their stay due to the event;
  • delivered Enlighten 2016, working in collaboration with 12 national attractions to drive visitors to the national capital, and exceeding targets for economic impact and patron satisfaction, including;
    • generating a direct expenditure impact of $2.88 million, giving rise to a $3.02 million increase in Gross Territory Product; and
    • 60 per cent of attendees giving Enlighten a satisfaction rating greater than or equal to 8 out of 10, up from 53 per cent the previous year;
  • delivered a suite of other key events including the Canberra Nara Candle Festival, New Year’s Eve, Australia Day, Symphony in the Park, Canberra Day celebrations, the Canberra Balloon Spectacular and the Lights! Canberra! Action! film festival, which all attracted large audiences and received positive feedback;
    • the Canberra Nara Candle Festival, a celebration of Canberra’s long standing Sister City relationship with Nara, Japan, attracted more than 15,000 people to Canberra Nara Peace Park, with patrons enjoying Japanese entertainment, cuisine, activities and the lighting of more than 2,000 ceremonial candles;
    • New Year’s Eve celebrations included two spectacular fireworks displays over City Hill at 9pm and midnight with a family concert in Civic Square and the Bass in the Place dance party in Garema Place attracting more than 45,000 people;
    • Australia Day activities at Stage 88 in Commonwealth Park were delivered in partnership with ActewAGL and the Fyshwick Fresh Fruit Markets for the Great Aussie Day Breakfast, and the National Australia Day Council, who delivered the national Citizenship and Flag Raising ceremonies at Rond Terrace, Events ACT and the National Australia Day Council also presented the Australia Day Fireworks at Lake Burley Griffin, with the celebrations attracting 75,000 people who enjoyed a variety of Australian-themed activities including children’s entertainment and Indigenous art and craft;
    • Canberra Day celebrations were attended by 20,000 people at Stage 88 in Commonwealth Park and featured an exciting Canberra centric program headlined by Australian electronic act Aston Shuffle and supplemented by the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Show;
    • The Lights! Canberra! Action! film festival saw amateur and professional filmmakers develop, write, cast, produce, edit and submit films in just 10 days in accordance with a selected theme and 10 key items, with the winners announced at the screening of the Top 12 films on Friday 11 March 2016 in the Senate Rose Gardens as part of Enlighten;
    • The Canberra Balloon Spectacular was held over nine mornings, with inclement weather affecting just one day between 12-20 March 2016, and featured 35 hot air balloons and 46 pilots from Canberra, interstate and overseas and attracted more than 40,000 people;
  • managed the delivery of the ACT Event Fund 2016, a key mechanism for stimulating and fostering a range of positive economic, social and community outcomes for the Canberra region, which in 2016 funded 56 applications and provided financial support to 21 events and festivals to a value of $611,223;
  • received an estimated 442,222 visitors to the Village Centre at the Arboretum, with an estimated overall visitation to the site (including function guests and after hours visitors) of 530,666;
  • completed detailed designs for capital works projects on the Events Terrace and the final stage of the water security project at the Arboretum;
  • constructed a family-friendly public toilet facility in the Pod Playground at the Arboretum;
  • carried out forest and landscape improvements at the Arboretum including new recreational trails, a horse holding yard, interpretive signage and additional grassed areas on the Events Terrace;
  • continue to review the strategic direction of the Arboretum with input from an extensive community consultation process including a public survey that attracted over 2,600 responses;
  • progressed the establishment of a charitable Foundation to raise philanthropic funds for the Arboretum;
  • received a significant number of philanthropic donations to the Arboretum, enabling significant progress towards the construction of the Gallery of Gardens and allowing the former Covered Outdoor Learning Area to be enclosed and made useable as an additional function venue;
  • continued the Arboretum’s education programs with over 14,000 school students visiting the Arboretum in 274 groups, and over 3,200 students undertaking a facilitated educational program which represents a 63 per cent increase in total school visitors and a 71 per cent increase in facilitated students compared with 2014-15;
  • hosted 275 private functions in the Arboretum’s premium venues, the Margaret Whitlam Pavilion and Village Centre, 19 functions in other venues, and hosted 32 public events, ranging from large concerts such as Voices in the Forest through to bonsai workshops and Tree Week events;
  • supported the Friends of the Arboretum who continued to provide a valuable role in adding value to the Arboretum through volunteer activities. In 2015-16 over 19,000 hours of volunteer time was provided across a range of activities including guided walks, working bees, scientific monitoring and event management; and
  • commissioned an Augmented Reality app to enhance the visitor experiences at the Arboretum, based on the Digital Canberra Challenge award-winning pilot by local company APositive.

The directorate met all its 2015-16 accountability targets against this output, exceeding three targets. The three targets that were exceeded were:

  • (b) economic activity generated as a result of staging Floriade, where the target of $40 million was exceeded by 17 percent due mostly to the variable impact of many external factors such as weather, media exposure and, public reaction;
  • (c) Economic activity generated as a result of staging the Enlighten Festival, where due to this being a new indicator a conservative value was applied for initial reporting; and
  • (d) The level of customer satisfaction at the National Arboretum Canberra, where a result of 96 per cent was achieved compared to the target of 85 per cent.

Future Direction

In 2016-17, the directorate will:

  • implement the ACT Events Policy, a strategic policy framework for events to enhance Canberra’s events calendar and maximise the associated economic, social and cultural benefits for the Canberra region;
  • continue to support the ACT events and festivals sector through the ACT Event Fund;
  • maintain and expand the ACT Government’s program of major events to the highest quality for the community and visitors to the city;
  • maintain and update the www.events.act.gov.au website which will act as a portal for information on all major ACT events;
  • develop and deliver a 10 year Strategic Direction for the National Arboretum Canberra, which reflects its unique role in conservation, tourism, events, recreation, culture and research;
  • deliver the final stage of the Arboretum’s capital-funded water security project and construct landscaping to the Events Terrace, including the first three of the Gallery of Gardens;
  • support the National Arboretum Canberra Foundation in securing philanthropic funding; and
  • continue to provide high quality forest management, visitor services and educational programs at the Arboretum.

For further information contact:

Jeff House
Deputy Director-General
Enterprise Canberra
+61 2 6207 7279
Jeff.House@act.gov.au

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