Adelaide Fringe 2024: Australia’s biggest festival hit with claims of ‘inflated’ crowd figures as it seeks millions of dollars more in taxpayer funding

Australia’s biggest arts festival is accused of “inflating” attendance records to bolster its case for more taxpayer funding after luring popular free events into its program.

The Fringe’s Garden of Unearthly Delights. Source: Supplied

Australia’s biggest arts festival is accused of “inflating” attendance records to bolster its case for more taxpayer funding after luring popular free events into its program.

The six-decade old Adelaide Fringe is this year hosting at least 1400 shows featuring more than 6000 independent artists across 500 SA venues.

But the not-for-profit festival, one of the world’s biggest, is facing questions amid allegations of “inflated” attendance figures to create a “false need” for more public funding.

An Indian festival, launched 32 years ago, an almost 30 year-old Adelaide council music event and a popular gaming exhibition are now free events included in Fringe.

The Indian Mela festival in Victoria Square in Adelaide on Saturday, February 24, 2024. Picture: Morgan Sette

Durva Jani, 14, from Clearview, Sanjna Kavi, 13, Sheryl Shah, 14, from Greenacres at the Indian Mela festival. Picture: Morgan Sette

Fringe organisers are seeking $4m extra annual taxpayer funding from the state government – taking it to $6.3m a year – to help plug yearly expenses of at least $12m.

Labor promised at the 2022 election $2m extra a year over four years to the Fringe, which last year sold more than 1 million tickets worth $23m at the box office.

Ministers have ruled out subsidising tickets to combat Fringe overpricing criticism.

Senior government sources said Cabinet ministers have recently raised concerns about Fringe issues, particularly claims of “inflating” attendance records.

Arts Minister Andrea Michaels with Adelaide Fringe CEO Heather Croall during the announcement of the 2023 Adelaide Fringe Economic Results at Old Parliament House in Adelaide. NCA NewsWire / David Mariuz

They told of growing annoyance – widely reflected in government – at the event “creating a false need for more money”.

“What’s going on? The Fringe wants more money and then they’re approaching events, or cultural festivals, which have been successfully running for years,” one said.

“Suddenly they’re badged as Fringe events? It looks like inflating figures … for more money.”

Fringe organisers, who are furious at the questioning, said ticket sales for the southern hemisphere’s biggest arts festival were nine per cent ahead on this time last year.

Kulveer Kaur, Avreen, 5, Ramandeep and Sukhjeet Kaur from Findon at the Indian Mela festival in Victoria Square. Picture: Morgan Sette

Prospect Council’s Twilight Sessions has been operating for the past 29 years. Picture: Supplied

Indian Mela chairman Amarjit Grewal said the Fringe last year approached his free event, which saw more than 15,000 people enjoy 500 performers at the weekend, but waived joining fees.

“They approached us but we did not pay anything,” he said of the volunteer-run event the Indian Australian Association of SA has hosted since 1992.

“We wanted people to come along and thought they could help promote it.”

Food and beverage vendors at the Garden of Unearthly Delights. Picture: Supplied

Prospect Mayor Matt Larwood was unaware his council’s Twilight Sessions, a free live music event launched in 1995, was part of Fringe.

He estimated more than 2000 people attended on each Friday in February.

“It’s a tradition because it has been going for so long you see two or three generations of families getting together,” he said.

It is understood Fringe bosses were impressed with the SA Games Exhibition’s first event in 2023 and “encouraged” it to join.

South Australian Game Exhibition (SAGE) more than doubled in size in 2024 with a record number of people attending the event. Arts Minister Andrea Michaels joins former Premier Mike Rann at the SA Film Corporation: SA Government

SA Film Corporation chief executive officer Kate Croser said Adelaide Studios availability “made the Adelaide Fringe a great choice”.

They paid a joining fee to help boost game developers and studios.

“The SAFC felt, and this has been borne out in the results, that exhibiting through the Fringe program could open up our visibility to a whole range of new interested audience members that we didn’t previously have contact with,” she said.

In a statement, which Fringe organisers are believed to have “proof read”, Arts Minister Andrea Michaels ignored funding and attendance questions but insisted she was “committed to supporting” the event.

The Adelaide Fringe has reported an increase in sales this year. Picture: Matt Loxton

“We promised at the election to provide an additional $8 million to Fringe over four years and we are doing so,” she said.

“There are no plans to subsidise tickets.”

She said there was an additional $300,000 for the Honeypot, Fringe’s international arts marketplace that helps secure artist bookings, and $50,000 for live music venues over the next two years.

Fringe Festival artistic director, Heather Croall, would not comment.

But in a statement late on Sunday, a Fringe spokesman did not deny the claims.

“Adelaide Fringe is the biggest arts festival in the southern hemisphere,” he said.

“The Adelaide Fringe is an open access festival and anyone can register their shows in the program. Fringe is inclusive and accessible.

“Last year 1 million tickets were sold to Adelaide Fringe shows and sales are on track to smash that record this year.”