Dark Mofo 2024 isn’t cancelled, just “reshaped”: festival organisers

Hobart’s edgy winter festival made headlines when news broke of its cancellation. But the event is still going ahead this year — and the organisers have explained the reason behind the mixed signals.

Is Dark Mofo cancelled or not?

The fate of Tasmania’s edgy winter festival became a hot topic last year after it was revealed a “reshaped” program would be rolled out in 2024, but was it officially canned?

At the time, Dark Mofo’s website said: “Since Dark Mofo’s inception back in 2013, the festival has felt the weight of shifting conditions and the burden of escalating costs.

“The success of 2023 brought with it the realisation that we cannot continue to deliver Dark Mofo to the standards we have set under these conditions”.

Now it seems the festival has done a 180 — with new artistic director Chris Twite saying winter “wouldn’t feel the same” without it.

Dark Mofo artistic director Chris Twite. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Dark Mofo’s Nude Solstice Swim is back in 2024. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

“I know we said Dark Mofo would stay quiet, but winter wouldn’t feel the same without the chance to feast and frolic during the long Tasmanian nights,” he said.

Twite told the Herald Sun the festival had announced it was taking a fallow year and any confusion around the fate of the program had come from a decision to push ahead with only two marquee events.

“In September 2023, we announced that Dark Mofo would have a fallow year, yet at the same time we stated that in lieu of the full festival we would present two of the festival’s pillars – Winter Feast and Nude Solstice Swim – as stand-alone events, as well as the opening of Mona’s new major exhibition Namedropping, accompanied by the Mona Gala,” he said.

“Any confusion about Dark Mofo being cancelled may have come from our decision to still proceed with these marquee events while pulling back on the rest of the festival’s art, music, and events program.

“In the midst of cancellations and postponements elsewhere, including Mona’s summer festival Mona Foma, it’s hard to cut through with a message of restraint.”

Dark Mofo, June 13-16 and 20-23. darkmofo.net.au/program

Melbourne expat is here to stay

Rude Boy owner Rohan Massie with his team.

A Melbourne drinks man who swapped a high-profile hospo career for a Tassie tree change says he won’t be coming home thanks to the island’s “levelled up” food scene.

Oakleigh boy Rohan Massie moved to Hobart after large-scale stints, such as the Melbourne Cup Carnival, with The Big Group in the noughties.

After establishing himself in Hobart, he’s stepped up and taken over Rude Boy – a trendy fried chicken bar he worked at for many years. He also runs a cocktail business Punch and Ladle with his wife Khayla.

“Tasmanians are fiercely Tasmanian and that is a definite part of their success,” he said.

“When I moved Hobart was in its infancy ... now the people are doing well down here and bringing the scene up in general. There is competition, but healthy competition.”

Massie said while the industry naturally lost talent to the mainland, he believed Hobart was getting better at filling the knowledge gap.

“When our professionals get to a certain level, they will move to Sydney or Melbourne to
make the next step,” he said.
“There are not that many jobs ... we want to learn from the best. But we’re filling that void – with better staff and retention.

“There are now more jobs at the higher end of the scale now, than when I first came down.”

This year alone, a swath of new restaurants have opened despite hospitality’s recent challenges, including Restaurant Maria at the wharf.

Former Franklin chef Analiese Gregory is also poised to open a 10-seater restaurant at her Huon Valley property.

Punch and Ladle will be part of the coming Winter Feast program at Dark Mofo.