New era begins: NAFA and Townsville City Council part ways

NAFA has officially parted ways with the Townsville City Council, transitioning into an independent company. See what this means for ratepayers and the much-loved arts festival.

Club D'Amour take the stage at NAFA 2024. Photo: Linda Bone.

NAFA has officially parted ways with the Townsville City Council, transitioning into an independent company.

NAFA - also known as the North Australian Festival of the Arts - has spent the last five years growing under the stewardship of Townsville City Council since its inception in 2019.

Now, Council has “set free” the festival, allowing it to transition into an independent not-for-profit company, Northern Arts, guided by a new board of directors.

The split was first announced in December, 2024, when Council judged the successful arts festival was ready to leave its “incubation period” and stand on its own two feet.

Leaving the control of local government will also give NAFA more creative freedom.

In 2023, Bambarra-Ma Dariburu brought together the Wulgurukaba Walkabouts and Dancenorth for two free performances of the show created especially for NAFA at Jezzine Barracks. Picture: Andrew Rankin

The split will also free up some budget room for Townsville City Council, who in 2019 disclosed that $850,000 of ratepayers money was spent hosting the festival, which went on to generate $530,000 in ticket sales and $4.1 million in general spending across hotels, restaurants, and more.

According to Council, it costed $2.2m to host NAFA in 2023 and $1.9m in 2024.

New NAFA co-chairs Judith McLean and Merissa Martinez are at the head of this exciting change from council stewardship, to independence.

New NAFA co-chair Judith McLean.

Professor McLean said being on the new NAFA board felt like “stepping into the heartbeat” of a region filled with “radical potential”.

“NAFA is an incubator for regional voices... and a beacon for what’s possible when arts are placed at the heart of the community identity.”

Fellow co-chair Ms Martinez said she was delighted to serve on the board.

New NAFA co-chair Merissa Martinez

“With our new independence and the continued support of Townsville City Council, we are poised to amplify the truth and beauty of Northern Australia on a broader stage and with even bolder ambition.”

NAFA will be running in Townsville September 24 - October 12.

Snuff Puppets at NAFA 2024. Photo: Linda Bone.

Meet the new board:

CEO Lachlan Welsh (career in theatre, live music, large-scale events)

NAFA CEO, Lachlan Welsh.

Co-chair Judith McLean (chair of Dancenorth)

Co-chair Merissa Martinez (barrister, governance specialist)

Ashley Saltner Jr (Wulgurukaba custodian, performance leader)

Wesley Enoch (playwright, former artistic director of the Sydney Festival)

Johnathon Coco (accountant)

Julie Englefield (Executive Director of Ausdance QLD)

Originally published as New era begins: NAFA and Townsville City Council part ways