‘I killed it’: Why huge Aussie festival was ditched

A major, long-running festival has been scrapped, with the founder revealing “the spell has worn off”.

The summer festival organised by Tasmania’s renowned Museum of Old and New Art has been canned.

“Mona Foma took us around the world,” museum owner David Walsh said on Friday.

“But it ends here. Maybe the end started at Covid. Maybe it’s because the last festival was a poorly attended artistic triumph.

“But those aren’t the reasons I killed it.”

Event organiser David Walsh signalled costs and low attendance were to blame. Picture: Mona Foma/Facebook

The summertime Mona Foma began in 2009, with this year’s edition held in February and the start of March across Launceston.

Mr Walsh pointed to costs across the museum suite as a factor in the decision.

“At Mona, I’m building this big thing, hopefully it’ll be a good thing, but it’s a costly thing,” he said.

“I’m addicted to building and my addiction got out of hand. Some things have to go before I’m too far gone.

“It’s been magical, but the spell has worn off.”

The 2019 edition attracted major Australian acts Courtney Barnett and Pnau.

Gotye and Paul Kelly played in 2015, and hip hop icon Grandmaster Flash made an appearance in 2010.

The cancellation comes as this year’s Splendour in the Grass festival was canned and Groovin’ The Moo bit the dust just weeks after announcing its line-up.