Mona’s Festival of Music and Art will be in Launceston and Hobart in 2021

A popular annual music and arts festival has announced it will have events in both the north and south of Tasmania next year over two big weekends.

One of Tasmania’s most popular annual music and arts festivals has announced its 2021 dates will have events in both the north and south of the state over two big weekends.

Mona Foma – Mona’s Festival of Music and Art – will go statewide in January next year with events in Launceston and Hobart.

Revellers danced from dusk until dawn at Mona Foma's all night party, Faux Mo, at the Launceston Workers Club. Picture: PATRICK GEE

Mona Foma curator Brian Ritchie said the event thrived on reinvention.

“We are compelled to do that big time in January 2021,” Mr Ritchie said.

“One weekend in Launceston, and one weekend in Hobart, to spread the love.

“Great Tasmanian artists, unusual venues, and an irrepressible creativity.”

This year’s festival will take into account the changed circumstances necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Visit Northern Tasmania CEO Chris Griffin said with so much gloomy news about events cancelling or rescheduling across the summer, seeing Mona double-down and commit to running Mona Foma was great.

“We are confident that the dual programs they’ll run between Launceston and Hobart will have Tasmanians enthusiastically travelling back and forth between our two great cities,” he said.

Mona Foma: Faux Mo

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Destination Southern Tasmania CEO Alex Heroys said the scheduling was another example of Mona’s innovation and community reach.

“Staging Mona Foma over two weekends in Launceston and Hobart is a fantastic idea,” Mr Heroys said.

“I predict that Tasmanians will flood north and south on both weekends to take advantage of the acts on show.

“We expect this approach will boost the economies of both cities and assist visitors to explore more areas of our state.”

Mr Heroys said Mona Foma had a strong reputation for featuring Tasmanian acts and talent.

“This year in Launceston, Mona Foma 2020 featured 61 per cent of artists from Tasmania, including Terrapin, Tasdance, Stompin and the TSO, as well as independent arts and performance groups,” he said.

Mona Foma will be run:

- Launceston, 15-17 January 2021

- Hobart, 22-24 January 2021

Mr Heroys said Tasmania had its fingers crossed for a successful border reopening from December 1.

“Hopefully that could see interstate visitors coming to Tasmania again,” he said.

“We know that all things Mona attract interstate visitation, which would be great for the entire Tasmanian tourism industry.”

Mona Foma has been run in Tasmania since 2009 and has been based in Launceston since 2019.

Mona Foma will run from Friday January 15 until Sunday January 24, 2021.

For more information and to sign up to the mailing list for festival and program updates visit: www.monafoma.net.au

Orville Peck performs at Mona Foma