Mapping the International Arts Festival Network of Australia and Aotearoa (2026-2029)
Abstract
This project examines Australian and New Zealand arts festival programming to reveal trends and patterns in touring circuits and how these can be strengthened to better support the nations' cultural health. At a time when festivals¿TM) economic viability is in question, this research examines long-term trends via innovative digital tools to determine how festival networks can better support access to arts at home while promoting Australian culture abroad. Expected outcomes include a monograph, industry report, symposium, and additional scholarly publications. Potential benefits include a fuller socio-cultural and economic understanding of historical trends in funding and programming to inform future strategic decisions by festival organisers.