The company behind Australia’s The Grass is Greener Festival has gone into liquidation with debts of more than A$3 million (€1.8m).
Hand Picked Events and Marketing went bust last December and officially went into liquidation last month, reports 7News. Director Oliver Frost has cited “spiralling costs following Covid” plus “unforeseen extreme weather conditions” for the collapse.
First held in 2016, organisers cancelled Grass is Greener’s 2022 Geelong and Canberra legs last October due to the shows “selling slower than predicted” and concerns over adverse weather. The festival’s Gold Coast and Cairns shows went ahead with artists including PNAU and Wafia, while headliners OneFour, Ty Dollar $ign, Zhu and Maya Jane Coles dropped out.
“Prior to Covid, we had put on successful music events for six years and our intention was to continue to expand on these great experiences for fans and artists,’ Frost tells the Gold Coast Bulletin via the Daily Mail. “Unfortunately spiralling costs following Covid, coupled with unforeseen extreme weather conditions and an already tough environment for the live entertainment and hospitality industries, greatly contributed to this outcome.
“It was never our intention to do anything other than create a festival that had a positive economic impact for our community”
“It was never our intention to do anything other than create a festival that had a positive economic impact for our community – including for staff and suppliers, many of which are friends – and the artists involved.”
Creditors have reportedly been told that Frost and Grass is Greener co-founder Jonathan Eddings used the festival’s money to give interest-free loans to restaurants the duo had a stake in.
“Creditors will receive an update report within three months of the liquidation appointment,” Tom Vandermeer of administrator BCR Advisory tells the Bulletin.
Ticket-holders are still owed $120,900, while other creditors reportedly include agencies United Talent Agency and Cult Artists.
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