Festival cancelled
Due to New Zealand moving into the red setting of the Covid-19 framework, the Hamilton Gardens Arts Festival will not be going ahead in 2022. All ticket holders to HGAF events will be contacted by EventFinda and given the option of a full refund (minus ticketing fees).
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s announcement that the country would be moving into the red setting on Sunday was quickly followed by a slew of summer festival events being canceled including Splore Festival, Auckland Pride Festival and New Zealand Fashion Week.
Crucially, the number of attendees allowed at public gatherings is now restricted to 100 people.
HGAF general Manager Geoff Turkington says the decision to cancel the event, which was originally scheduled to run from Feb 18-27, was not taken lightly.
“It’s nothing less than devastating to have to pull the plug on such an exciting programme of events after months of hard work and planning.
“However, to try and move forward at limited capacity would be both cost and resource prohibitive”, says Geoff.
“While we’re sad we will not be able to give Kirikiriroa Hamilton the arts festival it deserves this year, we support the government’s decision to mitigate the spread of Covid-19 in our communities.”
Community support integral to festival
After grappling with a crippling shortfall in public funding last year due to the impact of Covid-19, HGAF had to enlist the support of the community.
Festival chair, Chris Williams says they had an incredible response.
“The support we received from HCC and our funding partners was humbling. It confirmed our belief about the special place the festival holds in the region, so our hearts are very heavy about the decision we’ve had to make.”
A successful crowdfunding campaign through arts crowdfunding platform BOOSTED was also launched.
Geoff says all those who offered donations will be contacted directly by the Arts Foundation and offered a refund, in lieu of their donations being used to support the future of the festival.
“This year’s festival, more than any other before it, was only ever made feasible thanks to the incredible support of our community, and the unwavering loyalty of our sponsors, funders and event partners.,” he says.
“We can’t thank them enough and we move forward with determination to deliver a world class arts festival next year when, fingers crossed, we are in a position to do so.”
The Hamilton Gardens Arts Festival is hoping to go ahead in 2023 with events from this year’s programme being rescheduled wherever possible.
“After two years of grappling with the uncertainty of Covid-19 it almost goes without saying that these are incredibly difficult times for everyone in the events industry.
“Our thoughts are with everyone in our creative communities, particularly those in the Waikato”, says Geoff.
Hamilton Mayor Paula Southgate, a longtime supporter of the event, says she is “deeply disappointed for the organisers, the artists, the audience and the city”.
“The arts festival is such a fabulous event for Hamilton, one of the most important and creative events we have,” she says.
“To see the plug being pulled at such a late stage is gutwrenching and I really, really feel for everyone involved. It is heart-breaking.
“The events sector has been hit so badly and I’m just hoping Hamiltonians will commit to supporting the festival with gusto next year.”
Shakespeare in the Park
Te Awamutu’s annual Shakespeare in the Park, a local free performance of the Hamilton Garden Arts Festival Shakesperian offering, will go ahead this year on Saturday, March 8.
Under orange or green settings the performance will be at Te Awamutu War Memorial Park, with Te Awamutu College Hall as the wet weather alternative. An indoor alternate for a performance under red settings is to be confirmed.