‘Are we an industry that’s not worth saving?’: Bluesfest promoter blasts government as festival faces final event
Peter Noble won the Order of Australia for his services to the country. Yet as his beloved Bluesfest is forced to close in 2025 due to a collision of factors – all of which could be solved with government support – he asks, what else does the 35-year-old festival have to do to prove its worth?
This week, Tamara Smith, NSW member for Ballina launched an online petition calling for a NSW Government rescue package for Bluesfest.
“If 20,000 signatures from NSW residents are gathered, the NSW Parliament must hold a debate on the future of Bluesfest,” Smith explained.
While Peter Noble, the festival’s founder, isn’t behind the petition, he welcomes the attention it will bring to the cause.
“Anything to get our government looking at the plight of the music industry, that will cause media attention, is something that I think is fundamental – and it’s my duty,” Noble tells Mumbrella.
