After an incredible return to form for its 30th anniversary, the New Mardi Gras Annual Report, released this week, reflects on the festival's successes while keeping one eye firmly on the future.
In the report, general manager Anna McInerney announced a profit of $483,650, adding this was “a fantastic achievement on our previous financial year”.
“As a percentage of revenue our profit grew to 9.9 per cent from 6.4 per cent, which is a great result,” McInerney said.
“This year’s Parade was the biggest, and for many, the best in years. Over 150 floats and approximately 10,000 participants made their way up Oxford Street to the screaming throng of people lining the streets.
“This event continues to be a significant expense to the organization and our goal is to work with government to help defray these costs and also look at other income generating strategies from this event.”
Chair David Imrie said recent innovations included a new member benefits program, with exclusive member-only events throughout the year such as the launch of this year’s Sleaze Ball theme, The Villain’s Lair.
“These events encompass a broader geographical and cultural footprint than parties and offer members a great opportunity to meet and mix,” Imrie said.
"Membership has grown substantially over the last two years and we now have almost 3,500 members. We would like to see this figure break 5,000 by the end of 2009.”
In terms of the way forward for Mardi Gras, head of Brand and Creative Strategy Damien Eames articulated a two-pronged strategy.
“Our first priority moving forward is to find messages that really galvanise the local gay community,” Eames said.
“Our creative choices need to be a bit braver and more surprising without alienating the broad base we need to appeal to. We gained a lot of goodwill for the 30th Anniversary, but for the 31st we will have to work very hard to keep people’s interest.
“Secondly, our focus is to our international audience to encourage them to attend Mardi Gras again. Cities all over the world from Amsterdam to Vancouver are actively promoting their gay pride events in magazines and online. Sydney is simply not there. Over the last couple of years we haven’t had the resources to do this.”
A recent announcement that next year’s Mardi Gras is likely to receive support from Events NSW, a government initiative set up to support the sustainability and development of key events for the state, indicates that the future should remain rosy for Australia’s premier gay and lesbian festival.
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