AN Albury councillor says organisers should ditch next year's Upstream Festival of arts rather than "fiddle and fart-arse around with it".
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
John Stuchbery was responding to a report presented by council deputy chief executive Tracey Squire to a briefing of councillors on Monday night.
Ms Squire said it was planned to maintain the festival but much of it would be online, with a focus on lasting artworks such as murals and sculptures being done for passing audiences.
Cr Stuchbery said he did not see any point in proceeding with Upstream, given the NSW government's approach to the border.
"I think you should just ditch it and try again the following year," he said.
IN OTHER NEWS:
"I think to fiddle and fart-arse around with it and make it a half online and a half here and a half there it is just not worth it."
Councillor Murray King shared Cr Stuchbery's feelings, but their colleagues were more supportive, saying artists had been hurt by COVID-19 and needed a lift.
Deputy mayor Amanda Cohn said: "I've heard from a lot of local creatives, I think it is an industry that is really struggling, they're often people that aren't eligible for JobKeeper....or self-employed.
"I think making this investment in those local people (is important)."
Councillors David Thurley and Henk ven de Ven expressed similarly sentiments, with the latter wanting to see permanent artworks erected at roundabouts.
Ex-mayor Alice Glachan does not want momentum, generated through this year's Upstream debut, lost.
"To try and reinvent this again, to start this up again, after more than a year off would be very difficult," she said.
Ms Squire said given travel and crowd restrictions next year's Upstream would be targetted at a Border audience rather than tourists.
Albury-Wodonga residents will be encouraged to become involved by creating artworks and displaying them in their front yards.
