Funding win for ChillOut

Funding win for ChillOut

ChillOut Festival is the latest queer event to be given a government financial handshake, with organisers announcing a $45,000 state government funding boost this week.

Ballarat East MP Geoff Howard met with ChillOut secretary Jim Culbertson on Monday to announce the deal on the steps of Daylesford Town Hall.

Part of the government’s Provincial Victoria Local Events Program, the funding boost will be split over the next two years of the festival.

Organisers are breathing a sigh of relief at the financial boost they say will allow the festival to increase in scope.

We do have the ability to look ahead, unlike we’ve ever been able to before, Culbertson said.

ChillOut has been working with Regional Development Victoria for some time to develop the grant and Culbertson said he’s filled with gratitude and appreciation.

We believe it’s certainly an important step, going forward for us to improve the opportunities to make ChillOut a very sustainable festival for years to come.

Culbertson said the festival’s three government partners, Tourism Victoria, Hepburn Shire Council and Regional Development Victoria, want to see the festival supported.

There’s no question among those three partners that they see not only the community value that ChillOut brings to the Shire and to the broader gay and lesbian community generally, but they also clearly recognise the economic importance the festival delivers.

Howard said more than 25,000 people attended ChillOut in 2008, generating an estimated $8,000,000 in direct economic benefit to the region.

Since its inception in 1997, ChillOut has grown to become the largest gay and lesbian community festival in regional Australia and the largest festival in Hepburn Shire, he said.

The money has been flagged to extend the festival beyond the Daylesford borders with the townships of Creswick and Glenlyon set to become part of upcoming events.

Organisers said they hope previous problems with volunteer burnout will be cured with the funding boost. They are looking to establish paid positions to relieve volunteers shouldering too much of the burden and to professionalise the festival.

Last year the festival added a bush dance and youth dance to the regular program. Culbertson said more events will be planned with an additional Monday event in the program and free shuttle bus between events.

ChillOut is held over the Labour Day long weekend in March.

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