Future of Glebe festivities uncertain

This year the Glebe Street Fair celebrates its 25th birthday, however it could be one of its last as the organisers struggle to secure long-term funding for the festival.
The City of Sydney has decided that it will cut funding to Sydney’s largest street fair after 2010, a move that Glebe’s Chamber of Commerce says could risk the future of the annual event if it does not find a corporate sponsor within the next two years.
“These sorts of events – these mid-tier events – require corporate sponsorship in a meaningful way, like five digits. If we don’t get that, then the viability of the event is in doubt,” said Paul Angell, President of the Glebe Chamber of Commerce.
Mr Angell said the Chamber has tried seeking corporate funding for the event every year, but the City of Sydney remains the Fair’s only sponsor.
A spokesperson for the City did not say why it had decided to cut its funding, but Deputy Lord Mayor Marcelle Hoff said that culturral grants were intended to kick-start community projects.
The anxiety follows news that Leichhardt Chamber of Commerce was forced to axe this year’s Norton Street Italian Fiesta after being unable to secure an event organiser.
The City of Sydney has funded $15,000 to the Glebe Street Fair since 2005. The financial contribution was doubled to $30,000 in 2008 to support the Glebe community during the City’s $15 million dollar street upgrade. This year the Fair will again receive $30,000 from the City.
The rest of the event’s expenses are covered through the cost of stalls, which Mr Angell said the Chamber could not raise the price of for fear of losing vendors.
“If we put it up more then we’ll risk having a quarter of the street empty – that’s what we’re trying to avoid. At the moment we’re at that maximum threshold, we can’t charge anymore than we’re already charging,” he said.
A City of Sydey spokesperson said that the City had a long history of supporting Glebe’s commercial activities, including a recent $30,000 grant for the suburb’s new branding strategy, and helping it seek sponsorship from Tourism NSW.
“The City works closely with the Glebe Chamber of Commerce to enhance the economic viability and social amenity of Glebe, supporting the Chamber in making application to the recently announced Tourism NSW Precinct Event Funding program,” said the spokesperson.
Mr Angell said he would like the City to work with the Chamber in finding corporate funding for the event.