Darwin Music Fest To Go Ahead After Management Sacked

It has been confirmed that the annual Darwin Festival will go ahead as planned this August after the festival board fronting the event were sacked this week. 

As ABC reports, Hendri Mentz of auditors Deloitte took over as statutory manager yesterday as the festival went into administration, following financial trouble and accusations of mismanagement.

The board earlier this week called for the NT Government to provide $450,000 in contract payments or the festival would have to be called off. 

Speaking to 1057 ABC Darwin yesterday, Mentz confirmed that the Darwin Festival will go ahead, despite fears it was facing the axe. 

"The government has committed to financially supporting the deliver of the full planned festival for this financial year," Mentz said.

"It does not only entail bringing forward the current funding that is committed, it will mean additional funding that they have committed to."

Changes in staff are expected to follow, though Mentz confirmed that the general manager and artistic director roles will remain unchanged. 

"We've got highly committed people, highly committed to deliver the best possible festival for the people in Darwin...that will be the aim, we'll get the festival delivered with the current staff in place," Mentz added.

This year's event takes place from 4-21 August and features the likes of Peter Garrett, Sarah Blasko and The Birds.