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An independent street festival held annually since 2015 on Auckland’s Karangahape Rd has announced its end.
Organisers attributed the event’s cancellation to rising financial pressures and event costs, with “an increasingly unstable live music and funding landscape” rendering it unviable.
In a statement, festival director Reuben Bonner said The OthersWay would not go ahead this year “or beyond”, adding he was sharing the news “with a truly heavy heart and weary soul”.
“We know how sad this will make a lot of people, and none sadder than us,” he wrote.
“This festival – a DIY love story and K Rd juggernaut – has always been delivered by and for a community of weirdos and wonders.”
Bonner said the event had become a cornerstone of Karangahape Rd’s independent music and creative scene, helping give small artists a vital platform and audience.
Organisers of Auckland's The Others Way festival have called it quits on the event, with director Reuben Bonner saying rising costs and debts have made it unviable. Photo / Getty Images
“Watching it grow, seeing artists connect with audiences in such a meaningful way, and feeling the energy that filled those spaces each year has been one of the great joys of all time.”
Banished Music began promoting and presenting The Others Way in 2023, taking the reins from the event’s original visionaries, Flying Out and Flying Nun Records.
Bonner said economic conditions had changed drastically since then, impacting ticket sales, and that continuing The Others Way would only prove more difficult with rising costs, ongoing uncertainty and an absence of funding.
“We’ve explored every avenue available to us seeking new and established funding partners, pursuing sponsorship opportunities, and rethinking how the festival could operate sustainably.
“Despite these efforts, we haven’t been able to secure the secret formula to deliver the festival in a way that meets both our standards and our financial obligations.
“As well as that, over time, the debt that we have accumulated on this project can no longer responsibly be carried forward.”
The cancellations have diluted prospects for New Zealand’s grassroots music events, with the organiser of Twisted Frequency warning this year’s instalment may be its last unless conditions improve.
Founder and director David Tait, together with the organisers of Shipwrecked and Aum, criticised the Government’s approach to events funding following the introduction of a multimillion-dollar Event Boost Fund last year.
Organisers said the fund initially gave them hope but they were unable to secure support, arguing it favours large, commercial events over grassroots festivals.
“Throughout its life, Twisted has yet to receive a single dime or any kind of funding, and that is not for lack of trying,” Tait said.
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