But ChristchurchNZ said the brand was being redeveloped to reflect the event’s new vision and create something distinctive that can only be found in New Zealand.
“It will not only be celebrating Ōtautahi, but the country’s arts and culture. It’s critical for the success of this homegrown event. So we will aim to make this festival uniquely ours,” ChristchurchNZ’s head of major events Karena Finnie said.
Finnie said the event was about showing that the city is committed to play, can grow local talent, and build the events sector while delivering social and economic benefits.
She added people will travel to experience an event they can’t see anywhere else in the world.
“We want our local and international talent to come to Christchurch and experience one of the world’s most generous crowds – hosted with manaakitanga and a sense of kindness you can’t experience anywhere else.”
Despite $600,000 in visitor spending last year for ChristchurchNZ’s $400,000 investment, Finnie said the festival was about celebrating arts and cultural diversity over economic generation.
Event manager Beth Elstone is joining two of the country’s experienced festival producers and directors, Pitsch Leiser and Drew James, to put next year’s festival together.
“With leadership roles at international events including Womad, to large-scale events like Te Matatini ... and many regional music and arts festivals, the breadth of knowledge, experience, networks and capability we have gained as a team positions us well to reimagine Ōtautahi Christchurch’s World Buskers Festival,” Leiser said.
International and local acts, new busking sites and the ticketed schedule are yet to be announced.
