

On Friday 27 April 2018, FRINGE WORLD was informed that the events management company JumpClimb is in financial difficulty and is potentially preparing for voluntary administration.

JumpClimp is an independent presenter of events at FRINGE WORLD and at the 2018 Festival they presented a large independent program across an array of venues.

FRINGE WORLD has been informed that a range of artists are owed monies by JumpClimb from their FRINGE WORLD seasons. The Festival is in the process of finding out exactly who is owed what and is in communication with affected artists about the situation. The understanding at this time is that close to $200,000 is owed to artists for their JumpClimb seasons. As an independent presenter of events, FRINGE WORLD does not have any control or involvement in the company’s management or operations and does not have access to its financial records for further direct analysis.

FRINGE WORLD directly controls approximately 50% of the Festival including The Pleasure Garden Hub, Ice Cream Factory Hub and all pop-ups in the Perth Cultural Centre. The other 50% of the festival occurs independently of FRINGE WORLD management.

The contract with independent producers in the Festival such as JumpClimb involves box office revenue generated through the FRINGE WORLD ticketing system being paid to the independent producers, who then pay the artists they have independently contracted. This is a similar arrangement to what is in place across other large international open-access Fringe Festivals such as Edinburgh Fringe.

FRINGE WORLD paid all owed ticketing income to JumpClimb in relation to the 2018 Festival in March. It would seem that JumpClimb did not then use this money to pay the money owed to the artists who created the work.

Event management companies have a responsibility to pay their creditors, in particular the artists they present. FRINGE WORLD is deeply troubled that JumpClimb has failed in its responsibilities and that this will negatively impact on artists.

In light of this incident and the impact on Fringe artists, FRINGE WORLD is meeting with key stakeholders including relevant government stakeholders about how relevant policies and procedures and contracted relationships with independent producers presenting at Fringe can be improved moving forward with an aim to better protect artists at all costs.

We are reaching out to all artists that may be affected by this issue to gather information to inform the next steps. Artists can contact FRINGE WORLD at artists@fringeworld.com.au

We are currently working with our Major Partner and legal firm K&L Gates to compile relevant information for artists affected so that they are informed about what they can do in this situation.

FRINGE WORLD is a non-for profit registered charity and one of our core values is that ‘Our success is defined by the success of our artists’. Our artists are vital to the Festival and we are devastated that the artists haven’t been paid what they are owed by JumpClimb.

ENDS

For all media enquiries, please contact:

Jo Hos

Marketing Director

(08) 9227 6288

0430 552 962

jo@artrage.com.au

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