Summon your goth mates, fam, because Dark Mofo is back awn to wreak whimsical havoc on Hobart in 2021.
The beloved festival was sadly scrapped last year, as were many events across the country / globe, due to the coronavirus pandemic. Prior to its cancellation, it was due to be held in the Tasmanian capital throughout June, but for the first time ever in its seven-year history, the plug was pulled. Curses!
But according to a sick-ass post on the festival’s official Instagram page this morning, it looks like we back in black.
The post is a flashing graphic that bears the words ‘It’s happening – Dark Mofo’ in its signature black and red colouring, along with the dates of the event.
The caption reveals that “Dark Mofo returns from 16–22 June 2021. Program revealed April 2021.”
The iconique Museum of New and Old Art (MONA) in Hobart was one of the first institutions to can a major event in Tassie last year due to COVID. They announced in March, as shit was really fucking hitting the fan, that the 2020 Dark Mofo would not go ahead as planned, which was v. fair.
Soon after, the Hobart City Council said it wouldn’t be funding Dark Mofo until at least 2022, also because of the pandemic.
Creative director Leigh Carmichael told ABC News that this year’s event will be shorter as it’s running for seven days, and that there had been a decision to scrap sponsorship.
“We felt they were having a detrimental effect on the festival,” he said.
“We want to be able to pursue our own cultural agenda free from restraint and with a renewed commitment to the art.”
He also told the publication that this year marks the conclusion of a funding agreement between them and the Tassie Government which ran for five years.
So far in 2021, as we’ve slowly begun to return to normality, some big events have been revived, while others have remained on the backburner. We’re so friggen’ stoked that Dark Mofo ended up being the former.
Dark Mofo has been kicking over in Hobart since 2013 and includes well-known and loved events like the Winter Feast and nude solstice swim. Let’s get weird, folks.
