FRINGE WORLD SUPPORT OF JUMPCLIMB AFFECTED ARTISTS

The non-for profit registered charity FRINGE WORLD Festival has today announced a range of measures to support the artists affected by the collapse of the independent event management company, JumpClimb.

Two key proposals were signed off by the Board of the Fringe last night:

• The first action is for FRINGE WORLD and our legal partner K&L Gates to commence proceedings to place Noodle Palace Pty. Ltd and JumpClimb Pty. Ltd. into administration. The Directors of JumpClimb aren’t moving on this under their own volition and its leaving artists and production companies affected in a state of limbo. It is FRINGE WORLD’s position that it is in the absolute interests of all affected that an external controller be appointed over JumpClimb and Noodle Palace as soon as possible. With this in mind FRINGE WORLD has instructed its legal partners to commence a process that will ultimately lead to an application to the Court for an order that a liquidator be appointed.

FRINGE WORLD CEO Marcus Canning stated:

“All who are owed are asking the million dollar question, what did JumpClimb do with all the money? Our goal is for a suitably experienced, qualified and independent person to investigate what has happened and try and claw back funds for the benefit of affected artists and production companies. We believe it is the strongest and most decisive action we can take on behalf of Fringe artists.”

• The second action signed off by the Board of Fringe World last night was to return all booking fees gathered through the Fringe ticketing system during the Festival to the artists affected. This will put up to $85,000 to the problem if the liquidators aren’t able to claw back the debts owed by JumpClimb to artists.

Marcus Canning stated:

"Although we have no legal obligation to address the situation financially, we feel it is our duty. Although we budgeted to break even this Festival and met our targets we are committing these funds to this devastating emergence as we are absolutely dedicated to Fringe artists and will do everything in our power to support them in whatever ways possible. It’s the ethical thing to do and it’s an expression of our values. At the heart of all we do are the artists.”

• FRINGE WORLD Festival is committed to reviewing the policy and procedures by which its artists are paid box office income with an aim to better protect artists working with independent companies. Alternate models will be presented to the sector and stakeholders during the annual review process for input and feedback in order to identify the preferred model for the 2019 FRINGE WORLD Festival.

Any artist who has been affected by this issue who has not already contacted FRINGE WORLD should email artists@fringeworld.com.au

Recap of the situation:

• 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. The programs they presented in 2018 were Noodle Palace and Palace Society.
   
• The amount owed to artists is estimated at around $200,000. As an independent presenter of events, FRINGE WORLD does not have any responsibility, control or involvement in JumpClimb or Noodle Palace management and / or mismanagement.
   
• 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 and at the 2018 Festival the JumpClimb program was 13% of the Festival program.
   
• Artists involved with events presented as part of the JumpClimb program had a contracted arrangement with JumpClimb and not with FRINGE WORLD. This arrangement involves a payment model whereby all box office revenue generated through the FRINGE WORLD ticketing system (most of which occurs via fringeworld.com.au) being paid to the independent presenter (i.e. JumpClimb), who then pay the artists they have independently contracted. Although regrettably this payment model has failed the artists who presented as part of the JumpClimb program, the payment model is also used without issue with more than 10 other independent presenters across the festival. This payment model is similar to what is in place across other large international open-access Fringe Festivals such as Edinburgh Fringe.
   
• FRINGE WORLD upheld its end of the contract with JumpClimb and paid all owed ticketing income to JumpClimb in relation to the 2018 Festival; this payment was made to JumpClimb in March. JumpClimb did not then use this money to pay the money owed to the artists who created the work.

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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