Olly Arkins, CEO of the Australian Festival Association (AFA), will depart the trade body on August 21, 2026, after five years in the role.
AFA chair Adelle Robinson credited Arkins for leading the organization through “one of the most consequential periods for the festival industry,” including pandemic fallout and recovery. Under her leadership, the AFA worked with members, governments and industry partners to secure greater recognition of festivals as an essential part of Australia’s cultural infrastructure.
Arkins cited rewriting New South Wales’s Music Festivals Act—resulting in significant reforms passed by state parliament in September 2024—as her “biggest achievement.” She also advocated for the federal government to establish and then increase Revive Live funding, including dedicated support for music festivals; helped secure the introduction of drug-checking services at festivals in Victoria and New South Wales; and renegotiated the OneMusic licence scheme to secure improved terms for festival organizers.
“She has taken the needs and aspirations of festival promoters directly to decision-makers and turned advocacy into increased funding, legislative reform and stronger working relationships with the agencies that regulate festivals,” Robinson said in a statement.
The AFA, established in December 2018, represents festival organizers, suppliers and stakeholders across Australia’s music festival sector. Members include Fuzzy, CMC Rocks, Live Nation, Hardware, Laneway, Groovin’ The Moo and Lost Paradise.
Source: Billboard
