The WA government spent $8 million on Coldplay – but this tourism sugar hit comes at the expense of local music
The Western Australian government subsidised two exclusive 2023 concerts by Coldplay to the tune of A$8 million, Guardian Australia reported last week. The November performances at Perth’s Optus Stadium were described by the government as a “major tourism coup” for WA. The state’s “return on investment” will no doubt be reported by one of the big four accountancy firms, inevitably citing ticket purchases, overnight stays and hospitality spend. Whether one believes these reports or not, these metrics do not measure the true cost-benefits of large scale cultural initiatives. The return on government investments in arts and events s...... Read Full article on HadNews