Parramasala is an arts and cultural festival in Parramatta that aspires to be the first nationally significant arts and cultural festival based in Western Sydney.
Parramasala began in 2010 with a strong curatorial focus on the arts and culture of South Asia, identified as a potentially rich niche providing a nationally unique selling point. Evaluations showed this focus was achieving results, however funding reductions and instability eroded these results.
Initially engaged to facilitate strategic planning, Cobalt59 was asked to develop a Business Case for the festival to allow funding partners to consider the viability of the festival going forward.
Analysis was conducted of the previous festivals, including financial performance, audience data, marketing, competitor analysis, key points of difference and strategic positioning in the broader landscape of cultural offerings.
The Business Case developed was a key tool used to secure multi-year funding for Parramasala from 2016-2018 from both the NSW Government and Parramatta City Council.
It was recommended that with a realigned curatorial brief, investment in re-branding, and the capacity to strategically plan going forward, Parramasala is well placed to become a nationally recognised international arts festival that celebrates Parramatta as a future city with a rich cultural offer that reflects the city's strengths, drawing audiences from across Sydney and Australia.
If you have a particular situation you would like to discuss, please get in touch.
Contact Cobalt 59
