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Yellow Sunshine Pty Ltd, a holding company controlled by Earthcore festival founder Spiro Boursine, is to be wound up following the cancellation of this year’s festival amid the alleged non-payment of artist fees.
The boutique Australian music and arts festival, which bills itself as the “original bush doof”, had taken place in rural Victoria since 1993, drawing crowds of up to 30,000 in its mid-’90s heyday. It was revived under new management in 2013, with a capacity of around 5,000.
The festival announced plans to expand in 2017, with three Earthcore in the Park spin-off events in New South Wales (25 November), Queensland (2 December) and Western Australia (3 December).
Yellow Sunshine Pty Ltd – the majority owner of Earthcore – made an application to wind up the company on 4 December
However, all Earthcore in the Park events were ultimately called off at short notice – as was the flagship Earthcore festival, set to kick off on 23 November, which was axed after 32 acts pulled out, claiming non-payment, reports the Herald Sun. One performer, Israeli trance act Coming Soon, explained: “The reason for the cancellation is because the owner of this festival didn’t pay us until now and didn’t even book a flight, after promising every week that he will send [the money], and after many [discussions] of cancelling us if we will not be patient.”
Earthcore denies the allegation, saying the festival was cancelled due to soft ticket sales and an “advertised smear campaign by international artist Coming Soon”.
Documents filed with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission reveal Yellow Sunshine Pty Ltd – the majority owner of Earthcore – made an application to wind up the company on 4 December.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Boursine in 2011 had overseen a “string of failed music industry ventures [which] have run up debts of more than $1 million” (US$750,000).
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