Olly Arkins to Depart as CEO of Australian Festival Association
Olly Arkins, chief executive officer of the Australian Festival Association, will leave the trade body on Friday, 21 August, after five years in the role. Billboard reported the departure on 12 August.
Adelle Robinson, who serves as chair of the AFA, confirmed the timeline. The association has not yet named a replacement.
Arkins cited the rewrite of New South Wales' Music Festivals Act — reforms passed by the state parliament in September 2024 — as her biggest achievement during her tenure. The overhaul addressed how festivals in the state are regulated, a matter that had drawn sharp debate after several events faced sudden cancellations and licence disputes in prior years.
Under Arkins, the AFA also pushed the federal government to establish and increase Revive Live funding, a grants programme designed to support live music, including dedicated assistance for festivals. The body helped secure the introduction of drug-checking services at festivals in Victoria and New South Wales, a harm-reduction measure long advocated by public health advocates and resisted by some state governments. The AFA additionally renegotiated the OneMusic licence scheme — the blanket licensing arrangement that allows festivals to legally play recorded and performed music — to secure improved terms for its members.
The Australian Festival Association was unveiled in December 2018 as a unified voice for festival promoters and operators. Its members include Fuzzy, CMC Rocks, Live Nation, Hardware, Laneway, Groovin' The Moo and Lost Paradise, a roster spanning country music festivals, multi-city touring events and boutique camping gatherings. Arkins brought over a decade of experience in public policy, communications and government relations to the role, according to the AFA's website. AFA
Arkins' departure comes as Australia's festival sector continues to navigate rising production costs, insurance premiums and shifting audience behaviour following the pandemic years. Several high-profile festivals have cancelled or paused operations since 2023, including Splendour in the Grass and Falls Festival, putting pressure on the AFA's advocacy work.
The AFA has not disclosed Arkins' next move. Her final day is 21 August.
