Hobart’s bold winter arts festival Dark Mofo will not be held in 2024, it was announced today.

Following a “fallow year” which will see a restructure of Dark Mofo to ensure its future viability, its organisers, DarkLab, promise the festival will return in 2025 “full swing”.

Citing “changing conditions and rising costs”, this year’s Dark Mofo will be reduced to just two flagship festival events – its Winter Feast and Nude Solstice Swim – after an arrangement was made with Tasmania’s State Government.

“We are thankful for the support and assistance that the State Government has shown in response to our need to reshape for the future,” said the festival’s Artistic Director Chris Twite.

“Dark Mofo has always been dedicated to enriching and transforming lives through ambitious art and ideas. We want to make sure that we have a festival that continues to deliver incredible art and artists, that continues to expand its artistic boundaries and remains a beacon of creativity, innovation, and cultural significance.”

In April, Dark Mofo announced the appointment of Twite as its new Artistic Director after the departure of Leigh Carmichael; 2024 was to be his first season.

The festival’s closure...