The poet Mary Oliver once described art as being like “bread in the pockets of the hungry”. But the cost-of-living crisis – nicknamed “cozzy livs” by a younger generation who know that if you can’t change something, you can at least give it a name on your own terms – has come for both our groceries and our art. What happens when you can’t afford either?
The prices of live events, from theatre shows to musicals and gigs, have been steadily rising for years, particularly in the aftermath of Covid. Laneway festival tickets increased by $20 this year, while Vivid, one of the key events in Sydney’s calendar, started charging entry for select light shows. Events that were once free are free no longer and it’s not uncommon to pay hundreds of dollars for international acts. The battering that Taylor Swift fans recently took while waiting hours to buy tickets to her Australian tour is but one example, with fans forking out hundreds for seats up in the gods. Demand for stadium tours is at an all-time high and punters are paying through the teeth as a result.
