Asher/Victoria: King Kong conquers Melbourne

· King Kong generates $104 million in economic benefit for Victoria
· Sets a benchmark for quality theatre and musical productions
· Victorian Coalition Government strongly supporting the arts in Victoria

Melbourne once again confirmed its credentials as the theatre capital of Australia with Melburnians, Victorians and interstate and international visitors embracing the Melbourne-made production of King Kong.

The Minister for Tourism and Major Events, Louise Asher, today announced the success of the acclaimed show, which generated an economic benefit of
$104 million.

“The show’s success is testament to the Victorian Coalition Government’s commitment to a thriving major events calendar, which provides jobs for over 3,300 Victorians and brings thousands of visitors who support our tourism, hospitality and retail sectors,” Ms Asher said.

The Minister said she was delighted that 30 per cent of visitors to the show were from interstate and over 5 per cent were from overseas. The producers of the show also confirmed that the show had re-engaged theatre-goers and encouraged more men to attend. The show also promoted Melbourne’s home-grown skills and capabilities.

Minister for the Arts Heidi Victoria said the creators of King Kong, Melbourne-based Global Creatures, had set a new benchmark for quality theatre and musical productions with the potential for export.

‘’The success of King Kong is testament to the drive and ambition of those working in Victoria’s creative industries and will hopefully encourage the development and staging of further original productions for Victoria and beyond,” Ms Victoria said.

Theatre productions such as King Kong, deliver a range of powerful economic and social benefits to Victoria. Visitors to the state bring economic benefits, while a healthy arts sector enhances the liveability of the state and drives innovation and employment in the Melbourne creative industry sector.

“Continued investment in major events and the arts is central to vitality, liveability and growth of our city and the hosting of these events and productions provide social and economic benefits to Victoria,” Ms Asher said.

“This is evidenced by the recent arts and cultural events in Melbourne, from Designing 007, 50 Years of Bond Style, the 2013 Melbourne Winter Masterpieces series comprising Monet’s Garden and Hollywood Costume and the 2013 Melbourne Ring Cycle which, combined, delivered an economic benefit of $66.8 million to the Victorian economy. More than 1 million people attended these events, together with King Kong.”

Tourism is a significant economic driver for Victoria, worth $19.6 billion a year or 5.8 per cent of the total Victorian economy, and providing jobs for more than 200,000 Victorians.