MUDfest and the Farrago.

Farrago Edition 3, 2011 was an interesting issue for many reasons. One was the highly amusing horoscopes but there was a lot of more interesting and political stuff as well. Not to be daunted the Editors of Farrago ran a provocative cover and also a feature article about the way forward for the Union/Onion underneath the leader ship of Clemens Unger*. Under the title Westfield Parkville Tim Hall wrote about the the direction the University is taking with the Union. This very interesting and worthwhile article was on page 11.

On page 40 there was an article about about MUDfest: Covered in MUDfest by Vicky Smith (which doesn't seem to be up on the website for some reason - check out the emag. It will be there - page 40). This is not a go at the eds for relegating it to the bag of the magazine - when it really should be in the front news section - instead we would like to draw some parallels between the articles.

For a University Union to be concerning itself to becoming "the Parkville destination...in terms of retail, entertainment and hospitality...a layout like Melbourne Central, you get the drift of what should be there" is a worry. This is Von Westfield on his vision for Onion House. But wait there is more! "I like that Borders principle..." Yes, it is always wise to take business ideas FROM A BANKRUPT COMPANY THAT FORGOT IT WAS A BOOKSHOP. It is clear that the Union is at risk as the article continues of forgetting that "it is a University not a shopping centre." So. We have a mandate (apparent mandate) anyway to move away from being "stuck in the 1970s" and 'moving forward' to to the present. The cynic in the root system of this website asks:

1. How much is the architect being paid to redesign the second floor?
2. How much does this "major make-over" going to cost?
3. Will it actually benefit students and...
4. Why was there no money in the MUSUL budget for MUDfest?

This is where the two articles are linked. On page 11 we have a man with an expansive and expensive vision to transform the Union and 29 pages later there is an article about the same organisation completely annihilating the funding of a student festival. There is of course tough economic times at the moment as we are being constantly reminded by our politicians in the lead up to Federal Budget BUT, the cynic might not accept that there is no money at MUSUL. There is just no money for MUDfest as it is being channelled into other ventures. 

Incidentally factually the report in the Covered in MUDfest article that MUSUL has cut the budget almost in half is incorrect. The money raised for this years festival predominately came from C-CRAG (The Cultural and Community Relations and Advisory Group - hideous sounding acronym but really quite awesome) and ever lovely and supportive Theatre Board. Allegedly MUSUL have not provided any direct funding (as far as Muddy Leaks is aware) but have been assisting with the providing the designs and other materials. Fortunately it finished on a great positive note:

Arts Officer Extroadinaire: "For us it is not about going 'Oh crap, we don't have eighty thousand dollars to spend' it's about producing a festival that's sustainable, raw, and not too loud in terms of expenses - a festival that is about ideas."

Keep up the fight Farrago!

*Henceforth on this site the supreme leader of that darkside of the will be known as Von Westfield, although we are sure he is a lovely chap.