Dark Mofo would dribble away if festival's content was tamed, creator says

The owner of MONA, David Walsh, has hit back at criticism of Dark Mofo by Hobart's Lord Mayor, who floated the idea of pulling council funding for the festival.

Mr Walsh is standing by the content that has upset Mayor Ron Christie.

"It isn't about being cross about crosses, it's about how intensely and majestically different we all are, and it's about stretching the elastic that binds us."

Alderman Christie said he had received thousands of community complaints from Christians about inverted crosses on the waterfront this year and animal activists upset about the sacrifice of a bull last year.

Mr Walsh said the festival was for an audience that can "cope with ambiguity".

"If we acquiesce to curatorial influence and become tame, the festival will dribble away, so money will be irrelevant.

"We are not driven by a need to shock, but we do feel a need to test the merit of the status quo.

"We believe Hobart is a city that can accommodate a multiplicity of views, as we do within our curatorial process."

Mr Walsh said the festival was for an audience that "resists the centre".

The Mayor's comments unleashed a torrent of criticism with a fellow alderman telling him to "pull his head in".

The State Chamber of Commerce was similarly unimpressed, saying Alderman Christie's comments "leapt out of the 1950s".

A gift to the state

Tasmania's Premier, Will Hodgman, had praised the difference MONA has made to Tasmania

On Friday morning he handed over $5.25 million so the summer MONA Foma festival can move from Hobart to Launceston for the next three years.

"You know when I talk about Tasmania being a very different place … it's due in large part to the creativity, the enterprise and the initiative of many Tasmanians, David Walsh is prominent amongst them," Mr Hodgman said.

"I think Tasmanians across the state appreciate his generosity.

"But also embrace his enthusiasm, his creativity, his preparedness to be culturally courageous."

Tasmania's food and wine industry is also a strong supporter of MONA and its summer and winter festivals.

Food writer and wine importer Sue Dyson said the festival was a gift to Hobart.

"I think it has given Tasmanians a huge amount of pride and its made Tasmania a place people think is exciting," she said.

Ms Dyson said food and wine businesses in Hobart were making more money now in June than they had been in summer.

"There have been three weekends that have been record breaking weekends for restaurants," she said.

"Even for us it has an impact as a tiny little business, we sell more during this month than in summer."

Cash splash criticised

The State Government has been criticised by a professor of creative industries for not pulling its weight by investing enough money into MONA's festivals.

Adrian Franklin from the University of South Australia was disappointed to learn that the Hodgman Government had not given MONA all of the $8 million it wanted to move the summer festival to Launceston.

"I think if you want to extend it into Launceston, if you want to keep it going as well as it has been going, then you do need to support it with more money," he said.

MONA CEO Mark Wilsdon said, "We were initially disappointed that we didn't get the full amount".

But he has promised it will not be a lesser festival — MONA was looking for sponsorship and partnerships in Launceston.

Mr Hodgman was adamant that the Government is pulling its weight when it comes to funding MONA's festivals.

Earlier this month, David Walsh complained that he is not making any money from his museum or festivals.

He said that, while MONA is not profitable, it is also not an act of philanthropy.

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