The Enlighten Canberra festival, which lost $2.4million for the ACT Government in its first year, will be back in 2012, but without the big headline acts.
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The 2012 program will be more closely aligned with the Canberra Festival and has moved from the big name drawcards of 2011 that saw Chris Isaak, George Benson and Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons perform against the backdrop of lit national institution buildings.
Next year's program will focus more on evening exhibition openings and smaller programs at a greater range of venues.
Launching the 2012 program at the National Museum of Australia yesterday, ACT Tourism Minister Andrew Barr said there would be something for everyone and the program would be spread over three weeks, culminating in Skyfire.
''The pricing point will be across the spectrum, which will enable people to participate and there will be free events,'' he said.
The budget for this year's program is $1million, and Mr Barr stressed they would not outlay the sort of money that was put into setting up last year's event.
''There will be the usual small amount of promotional tickets,'' but he said he was not expecting anything on the scale of last year where nearly a third of tickets were handed out free.
''Enlighten 2012 will build on the strengths of 2011 and integrate better with the Canberra Festival.'' Mr Barr also talked about Capital Tourism's aim to continue to develop the tourism program around the ''four seasons'' theme - particularly in the lead up to the city's centenary in 2013.
In 2012, there will be 11 institutions providing 35 events. Mr Barr believes the highlights will be the architectural projections and late night offerings.
''I think the silent disco and Pollack Ping Pong [a cross between painting and table tennis, a sort of paintball for art] will appeal to younger audiences,'' he said.
Other attractions include Red, White and Ale, a scientific look at beer and wine at Questacon, Show us your Mandate, a comedy night at the Museum of Australian Democracy, and an underground geological tour of Parliament House.
Director of the National Museum of Australia, Andrew Sayers, said it is the first time the Museum had partnered with the festival.
''We are partnering in two events, By the Water with Clare Bowditch and the Clouds, and Supper with the Indigenous theme, which fits in well with the museum,'' Mr Sayers said.
Enlighten will be part of the autumn program of activities for Canberra along with the Canberra Festival and National Folk Festival.
There will be two main precincts for Enlighten, one focussed around the National Gallery and the other around the National Library and Questacon. Ticket sales for the festival opened on Thursday night.
