Ken West is best known as the creator of ‘The Big Day Out’- an annual music festival that toured across Auckland, Sydney, Melbourne, Gold Coast, Adelaide & Perth from 1992-2014.

I entered into AMCAE (now known as COFA) in 1976 to be a Kineticist and Experiential Artist. A chance meeting with artist Christo when he guest lectured in 1979, offered a grander more magical ambition. This led to producing music events as well as representing and touring many of the worlds most important musical artists from the last 30 years. Utilising pseudonyms whenever possible such As Ken-Tel, Prince Melon, Edward Zimblis and Syndicate Pty Ltd, Zest and ultimately pioneered The Big Day Out where in 1991 I brought together a fragmented independent music scene to not only challenge but in many ways surpass the mainstream. 

Over 22 years the Big Day Out consisted of 121 events over 6 cities (Auckland/Gold Coast/Sydney/Melbourne/Adelaide and Perth) attracting over 5,000,000 people.

I treat art as a living thing that constantly changes.

The people are the art as much as the artists are the people. I believe that the fact it is temporary makes it all the more important, not less.