The Dunedin Writers and Readers Festival attracted a bigger audience this year but despite it being popular and profitable it is now to be held every two years.
Festival trust chairwoman Alexandra Bligh said the shift from an annual event to biennial was to ensure its future sustainability and it was a ''purely practical'' decision.
''The trust have decided to hold the festival every second year, despite its popularity. The festival has one part-time employee and relies hugely on voluntary work, so it is more realistic resource-wise to hold the festival every two years.''
The festival would be held the year the two-yearly Arts Festival Dunedin was not held.
Becoming biennial would ensure the audience maintained its excitement levels, she said.
The festival team had coped with the 39 events this year but she expected there to be fewer events at the next festival.
''It's quite a lot logistically to deal with . . . I think we need to strike the right balance.''
Patronage was up nearly a quarter on the inaugural festival last year but some events were held at a similar time so attendance levels were not maximised, she said.
Tickets were sold for more than 3000 seats.
''We had 16 more events this year, and many events sold out - in particular all the writing workshops, the story time train to Port Chalmers and the poetry slam competition.''
Exact figures were unavailable because seven events had free entry and attendance was not counted, she said.
''The festival has now secured its presence on the Dunedin events calendar and is a really important part of the cultural life of Dunedin, particularly due to our recent designation as a Unesco City of Literature.''
