At a Tourism Industry Council of Tasmania event on Thursday, the Museum of Old and New Art founder David Walsh announced his vision for the future of the MONA FOMA festival, proposing to transplant it from Hobart to Launceston.

Since its inception in 2009, the annual music and art extravaganza has contributed to a cultural renaissance in the state’s South.

Now, Mr Walsh wants to bring the North to the table.

In 2018, certain MONA FOMA events will be hosted in Launceston, with a view to permanently relocating the festival there come 2019.

Mona Museum established Dark Mofo in 2013, a winter alternative to MONA FOMA.

The idea for relocating the summer festival to Launceston is still in its infancy and has thus not yet secured government funding.

But Bass Liberal MHA Sarah Courtney supported the idea on Thursday, saying MONA FOMA would be a “strong addition” to Launceston’s cultural landscape.

Alderman van Zetten said the Mona brand was synonymous with Tasmania’s recent tourism boom.

“While tourism is still thriving in the North and in Launceston to the tune of an 11 per cent increase last year, we see this announcement by Mr Walsh as an incredible opportunity to continue that growth and to help further investment and jobs growth in our great city,” he said.

Opposition Leader Rebecca White was similarly enthusiastic, saying Mr Walsh’s announcement was “enormously exciting”.

She said a Labor government would work with Mona to help it realise its expansion plans.

Launceston Art Society president Carolyn Riley also welcomed the proposal.

“Any potential for advancing the performing and visual arts in the North has to be explored,” Ms Riley said.

“Mona has become an international icon.

“We should take every opportunity to share [in] the love.”