ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr would step in to save the Art, Not Apart festival if re-elected, after organisers said an ACT agency funding cut meant it was likely to be cancelled.
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The organisers posted on Facebook on Friday to say the Land Development Agency had cut the annual New Acton event's funding, criticising Mr Barr for the decision.
But Mr Barr responded on Facebook saying it was the first he had heard of the decision.
"It is NOT a decision I have taken as we are currently in the caretaker period," he wrote.
"I support Art, Not Apart and will look to find an alternative funding source if the LDA cannot continue its sponsorship."
On Saturday morning he said the LDA had made the decision "without consulting" him.
"It is unacceptable. I will reverse the decision after the election if I am re-elected," he said.
The event has been held each year since 2011. The next event was due to be held on March 18.
Art, Not Apart founder and events producer David Caffery welcomed Mr Barr's commitment after a conversation with the Chief Minister's office, although he said he was unsure about the details and what sum would be provided.
The LDA had provided $100,000 for the 2016 event, which was the "bare minimum" of public funding to keep the event going, he said.
"For the last two years it's been about a $200,000 festival, and that's including going across [expanding] to the lake," he said.
"The private funding has been unwavering, it is the public funding that has been wavering."
Canberra Liberals arts spokeswoman Nicole Lawder said "knee-jerk decisions" to end funding were unhelpful.
"It appears the government's processes have been particularly poor in this instance," she said.
"If elected, a Canberra Liberals government will be happy to consult with organisers about a way forward."
Mr Caffery said it was now too late to apply for the ACT Events Fund or ACT Arts Fund money, which the event would have been eligible for.
He said the funding proposals lodged by organisers this year had aimed to have the government contribution to total event funding reduce to 35 per cent within three years, but next March was expected to be a roughly 50-50 public-private split.
The event had attracted about 14,000 people this year across its New Acton and West Basin sites, he said.
The LDA is within the Chief Minister, Treasury and Economic Development Directorate, of which Mr Barr is the only responsible minister.
