Despite the hurdles, the 10th programme of the two-yearly festival was launched last night.
Mr McBryde said one of the major events of the festival, a circus-style show with "air sculptures" - "Air Play" - had taken four years' work to bring to Dunedin.
The festival had a 10-day window every two years to attract acts, he said.
"For an organisation our size, to make it work, I've got to be realistic - Dunedin is at the bottom of the world."
Nobody would fly from, in the case of "Air Play", New York, for just two shows.
That meant Mr McBryde had to find other places in New Zealand also keen to host the act.
He managed that, meaning the act and its costs would be shared by Auckland, Tauranga and New Plymouth.
"That's how I manage to do all my international stuff."
Festivals in Nelson and Hawke's Bay after the Dunedin show were taking other artists.
A Hungarian act was going to seven other venues.
Mr McBryde said the festival was in a better place financially after going through tough times in 2012.
"Only now are we coming out of that."
Finances were still tight, although there was good corporate support this year and for the first time, a principal sponsor in the form of SBS Bank, Mr McBryde said.
Business support and funding were in place, and the festival just needed good support at the box office.
Venues had been "a major issue" this year, and the festival had to scramble after the closure of the Fortune Theatre.
Initial hopes the theatre could be used were dashed, and instead spaces such as the Kavanagh College auditorium picked up the slack.
Mr McBryde said Dunedin was crying out for more theatre space.
The Regent Theatre was good for larger productions but the city desperately needed smaller 400 to 800-seat theatres, and "black box" spaces, which were smaller and more flexible.
The festival runs from September 21 to 30 at venues, including the Dunedin Town Hall, St Paul's Cathedral, Olveston and the Regent Theatre.
