Streets, parks and businesses in regional towns will come alive as part of a NSW Government initiative to take micro music festivals to the bush for the first time.
Orange, Newcastle, Tenterfield, Tweed Shire, Wagga Wagga, Kempsey, Armidale and Mudgee will share $150,000 to host Live and Local events during 2017/2018.
From a bike shop to a butcher shop and plenty of other places in between, musicians will provide free family entertainment for NSW regional communities.
These events are a fantastic way of bringing local musicians and businesses together, it’ll benefit local retail and we might just unearth the next big thing in Australian music.
Minister for the Arts Don Harwin said this is another example of the Government’s commitment to develop arts and culture across regional NSW.
“It’s fantastic that we are able to take this program to the bush to improve opportunities for the promotion of live music across our state,” Mr Harwin said.
“This is a great initiative where Councils can offer local artists a platform to be heard. From school bands to rock bands, locals will be entertained by locals for free.
“After our events in Parramatta, Camden and Wollondilly dating back to last year, I’m delighted that we are able to widen the net to help grow live music in regional NSW.”
Live Music Office Director, John Wardle said these funding rounds build collaborations and capacity across the industry and government, as a range of sector organisations are now working closely together to coordinate support for these councils and events.
“To see such a fantastic mix of councils across NSW now preparing to activate their streetscapes and businesses with diverse artists and celebrate the music made in their towns is genuinely exciting. Everyone involved in putting this together is so enthusiastic about what we are going to see as these events take place and beyond.”
A further five Western Sydney councils will be supported with $100,000 through the second year of funding. Liverpool, Cumberland, Blue Mountains, Hawkesbury and Campbelltown will all host micro music festivals following last year’s inaugural success.
This initiative has been very popular with performers and communities, and we still have two events to come from the first year of funding at Blacktown and Fairfield.
The funding is administered by Live Music Office on behalf of Create NSW and is used to cover the cost of fees for musicians, curators and technicians involved in the events.
