Victoria launches gig fund and festivals grants to support challenging live music sector

By Ian Rogers

As live music venues and festival organisers adapt to rising costs and lower spending on alcohol than previous generations, the Victorian Government has announced a $3.9 million funding package to support the sector and musicians who rely on playing gigs to hone their craft and build fan followings.

The first round of 10,000 Gigs: The Victorian Gig Fund will fund 144 venues across the state to stage paid gigs by local artists, while the Live Music Festivals Fund will see 22 festivals receive grants of up to $50,000 to help them stage new or existing events.

Live music venues awarded grants include iconic Melbourne venues such as The Tote, The Jazzlab, Mamma Chen’s and Laundry, with regional venues like Ballarat’s Volta, Barwon Heads Hotel and Theatre Royal in Castlemaine all part of the mix, along with suburban venues like District 14 in Narre Warren.

Festival recipients include fan favourites Port Fairy Folk Festival, Queenscliff Music Festival and Riverboats Festival, alongside the return of Wangaratta Festival of Jazz and Blues, and new events including GROUNDED to be held at Dookie Quarry, and Yass Queens Park, a queer-focused festival in Moonee Ponds.

Also part of the package, $1 million of Music Works grants will support 92 music projects involving 600 music industry professionals, giving both emerging and established artists the opportunity to take the next step in their careers. Over the past nine years, the program has invested almost $13 million in more than 800 projects.

As part of the package, the GRID Series artist development program is back in Geelong for a second year helping local emerging musicians build and establish their careers, while The Push All Ages Grants will support live music venues, booking agents, artists, promoters and community organisations across Victoria to stage events for all ages.

Multicultural Arts Victoria will present its third iteration of its NEWPRINT program, offering professional development opportunities for artists and creative workers from culturally and linguistically diverse communities.

“We’re continuing to back our state’s live music industry at all levels, with funding for festivals and venues to stage great events and live performances, support for established artists and industry workers, and to help emerging musicians get their start in the industry,” says Minister for Creative Industries Colin Brooks.

“While the live music sector continues to face challenges across the country, this investment will help strengthen our local industry – a vital creative sector for our state.”

Music Victoria CEO Simone Schinkel says it would be “hard to be in Victoria and not experience the direct benefits of such an investment”.

“It’s great to see the Victorian Government continuing to champion local musical talent, showcasing original contemporary music from Victoria in live music venues across the state, alongside international acts at festivals, and supporting Victorian artists as they tour nationally and internationally,” Schinkel says.

Everyone is invited to the CONVERGE Open Day

Step into the heart of Lismore’s creative scene at the CONVERGE Open Day on Saturday, 28 September 2024, and meet the artists bringing this vibrant residency space to life!

CONVERGE is a temporary artist-in-residence and professional development program, transforming a prominent vacant space in the CBD into a thriving hub of creativity, community connection, and cultural revival. As part of Lismore’s disaster recovery initiative, CONVERGE aims to reignite the city as a cultural hub, highlighting its unique character and supporting its world-class creative industry.

For the past three months, CONVERGE has breathed new life into the CBD with its burst of colour, textures, and artistic exploration. Now, you’re invited to immerse yourself in this energetic space and connect with local creators during the CONVERGE Studio Open Day.

What to Expect

• Time: 10am to 3pm
• Date: Saturday, 28 September 2024
• Location: 123 Woodlark St, Lismore

Join 11 talented local artists as they open their studios for a behind-the-scenes experience. Meet the makers, explore the creative process, and enjoy live performances, installations, and art in action.

Featured activities include:

• Paul Walker performing Dance and Draw
• Adrienne Kenafake presenting her latest performance piece, fresh from the Cementa Festival
• Chris Lego showcasing his screen-printing skills while spinning tunes
• Matt O’Brien offering a hands-on experience with mud mixing
• Antoinette O’Brien leading a clay play session
• Michelle Gilroy celebrating subtle textures in her work
• Karenza Ebejer sharing her digital dreaming as a filmmaker
• Stefanie Mirkilis creating vibrant mosaics

This Open Day is part of a broader weekend of cultural events, including the much-anticipated reopening of the Lismore Regional Gallery on Friday, 26 September 2024.

About CONVERGE

Located between Woodlark Street and Larkin Lane, CONVERGE sits at the core of Lismore’s “arts block,” nestled alongside the Lismore Regional Gallery, The Quad, Northern Rivers Conservatorium, Elevator ARI, and the brand-new Tinnie Army Mural on Larkin Lane.

This initiative is led by Lismore City Council and funded by the NSW Reconstruction Authority to support the arts sector in its recovery following the devastating floods of 2022.

Support and Celebrate Lismore’s Artistic Community

Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin praised the program, saying, “It’s exciting to see the results of CONVERGE. It’s important to support the artistic community in their flood recovery and watch them flourish again.”

Don’t Miss Out!

Come and be part of this celebration of art, creativity, and community at CONVERGE.

CONVERGE Studio Open Day

• Date: Saturday, 28 September 2024
• Time: 10am to 3pm
• Location: 123 Woodlark St, Lismore

See you there!

Byron Bay Film Festival Celebrates Aussie Surfing History

Surfing, which captivated Australia’s youth in the 1960s, became a cultural movement for teenagers seeking freedom from the restrictive norms of post-war life. This exhilarating lifestyle, centred on the surf culture of the east coast, is captured in You Should Have Been Here Yesterday, a documentary that will be featured at the Byron Bay Film Festival this October.

Directed by Jolyon Hoff, a filmmaker known for his acclaimed work Searching for Michael Peterson, this documentary is a nostalgic journey through the rise of surfing in Australia, drawing from hours of archival footage. Hoff’s creation taps into his Surf Film Archive, featuring 8mm and 16mm reels from the 1960s, including content from legends such as Ma and Pa Bendall, Bob Evans, and Midget Farrelly, among others. The film showcases early surfing legends and pioneers, bringing to life the era when surfing was more a way of life than a sport, and the cultural revolution it inspired.

Padang Padang 1975. Credit Dick Hoole

You Should Have Been Here Yesterday goes beyond celebrating surfing’s thrill. It explores the challenges of female surfers, notably Marjorie ‘Ma’ Bendall, who broke barriers in her 50s. The documentary also dives into the dark side of the surfing era, discussing the influence of drugs and commercialisation on the sport, while highlighting the creative passion that emerged in board-shaping and surf filmmaking.

The film promises a visual feast of historic surfing cinematography, backed by a powerful soundtrack from Headland, an Australian music collective led by Murray Paterson. It is a must-watch for surf enthusiasts and those who appreciate the cultural impact of surfing on Australian society.

Also featured at the festival is Aquarius, directed by Byron Bay filmmaker Wendy Champagne. The documentary explores the 1973 Aquarius Festival, which helped transform Nimbin into a vibrant community known for its activism and counterculture, mirroring the surf culture’s spirit of rebellion and free thinking.

Both films highlight the Northern Rivers region’s historical role in shaping alternative lifestyles and thinking, making the 18th Byron Bay Film Festival a celebration of surf culture, activism, and the region’s unique place in Australian history. The festival runs from October 18-27 at Byron Palace Cinemas and other venues.

For more details, visit here.

WE DANCE FESTIVAL

Unleash Your Inner Rhythm at We Dance Festival!

We Dance Festival is a celebration of movement, connection, and community. Join us for a weekend filled with electrifying performances, inspiring workshops, and a vibrant atmosphere.

What awaits you:

• Captivating Performances: Witness a diverse lineup of dance styles from Hip-Hop to Salsa to Tap by renowned artists and up-and-coming talents.
• Interactive Workshops: Learn from the best! Participate in workshops led by experienced instructors and elevate your own dancing skills.
• Unforgettable Experience: Immerse yourself in a vibrant community of dance enthusiasts. Make new connections, share your passion, and create lasting memories.

Full Festival Pass:

Immerse yourself in the entire We Dance Festival experience!

This pass grants access to Friday night’s immersion event, all-day workshops on Saturday, and the electrifying Saturday night party.

What’s included:

• Friday Night Immersion: Kick off your festival journey – access to the exclusive Friday night event filled with exciting performances and community interaction.
• Saturday Workshops and Carnival: Access to all Saturday workshops led by experienced dance instructors followed by our carnival celebration and dance party.

Venues:

• Byron Community Centre: workshops and carnival – all day Saturday
• Otherworld, Byron: Friday night immersive, Saturday night afterparty, Sunday workshops

Don’t miss out! Secure your tickets today for the We Dance Festival. Limited Early Bird discounts are available until July 15 or are sold out!

EVENT DETAILS:

• When: 6th – 8th of September
• Where: Byron Bay
• Price: $165+ BF
• Tickets: Available here.

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WATTY THOMPSON & HIS TOTAL FIRE BAND

Indie bush bard Watty Thompson is hitting the road in support of his brand-new single ‘Rock & Roll’, a clarion call for his fellow artists doing it tough.

After his Australian Music Prize nominated 2023 debut album scored a direct hit into the hearts of fans and critics alike, winning praise, accolades, and airplay, it announced the arrival of a newpositive voice in Australian music.

Since then, Watty has been taking stock, quietly working toward his next message of hope. The bush born empath gathered up the multi-limbed talents of his Total Fire Band and headed into the studio to capture some more of his patented heart on sleeve messages to self-belief. The first fruit of those efforts is the rollicking affirmation “Rock & Roll”.

In a country where it’s somewhat engrained to keep our hopes and dreams to ourselves through fear of getting cut down, “Rock & Roll” seeks to encourage other artists to follow their calling, regardless of what society might suggest is a safer path.

“It can take guts to follow your true calling”, Watty admits. “All kinds of things can make you second guess yourself, but if you know in your heart that you’re meant to be doing something, give it your all if you’re able to do so.”

At a time when the Australian music industry is doing it tough, “Rock & Roll” seeks to edify fellow artists a to hang on and keep fighting for their art.

As ever Watty is trying to live by example suggesting, “it’s a long road sure, but I’ll be striving hard until the day that I die, even if it means forever digging ditches in between to make it possible.”

Voted Music Victoria’s Regional Artist of the Year in 2023, Watty and his Total Fire Band have connected with a growing number of believers through stellar showings at festivals including Dashville Skyline, Riverboats, Out On The Weekend, OK Motels and of course their life-affirming set at Meredith Music Festival. These new tour dates will visit some new places and faces as Watty looks to spread his message across the country.

He says, the world needs art and as artists, I reckon we’ll reach the end of this life with a full heart regardless of how full or empty our pockets are. We’ll be fulfilled and content knowing we did what we were supposed to do.”

Watty and his Total Fire Band will be joined by special guests Brodie Buttons and J. Kagan & The Government Beers.

EVENT DETAILS:

• When: Sunday 8th September @3pm
• Where: Eltham Hotel
• Price: From $33
• Tickets: Available here.

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