A project across 12,500 square kilometres of South East Queensland could be a dynamic new model for regional music development.
The Creative Arts Alliance (CAA) presents a new regional live music project in partnership with five SEQ regional areas and the Live Music Office Australia.
First of its kind, Live & Local is re-igniting the South East Queensland north regions’ music scene – a series of micro-festivals showcasing live, original music organised by the creative community, for the greater community.
Since July 1, artists and arts workers have reported the loss of $84million in revenue and 28,000 gigs according to #ilostmygig website, creating an expansive gap in the creative economy that regions are currently well-placed to fill.
The Creative Alliance and Live Music Office have worked with local government partners from Gympie, Noosa, Sunshine Coast, Redland and Moreton Bay City councils to guide the project which will contract at least 100 creative industries workers, presenting music in approximately 55 venues across 12,587.2 square kilometres.
The Micro-Festivals are being delivered from September to November and will ignite both traditional and non-traditional music venues, curated by five regional producers.
Running alongside the Micro-Festivals are professional development nights in each region provided by peak body, QMusic with both business and artist-specific topics covered to continue to build a sustainable music ecology and economy.
Creative Arts Alliance has been a vibrant advocate for regional creative industries across the south-east north corner of Queensland for the past four years. Through delivering Arts Queensland’s Regional Arts Services (RASN) project, the organisation is now respected for developing and presenting highly valuable activities in all its RASN council regions and presenting Live & Local is proving to be another successful endeavour in partnership with regional and national funding partners.
“This project is particularly exciting because it is bringing together the creative economy with the tourism, business and hospitality economies. It builds communities within communities that, in these fluid times generates artistic outcomes for artists, boosts the social fabric and diversity of our communities and celebrates the regions.” Said Phil Smith, CAA Chair.
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Live & Local is a grassroots-focussed and driven program, essentially, the aim is to create paid opportunities for regional small businesses including technical crew, photographers, videographers, curators and artsworkers.
Revealing the quirky and colourful branding, organisers believe it represents the broad and soulful series of events planned, and look forward to enticing locals to head out and discover something a little outside the box. Queensland designer Jack Tierney says “The various shapes and colours are inspired by the people in regional communities, diverse and unique.”
Along with the five Local Government Area councils, these complementary projects are presented by Creative Arts Alliance in collaboration with Regional Arts Development Fund (RADF), Arts Queensland, Live Music Office, APRA/AMCOS and QMusic.
Lucy Joseph from the Live Music Office said she applauds the proactive commitment by Creative Arts Alliance to deliver Live and Local in such challenging times for the industry.
“We are pleased to partner with CAA and the councils of Gympie, Redlands Coast, Moreton Bay, Noosa and Sunshine Coast to deliver the Live and Local program at a time when local music communities are hurting from the devastating combined impacts of the 2019/20 bushfires and COVID-19.” Said Lucy Joseph, Live Music Office
Now more than ever it is crucial that local governments play an important role in supporting the revival and long-term sustainability of Australia’s live music industry, beginning at home in their grassroots communities. Through this project, not only are we able to deliver these safe events, we are helping businesses understand the richness that comes from investing in the creative economy which will hopefully have a legacy across these regions, benefitting not only local creatives but a vibrant cultural scene will further attract touring artists in the future.
This cross-regional project will support:
● development of local area Music Working Groups
● mentorship of emerging event curators
● performance opportunities for new and emerging musicians
● support of local venue-based live music industry
● delivery of live music events as part of a region wide micro-festival
● skills and professional development workshops
● local and regional industry roundtables
● foster a consistent approach to building a sustainable live music industry in our region
● build support for future projects based on the experience, engagement and information gained
through the program
Live and Local Micro-Festival Dates:
11 & 12 + 18 & 19 September – Sunshine Coast – Full program with artists and venues announced on Wednesday 1st September
22 – 24 October – Redlands Coast – Full program with artists and venues announced on Friday 17 September
23 – 24 October – Noosa – Full program with artists and venues announced on Monday 13 September
23 – 24 October & 30 October – Gympie – Full program with artists and venues announced on Wednesday 15 September
30 – 31 October & 6 – 7 November – Moreton Bay – Full program with artists and venues announced on Monday 20th September
For more information on the Live and Local program visit caa.creativealliance.org.au/live-and-local
Please tag relevant collaborators all LGA’s & partners on social media
@creativeallianceqld @RASNqld @artsqueenslandAQ @MoretonBayCouncil @noosacouncil @gympieregionalcouncil
@SunshineCoastCouncil @RedlandCouncil @QMusicNetwork @livemusicoffice @apraamcos
For Interviews:
Phil Smith: Chair, Creative Arts Alliance – presenting Live & Local
Lucy Joseph: Live Music Office Australia
Emily Murphy: Live & Local Project Lead + Gympie Curator
For media enquiries, please contact Rellish Walsh on 0422 543 779 or email rasn@creativealliance.org.au
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