Electronic Music Conference, Spunk Records secure Create NSW funding
Contemporary associations and musicians will share $446,550 as part of Create NSW’s latest $5 million funding round for the arts and culture sector.
The Electronic Music Conference will receive $60,000 for its national 2021 program of live music performances from 40-50 electronic music artists, filmed in real life at 30 venues around Australia, including 12 in NSW. Performances are presented through online streaming platforms, as well as in immersive virtual reality thanks to a VR super-venue created by EMC and Z Access.
The Sydney Improvised Music Association has earned $110,000 for live shows in Sydney, Western Sydney and regional NSW, as well as education sessions in state schools, mentoring, and developing audiences here and abroad.
Spunk Records will use its $44,800 for a regional touring initiative Hometowns: Back To Where It All Began. Fifteen established and mid-career artists will visit their home towns in regional and outer suburban NSW for concerts, workshops and school visits, offering inspiration, mentorships and role models to young regional artists and audiences.
What So Not (aka Chris Emerson) will get $40,000 to record Alive, the follow-up to his critically acclaimed 2018 debut Not All The Beautiful Things.
$17,750 goes towards metalcore band In Hearts Wake, who are making an EP in Bangalow containing five new works and two unplugged renditions.
The 40-piece Japanese drum ensemble Stonewave Taiko from Bega get $35,000 for a project called Grow Stonewave, to expand its capacity and find new partnerships and projects.
In other categories, with $30,000, Sam’s Caravan – a mobile stage and recording studio – will journey to six arts/cultural festivals in southeast NSW over an 18 month period, to enable regional festivals to present live music performances, live-stream and record shows, as well as provide professional recording studio facilities.
First Nations music pioneer Roger (Buddy) Knox has been awarded $15,600 to record a new album, Buddy Knox Records His Blues Story, inspired by stories from his families, which involves collaborations with three generations of his family.
Kolour Me Kweer 2021 ($25,200) is a series of drag and writing workshops to develop and showcase the experiences of First Nations LGBTIQ people in Blacktown and Western Sydney, culminating in two Queerstories nights performed at Blacktown Arts Centre and shared with online audiences.
In addition to the funding round, the $100,000 Generations Fellowships return to support three individuals or groups for six months of professional development in 2021. The NSW Government is calling for applications from early career contemporary musicians, music producers, songwriters and composers, in the second year of a partnership offering $40,000 each from Create NSW and the Powerhouse Museum, and $20,000 from music management and touring company Astral People.
Astral People co-founder and director Vichara Edirisinghe said, “The Generations Fellowship was one of the more rewarding experiences we’ve had since starting the company over nine years ago.
“We discovered some amazing talent and were able to facilitate the growth of the three recipients, seeing them through the various aspects of the music industry, and it was especially satisfying to have such a diverse group.
“I can’t wait to hear and see what this amazing program brings us next year.”
The deadline for fellowship applications is 5pm AEDT on Monday January 18 through the Create NSW website.