Much-Loved Annual Events in the regions are given a Boost
Regional Arts WA
Regional Arts WA announces five regional Western Australian cultural events will receive investment of over $300,000 through the Australian Government’s Regional Arts Fund Recovery Boost.
The Regional Arts Fund investment will support five arts and cultural events across three years. Every year, the successful recipients have proven they have a strong track record of attendance and engagement from their communities. With this funding, they can further commit to pushing boundaries with their creativity and develop sustainable cultural activities.
30th Nannup Music Festival, This Way North performing at the Amphitheatre. Image by David Bailey, courtesy of Nannup Music Club Inc.
The Annual Event Fund recipients are:
Denmark Arts | $75,000 | Great Southern
Denmark Festival of Voice
The Denmark Festival of Voice offers an original, diverse and authentic program of concerts, workshops and panel discussions in celebration of the power and beauty of the human voice. Local and international acts will present music, language and story to audiences across eight intimate venues for three days over the WA Day long weekend in early June. Between 2022 and 2024 the Denmark Festival of Voice will focus on increasing engagement with children and young people and building capacity and skills for volunteers and arts-workers.
Nannup Music Club | $75,000 | South West
Nannup Music Festival
The annual Nannup Music Festival presents an eclectic mix of acts over the March long weekend, highlighting the best in new, emerging and Indigenous original music. The awarded community-spirit event creates exposure opportunities for artists and invites everyone to share, immerse and discover a weekend of music, activities, camping, food and artisan markets. Between 2022 and 2024 Nannup Music Festival will focus on developing their new premises and broadening their artistic program through arts sector and industry partnerships.
Esperance Community Arts | $75,000 | Goldfields Esperance
The Esperance Wildflower Festival
The Esperance Wildflower Festival is an annual five-day artistic and cultural heritage festival celebrating the diversity of native flora from the region. In 2021 the festival will focus on strengthening partnerships with the First Nations community, cultural knowledge exchange and education, increasing social cohesion, environmental sustainability and increasing community participation in the arts through the development of interactive public sculptures and a range of performances and community events.
Boyup Brook Country Music Club | $75,000 | South West
Boyup Brook Country Music Festival
The Boyup Brook Country Music Festival is an iconic West Australian event supporting grassroots regional arts and culture. A significant part of the local DNA but with a national reach, the Boyup Brook Country Music festival provides opportunities for artist development, networking and performance. Between 2022 and 2024 the Festival will address diversity and provide enhanced opportunities for young people and increase engagement with First Nations artists and communities.
Wheatbelt Arts and Events | $32,838 | Wheatbelt
The York Festival
The York Festival is a multi-arts, family-friendly event that celebrates its location in the West Australian Wheatbelt through a program of music, theatre, performance, exhibitions, workshops, language and culture. 2021 will see the reprisal of the famous York Jazz Festival, the launch of a new Writer’s Festival, a celebration of continuing Balardong Noongar Culture and a feast of Rare & Endangered Crafts in and around York’s beautiful heritage buildings.
Regional Arts WA CEO Paul MacPhail says the Regional Arts Fund investment will provide much-needed support for the regional events sector, which was heavily impacted by COVID-19.
“Regional Arts WA’s Annual Events Program will support the continued and sustainable delivery of these signature events which make a significant contribution to the vibrancy of regional communities and the local economy as drivers of cultural tourism in the regions. This investment ensures that the regional events sector has the confidence to continue developing and presenting their much-loved programs.”
For more regional funding opportunities, please head to our website: www.regionalartswa.org.au/funding
