Diving deep into your artistic vision benefits the whole community
Natalie de Rozario
Based in Kepa Kurl on Wudjari Boodja (Esperance), Kyron Smithson is an absolute force as a musician and live event producer, passionate about creating a positive impact on mental health.
With a stellar career in original music as a solo artist, leading his band Grand Casual who have won the West Australian Music Industry Awards (WAM) ‘Best Regional Act Award’ for five consecutive years, and the founder and owner of his own live music production company Kyza Presents, Kyron works tirelessly to build an inclusive, diverse and thriving regional arts sector.
Club 75, Photo Credit Jonty Scoble
As a teenager, Kyron was pulled towards music over sport, however, he noticed certain challenges that motivated him to create opportunities for his music and community. “Esperance was void of rehearsal space, open mic nights, songwriting workshops, performance opportunities, all the elements that are so abundant within the regional sporting development infrastructure were non-existent within the contemporary music space. So, I decided to create this space within Esperance for musicians.”
Passionate about creating a safe, supportive place for community members to socialise and connect, Kyron joined the Cannery Arts Centre Committee to broaden his reach in supporting not just musicians but all artists within the regional community. “My love for music, particularly original music, has opened my eyes to all other artistic mediums. We are all striving to create. If my work within the live music sector can draw audiences to be exposed to other artistic mediums by including them in the events I organise, then I’m opening the doorway for all individuals to join the artistic community whether they are attracted to sculpture, illustration, pottery, photography and onwards.”
With a jam-packed career, Kyron manages his many creative endeavours by staying highly organised and credits the support from his band members, staff and the community, “with Grand Casual I have two other band members helping to keep me on track. For Kyza Presents, large events such as Balmy Nights are team efforts, I have commitments and a group of people keeping me focused. Creating in solo format is much more meditative, cathartic, and comes to the fore when I have something difficult I am dealing with internally, or when inspired by an artist or act I have recently experienced.”
Kyza Presents produces incredible live events in Kepa Kurl to create a positive impact on collective mental health. Kyron knows his events offer a strong sense of community, belonging and achievement for all, “live music events have an undeniable impact upon the artists and everyone involved, whether they are staff, volunteers or artists working within other mediums on the night.”
Audience engagement is a huge part of fostering a thriving arts culture in regional areas, Kyron’s number one priority is creating a special audience connection, “I always think to myself as I scan the crowd and see only smiling faces, these people are going to be absolutely buzzing for the next week to come, on a mental high off the back of a fantastic community event. Kyza Presents always aims to recreate something real that sends a shockwave of positive emotion into the community having a positive impact on social connectivity and general mental wellbeing.”
With inspiration from some of Perth’s greatest music exports, Kyron discovered his purpose and became 100% committed to the music industry. A major career highlight was when Kyron’s band Grand Casual was invited to support ARIA award-winning band Karnivool.
“When I was seventeen someone handed me the Karnivool Persona EP, stating these guys were from Perth. The EP blew my mind and I realised there was an original music scene in WA, people were recording and releasing high-end quality music. Suddenly it seemed possible and 15 years later I opened for the band that inspired the change in perspective.”
By collaborating with other artists and various artist mediums Kyron urges the regional arts industry to consider collaborative art projects as a fantastic way to showcase various mediums, “when different audiences who are interested in differing mediums cross over, audiences are exposed to different art forms they may not have otherwise experienced, I feel it also opens fantastic doors for collaboration between artists also.”
When it comes to thriving in an artistic career, Kyron urges emerging artists and arts workers to diversify their work within the sector, “if you want a career within the arts industry consider how you can diversify your practice. Consider how you can support your primary art practice by engaging with multiple opportunities that fit your goals and drive. My primary focus is writing original music and performing live, I support this outlet through operating as an event coordinator, venue programmer, booking agent, sound technician, workshop facilitator, and promoter – you can have a career within the arts. Also, if you are striving to create and have a job outside of the arts industry on the side, that’s also a great option.”
Kyron’s artistic vision encompasses multiple facets of the arts industry, showcasing a range of possibilities for emerging and professionals artists and arts workers. Ignited by a lack of artistic resources in his hometown, it’s incredible to see how Kyron used this motivator to help build a thriving and inclusive community. Whether it be production, live performance, event management or administration, Kyron has experienced first-hand how diving deep in any area of the arts can create further opportunities and collaborations for everyone in the sector.
In late 2023, Kyron Smithson was selected to be our Artist of the Month at Regional Arts WA, we were delighted to be able to support and showcase all of the many thing For more information about Kyron or to check out a Kyza Presents gig near you visit:
https://kyzapresents.com/the-gig-guide
