The Contemporary Music Fund is continuing to support Western Australian contemporary music artists to play to new audiences across the State and nationally.
As part of the Fund’s regional component, a compilation CD featuring original songs by ten Wheatbelt music acts, will be launched on Friday at the Cummins Theatre in Merredin.
Demos from the Wheatbelt enabled the musicians, many of whom had never been in a recording studio before, to record their songs with highly-regarded Western Australian music producers’ Dan Carrol and Mat Gio.
The musicians will perform their songs live at the launch event, which is expected to attract up to 400 people and will be broadcast live throughout the State.
Demos from the Wheatbelt is part of West Australian Music’s (WAM) regional recording programs that provide an opportunity for musicians and audio engineers with limited or no access to professional recording facilities – to record, publish and promote their original songs.
The Contemporary Music Fund has invested $215,000 in the Regional Recording Programs for the next two years. The program will visit other regions across the State during this time.
WAM is also providing opportunities on a national level through the Contemporary Music Fund. Over the next three years, an additional $135,000 will support WA music artists to showcase at music festival and conference Bigsound.
Held annually in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley, Bigsound will run from September 3-6 this year. WA music artists will showcase their work to the national industry and network with the national and international attendees.
The Contemporary Music Fund is made up of a series of targeted initiatives which will inject a total of $3 million into WA’s contemporary music sector over four years.
As stated by Culture and the Arts Minister David Templeman:
“The contemporary music industry brings vibrancy to our communities, supports tourism and creates jobs, particularly for young people.
“Although it’s a competitive industry the Contemporary Music Fund is assisting Western Australian musicians to share their music.
“WAM’s regional recording programs and Bigsound are creating pathways for local emerging musicians to take their work to the next level.”
