Emma Jones was an inspired choice to launch Shellharbour City Council's new program 'Enliven'.
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COVID-19 has severely limited the amount of gigs the Wollongong singer/songwriter has been able to play in recent months.
That's why the 19-year-old jumped at the chance to perform at The Imaginarium in Shellharbour Village on Wednesday.
Shellharbour Mayor Marianne Saliba was also glad Jones launched 'Enliven' - a new series of diverse art programs, live music and immersive creative experiences developed to uplift the city after the recent lock down period.
A twist on Council's annual Live n Local event, Enliven brings together a wide array of local businesses, musicians and artists to create a vibrant community atmosphere across Shellharbour's venues, restaurants, cafes and bars.
The COVID-safe event series is initially programmed for three months, commencing early August through to November. It's made up of four different programs with each event designed to be delivered at reduced capacity, within current Government guidelines.
Read more: Live music to return to UOW UniBar in August
Cr Saliba said that Enliven would help reconnect the Shellharbour community in a way that was safe for everyone to enjoy and be a part of.
"The coronavirus pandemic has resulted in significant uncertainty around the ability to effectively plan for many large-scale community gatherings.
"Enliven acts as a solution to ensure events can continue being held safely and in line with the most recent government legislation. It enables us to maintain support for local business and creative enterprise, as well as showcase the talents of our local creative community," she said.
The programming series includes Live n Look, Live n Listen, Live n Learn and Live n Local.
Live n Look is a creative arts based event designed to encourage exploration of Shellharbour's art scene and provide a unique way for friends and families to connect and experience art.
There will be exhibitions, pop-up performances and immersive art experiences as part of this program.
Live n Listen will be held in peak visitation periods and high visitation locations with a focus on engaging visitors outside of Shellharbour. The events will feature higher profile musicians and interactive experiences, to showcase and celebrate the City's best assets.
Live n Learn is a series of interactive arts learning experiences incorporating local venues including cafes, restaurants and retail businesses.
The Live n Local music series is based on the hugely successful Live n Local one-day annual event. This rolling series will engage local business and local musicians in a series of pop up, acoustic style gigs designed to take place across the City in cafes, restaurants, venues, shops and bars.
The newly branded 'Imaginarium' creative space will play host to a series of events as part of the Enliven program. The series will start in early August, with weekly workshops, exhibitions, music and experiences programmed through to the end of November.
Details at bit.ly2EpXaCx.
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