Kiama is set to get a new major music festival after $100,000 in federal funding was handed out to an up-an-coming concert producer to help boost the tourism and entertainment sector.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Kiama Music and Arts Pty Ltd (part of the PAXX Group based in Surry Hills) was this week named one of 91 recipients of the latest batch of grants from the Restart Investment to Sustain and Expand (RISE) Fund.
Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts, Paul Fletcher announced the group was given the money "to hold their annual 'Clearly Music & Arts Festival' event".
Local Dom Thurber is the driver of the one-day event which was expected to welcome around 8000 revellers and around 10 major music acts he said, though further details - such as a location and a date - were still to be determined.
While Mr Thurber has only produced smaller events in the past, he conceded to the Mercury the Clearly Music & Arts Festival was a "passion project" of his and hoped it would be a major success.
The minister's office was able to confirm the organiser was yet to hold the first festival, and it was set to include "music, art and workshop event that highlights the rich culture of Kiama".
A Kiama Council spokesman said they were unaware of the new annual festival, but told the Mercury they had been working with Mr Thurber on council-run projects and a separate venture, the Kiarama Music Festival, for "in-kind support".
The Paxx Groups is "a portfolio of businesses and investments based in Sydney" and was originally founded to "promote high-end boat parties within Sydney Harbour", according to its website.
"Paxx Group has rapidly expanded its offerings to become the preeminent outlet for music, entertainment, education and audio visual production," its website states.
"Our current portfolio encompasses Audiopaxx, Your Paradise, Orbit DJ Retreats, Swerve Productions plus R&R Production Services, in addition to a host of smaller companies that operate under the umbrella of these brands."
The RISE fund was created to back the arts and entertainment sector to recover from the devastating impact of COVID-19 shutdowns. Previously the Yours and Owls Festival were awarded a grant under the scheme to keep the organisation from going under.
So far, the fund has helped 541 projects and created more than 213,000 jobs across Australia.
"We want to see venue doors thrown open to audiences; we want to see the curtains going up; and we want to see performers coming on stage to a welcoming roar of applause," Mr Fletcher said.
To read more stories, download the Illawarra Mercury news app in the Apple Store or Google Play.