First Nations panel helped bring back Get Together Music festival

An increased presence from Indigenous artists will be felt across March 3 to 5 for the Get Together Festival at the Scarborough Wombarra Bowlo.

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Festival co-director Colin Renton said he and Nick Garbett consulted with an advisory panel to ensure they didn't look like white people with token sentiments, but that their genuine appreciation for the "unseated land" they walked on came across.

"We [wanted to know] how do we improve that relationship between First Nations spirituality and culture and general society that love going and getting behind music," Renton told the Mercury.

The three-day festival will have three stages sounding out reggae, blues, rock, soul, folk, electro Latin, Afro-Colombian roots, funk, hip-hop and dance-hall from artists like Kyarna Rose, Matty Walker, the Doonooch Dancers, Watussi and more.

Renton said they wanted to use the festival to help emerging First Nations artists get a leg up while also helping promote the "universal statement of the heart" and the voice treaty of truth (an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament).

"And how we use this platform of music and the power of storytelling to engage not only First Nations patrons to attend in an inclusive safe environment, but also to engage the general Australian population to understand how First Nations culture fit's into the cool culture of the Illawarra," he said.

"Get Together celebrates culture, place and people to connect hearts and minds. It leverages the wealth of talent of the arts community to celebrate the diversity of culture throughout Australia through a music festival that delivers positive impacts for the local community."

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Other artists on the lineup include: Alice Terry, Badmandela v Planeface, Empress Katia, Godet, Gabadu, Genevieve Chadwick, Godriguez, Progressional Fist, Oyobi, Kaimn Jiménez, The Tambourine Girls, Steph Strings, The Strides and The Vandastruts.

Ticket prices start at $70 for adults (plus booking fee), children 12 and under start at $35 plus booking fee. Details are at: www.gettogetherfestival.com.au.

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