Bundanoon Folk Festival

 

 

New grants projects for a new festival

by Winsome Hall

 TN157 Aug ’23

A new kid on the block, the Bundanoon NSW Folk Festival will be playing to the crowds on the last weekend of November, 24-26.

Festival goers will get the chance to see new and favourite artists in intimate indoor settings all within easy walking distance of the railway station and village shops or via the festival bus.

We aim to establish an annual festival which encourages community participation in all its forms.

Dave Johnson has ably led Bush Orchestras and Bush Dances in the Highlands and is a strong advocate for folk festivals to provide plenty of opportunity for ordinary folk to get together and make music.

 

The People Have Songs Project

Together with chorale composer, Miguel Heatwole, instrumentalist and arranger, Marriama Mitchel, and dance caller and choreographer, Claire Stoneman, this group of intrepid collaborators are part of The People Have Songs Project.

With a Festival Australia grant of just over $9,000, this is a collaborative community project to create new and original works.

We are calling for poetry, tunes, and lyrics that tell the stories of Bundanoon’s people, place and history to develop into a final performance of poetry, choral and instrumental music and dance.

A series of workshops for local choristers and musicians will rehearse the works leading to the Festival and festival goers will also be invited to take part with easy to rehearse segments learned over the weekend of the Festival and to be part of the final concert.

We are particularly excited by this rather ambitious project and have already started receiving contributions and stories from the Bundanoon and surrounds community.

 

Dress Our Venues and Streets

Dress Our Venues and Streets is a local community arts project to create a festive atmosphere throughout the village and some of our lovely venues.

With funding for a community project leader and materials, we are looking forward to some beautiful and exciting creations.

Bundanoon locals who love to sew, knit and variously create are excited to be involved with this project and to what they may create.

Probably more than most events, folk festivals can provide opportunities for our younger musicians to stretch their performance wings.

We were delighted when the Country Arts Support Program awarded us $3,000 to support 10 young regional NSW artists between 18 – 25 to perform at the festival and at a lead up concert beforehand.   Applications are now open, so get your applications in.

 

The Bundanoon Folk Festival is ramping up towards an exciting and engaging 3 days at the end of November.

We hope to see you there!

Tickets and camp bookings and more information about projects can be found at www.bundanoonfolkfestival.com.au

 

 

Inaugural festival to be held in Bundanoon

TN 156 July 23

We are excited to announce that an inaugural festival will be held in Bundanoon, NSW, on 24-26 November, 2023.

The festival will have a vibrant weekend program of live folk music, dance and spoken word performances across six indoor venues in the village of Bundanoon.

Organisation is already a pace for an exciting and engaging festival in beautiful Bundanoon.

Performer and Volunteer applications together with tickets and all the details can be found on the website – https://bundanoonfolkfestival.com.au

Bundanoon is close to the Morton National Park and easily accessed from Wollongong, Goulburn, Sydney and Canberra by road and rail.

All the venues are within 10-15 minutes walk from the centre of the village and a dedicated festival bus service will carry festival-goers from the festival campsite to each of the venues and back at regular intervals throughout the weekend.

A concert to promote the event and raise some funds will be held on July 8 at the Anglican Church in Bundanoon.

Labelled “A taste of Folk”, it will feature “We Mavericks” and “Antipodeans”.

All are welcome to experience two premier acoustic acts and to find out more about the festival.