City set to boost live music scene during New Annual festival

More than forty live music events are set to reinvigorate the local COVID-19-disrupted live music industry, during the inaugural New Annual festival in February.

City of Newcastle is investing $20,000 into the Live Music Grant Program (LMGP), which has seen applications from local venues to host live music events across the city during the New Annual festival period between 12-‑21 February.

Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said the City looked forward to providing a significant boost to the live music events industry right across the Local Government Area (LGA) and extending support toward local artists as well as the local hospitality industry.

“The Live Music Grant Program is yet another initiative led by the City of Newcastle, sharply focussed on providing real support and promotion of our amazing, world-renowned live music industry and is delivering directly on key objectives of our Live Music Strategy,” the Lord Mayor said.

“A vibrant local live music scene is vital to ensuring Newcastle continues to offer a bustling arts and culture scene, and a lively, diverse and safe night-time economy.

“With an influx of visitors sure to flock to our local venues for the City’s inaugural New Annual festival, we’re very pleased to provide additionally financial support and encouragement to host live music events right across Newcastle.

Ward 4 Councillor Matt Byrne welcomed the strong support for Newcastle’s live music industry, particularly for popular venues throughout the City’s suburbs.

“The two-pronged approach we’re taking will not only provide a boost to local venues financially hit as a result of COVID-19, but also our city’s local musicians and homegrown artists that rely on live music events for their livelihood,” Cr Byrne said.

“The grant program also ensures that funding extends to venues like the Racecourse Hotel at Wallsend, as it’s important that the festival atmosphere is felt right across the LGA to benefit the entire community.”

Racecourse Hotel Manager Jeremy Lowe said the Live Music Grant Program was well received and hopes the grant will help attract New Annual visitors to his venue at Wallsend for multiple live music events held during the month.

“We are excited to receive this financial boost thanks to the City’s grant program, which allows us to become part of the New Annual festival celebrations with the rest of the city by hosting live music events at our hotel,” Mr Lowe said.

“Our community in Wallsend is set to benefit from experiencing quality, homegrown, live entertainment.

“To see and hear live music performed in a hotel that you frequently patronage, it adds to the rich fabric of our community and ensures we are fostering our local talent.”

Visit the New Annual festival website for a full list of live music events and dates.

BOOST ARTS & CULTURE LIVE MUSIC GRANT PROGRAM RECIPIENTS:

Beach Burrito Co - Cooks Hill
Cambridge Hotel – Newcastle West
Jams Karaoke Bar – Newcastle West
Meet Restaurant – Newcastle East
Oriental Hotel – Cooks Hill
Racecourse Hotel – Wallsend
The Duke of Wellington – New Lambton
The Exchange Hotel – Hamilton
The Kent Hotel – Hamilton
The Lass O’Gowrie Hotel – Wickham
The Lucky Hotel – Newcastle East
The Mark Hotel – Lambton
The Rogue Scholar – Newcastle West
The Stag Inn & Hunter Hotel – Mayfield
Wickham Park Hotel – Wickham

Picture caption (Left to Right): Councillor Matthew Byrne, Publican Holly Bidwell, Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes, Racecourse Hotel manager Jeremy Lowe and local musician's Dave Javier and Gabe Argiris.