Clearly Festival and Clearer Workshop will be making waves in Kiama next month. We had a chat with co-founder Dom Furber about the music and the mission.
Tell us about Clearly Festival and Clearer Workshop.
Clearly Music, Arts & Wellness is a festival and community engagement project being held in Kiama, NSW, with the inaugural festival taking place Nov 11.
Clearly is a unique festival with a focus on community inclusion. Held in the stunning setting of Kiama’s oceanfront, what we consider not just the most beautiful festival location in Australia, but potentially the world.
The festival brings together communities from all walks of life for a day to create awareness and celebration of Australia’s roots with a strong focus on cultural inclusivity across 3 stages for all ages. The name was referenced from Johnny Nash – I Can See Clearly Now.
Clearer is a Capacity Building Workshop and Conference, a small but integral part of the Clearly program. This program of workshops will bring together industry leaders and 10 emerging artists together for a 1-day sharing and learning experience. The workshops will cover Live Performance, Marketing, Social media and brand development, Artist Management and Booking Agent Advance, Music business and the law and much more.
Developed and presented specifically for regionally based youth musicians, performers, singers, songwriters, rappers, producers and DJs.
It is free for anyone who is interested in the music business to register online, and highly encourage any students to hear an array of panels, keynote speakers, and industry professionals have in-depth discussions.
What inspired you to start these?
Having grown up and went to Gerringong Public School and Kiama High School, I have wanted to do a festival in my hometown since producing my first event in 2010. This is also a dream for our partners Henry Clive who run a local wedding business and events, and Baseline Happiness Project and Be Here Nowra founder Barron Hanson (UOW alumni), who brought vedic meditation to Nowra.
Do you have a connection to Kiama, where the events will be held?
Yes, most of our team is located on the South Coast. The festival will be held at Kiama Showgrounds, The Pavilion and the football grandstands car park. The location has a 270-degree ocean view nestled between Surf Beach, The Blow Hall and Lighthouse. Clearer Workshop will be held at The Pavilion.
It is easily accessible via train from Kiama Train Station, which is an added bonus to the picturesque site.
Peter Garrett was recently announced as a special guest, why was it important to have him on board for your cause?
Peter isn’t just a legend in the music scene as the frontman of Midnight Oil, he aligns with our core values of sustainability and inclusivity. I have grown up listening to him with Dad blasting the Oil’s hits in Gerringong as long as I can remember, so to have an artist of this calibre for our debut event was a huge win, but also a lifetime bucket list booking and something the community is incredibly excited about.
What do you hope will come out of the festival and workshop?
A beautiful day, shared connections, new friends, live music & art, and last but not least, an incredible community experience. In regards to Clearer workshop, there is often a lack of pathways into the music industry, especially for artists. Each scholarship winner will leave with their own press kit (logo, bio and press shot) and, hopefully, a wealth of connections and a clearer path to creating a sustainable long-term career as an artist.
For more information, follow @clearlyfestival or check out their website.
Photos: provided.