Check out the Youtube Playlist at http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL18D191EDC1405CC9

Masterclass Presenters and Evening Gig Spots

The Aboriginal Cultural Showcase is a week-long annual event held during the Tamworth Country Music Festival, which will run for its fifth year in 2012.  The Showcase has been developed to expose and develop the talent of new emerging Aboriginal musicians and to create a variety of opportunities for Aboriginal musicians, performers and craftspeople to celebrate and promote their talents and culture throughout the Tamworth Country Music Festival program.

For the 2012 Aboriginal Cultural Showcase we are seeking Expressions of Interest from Aboriginal people who are interested in;

• Running a masterclass
• Securing a spot for a ticketed evening gig

Masterclasses

We are seeking Aboriginal musicians, people working in the music industry, or people with skills relevant to the musicians or the music industry who are interested in facilitating a 1½ hour workshop for new and emerging musicians.  Masterclass facilitators should be able to demonstrate expertise in the area of their topic and show how this knowledge will contribute to developing the skills and/or career prospects of new and emerging Aboriginal musicians. 

There are five allocated times for masterclasses on the schedule.

Evening Gigs

We are seeking Aboriginal musicians who are interested in performing a ticketed show at our venue, the Tamworth Community Centre, Darling Street, on Thursday and Friday nights.  The venue, lighting and sound will be provided, with musicians responsible for their own promotion and ticket sales for their own shows.  Musicians should be able to demonstrate how a ticketed gig at the Aboriginal Cultural Showcase would boost their profile, or the profile of the Aboriginal Cultural Showcase, and confirm they have the ability to undertake their own promotion and ticket sales at the door.  Musicians may choose to share the 1½ hour slot with other bands or performers, and should make their own arrangements if they wish to take this option. 

Four 1½ hour evening slots have been set aside on the schedule.  The start time will be 7pm and 9pm on Thursday and Friday nights.

Apply using the attached EOI form or follow this link to fill out the online form.  Applications close 30 September 2011.

Join us in 2012...

The fifth Aboriginal Cultural Showcase will include a week-long program of Aboriginal music and culture and be held during the Tamworth Country Music Festival.  The Annual Cultural Showcase provides unique opportunities for exposure and performance development to Aboriginal musicians with musicians will be able to perform on a number of stages. The schedule at the main venue will include free master classes and Showcases, and will feature ticketed evening shows as the week heads into the big Festival weekend.  The week will finish with a flourish at the Showcase Finale which exposes the talent of the best performers of the week alongside some of Australia’s most iconic Aboriginal musicians in Tamworth’s premiere venue, the Capitol Theatre.

Performers can hone their skills in a series of free master classes held at the beginning of the week and then show their stuff during the Walk-Up Showcases.  Showcase walk-up slots are available to anyone of any level of talent and provide the opportunity to perform on stage with a professional backing band. 

Perform
Got some talent? Talk to us about performing in the Showcases, busking down Peel Street or playing on one of many stages throughout the Festival.

Sell
Aboriginal artists, crafts-people and musicians are invited to exhibit and sell their wares 

12 noon, Monday 17th January 2011

Powerstation Park, Cnr Peel and Darling Streets

The fourth annual Aboriginal Cultural Showcase will include a week-long program of Aboriginal music and culture and be held during the Tamworth Country Music Festival.

The Aboriginal Cultural Showcase provides unique opportunities for exposure and performance development to Aboriginal musicians with musicians will be able to perform on a number of stages. The schedule at the main venue will include free daily Showcases and master classes, and ticketed evening shows. The week will finish with a flourish at the Showcase Finale which exposes the talent of the best performers of the week alongside some of Australia’s most iconic Aboriginal musicians.

The daily Showcase walk-up slots are available to anyone of any level of talent and provide the opportunity to perform on stage with a professional backing band. Performers can hone their skills in a series of free master classes held throughout the week and for the first time this year, there will be additional opportunities for emerging musicians to record their music.

Some highlights for the 2011 Showcase are:

• Sean Choolburra will MC throughout the week
• The addition of a range of ticketed shows in the night times from Tuesday – Friday during the week.  Ticket prices from $5.
• Daytime walk-up shows and cultural workshops Monday – Friday will still be free entry (optional gold coin donation at the door)
• A range of master classes for musicians also provided free for registered walk-up artists
• Appearances from Cultural Showcase artists on other stages throughout the Festival from Friday 14th January to Sunday 23rd January
• The addition of a dedicated Cultural Showcase busking spot at 320 Peel Street (near the corner of Peel and Brisbane Streets)
• The format for the Finale this year  will be a range of duos and joint performances with headline artists taking an up-and-comer under their wing during the week and performing together in the Finale – a great opportunity for new artists who are picked (8pm, Saturday 22nd – Tickets from Tourism Tamworth)
• One person picked as the best of the best new artist will have the opportunity to perform on the main stage at the Saltwater Freshwater Festival on 26 January at Port Macquarie.
• Please note that the venue has changed this year to the Tamworth Community Centre, Cnr Peel and Darling Sts (across the road from last years)
   

Join us in 2011...

Monday 17th January to Saturday 22nd January 2011 as part of the Tamworth Country Music Festival

The fourth annual Aboriginal Cultural Showcase will include a week-long program of Aboriginal music and culture and be held during the Tamworth Country Music Festival. The Aboriginal Cultural Showcase provides unique opportunities for exposure and performance development to Aboriginal musicians with musicians will be able to perform on a number of stages.

The schedule at the main venue will include free daily Showcases and master classes, and ticketed evening shows. The week will finish with a flourish at the Showcase Finale which exposes the talent of the best performers of the week alongside some of Australia’s most iconic Aboriginal musicians.

The daily Showcase walk-up slots are available to anyone of any level of talent and provide the opportunity to perform on stage with a professional backing band. Performers can hone their skills in a series of free master classes held throughout the week and for the first time this year, there will be additional opportunities for emerging musicians to record their music

…and get yourself out there

Attend Discover some of the best new Aboriginal artists from around Australia Perform and Record

Got some talent? Talk to us about performing in the Showcases, busking down Peel Street or recording a song.

Learn Visitors will have access to participate in culture workshops run by Tamworth’s own Gomeroi Dance Company, and free skills development master classes will be running for musicians and performers

Sell Aboriginal artists, crafts-people and musicians are invited to exhibit and sell their wares

Contacts: Steve Blanch (02) 6766 4645 and Joanne Stead (02) 6701 9020

The NSW Department of Aboriginal Affairs, Tamworth Regional Council Youth Centre and other stakeholders are holding a week-long Aboriginal Cultural Showcase to coincide with the 2011 Tamworth Country Music Festival. The purpose of the event is to showcase and develop emerging Aboriginal musicians and provide a unique space to highlight all aspects of Aboriginal Culture. The Showcase includes five days of activities including free concerts, cultural workshops, skills development workshops for musicians, arts, crafts and foods stalls and a range of other activities. You can be involved in a range of ways including performing, having a market stall and as a volunteer. Follow the links to register your interest.The 2011 Annual Cultural Showcase will be taking place from Monday 17th January - Friday 21st January, including participation in the Country Music Cavalcade and a finale concert at the Tamworth Capitol Theatre on Saturday 22nd January.

To our wonderful volunteers and staff that made the 2010 Showcase such agreat success.
Thought you might like to see some of the comments on the feedback sheets.  Thank you so much for all of your help.
Joanne Stead

""Keep encouraging the young ones we need more people like Roger Knox (love him)"
"Loved the day/week.  Needed in our community"
"first time at this event but will be back"
workshops are great to get kids involvement"
"fantastic event"
"We thought it was awesome.  Well done"
"The whole showcase was awesome.  I loved every minute of it from the bands, the staff, the people and the community.  I came all the way from Adelaide and I felt like I was at home.  I was that comfortable here"
"2 deadly"
"This is what we Aboriginal people live for"
"above and beyond expectations"
"The Cultural Showcase is great for our mob"
"Enjoyed every moment"
"What a wonderful part of Country Music"
"Deadly Aboriginal performances"
"Thank you"

(The best thing about the Showcase was...?) "that it is for everyone"
"So many smiling faces - great to have a place for the Aboriginal talent"
"Empowerment of Aboriginal Talent and Culture"
"good food that is a good price"
"The staffs support and pleasantness"
"The workshops and the master classes"
"because we are a blend of black and white it allows those who have grown as white to begin to learn about their black heritage"
"without doubt the collected gathering of Aboriginal people from all over Australia and the talent on display"
"the excellent talent"
"music, humour and listening to stories that widen our knowledge"
"musicians and crowd reaction/involvement"
"Sharon Lane and Nathan Lamont"
"great music with a casual and comfortable atmosphere"
"music and food"
"Aboriginal cultural awareness"