Project Overview - Western Sydney Round One: Fairfield

Live and Local - fostering a live performance culture in Fairfield

Project Summary

Fairfield City Council proposed a two year project which included a Live and Local micro festival, FLAME Festival, and a smaller activation at Bonnyrigg Plaza. FLAME Festival was held on Friday 6 April 2018 and showcased 60 musicians from Western Sydney across 9 locations within Fairfield CBD. These venues included restaurants, cafes, bookshops and a bowling alley. Venues were selected based on their geographical location within Fairfield City Centre, and on their interest in trialling the programming of live music. The project was designed to strategically partner with business owners and venue managers to measure the viability of activating cultural space and providing paid opportunities for Fairfield and Western Sydney musicians in Fairfield’s Central Business District.

In the lead up to FLAME Festival, Council delivered several capacity building programs, wherein the project team worked with young musicians, more established musicians, local businesses and Council staff. Council felt that these sectors will need skills development and capacity building leading up to the micro festival in order to strengthen the quality and impact of the event. These activities tapped into existing Council programs and infrastructure, to test their ideas and deliver training.

Event Photos

Event Statistics

Events

Number of Events 5
Venues 11
Attendance (approx.) 1200

Artists

Total 46
Male 33 71%
Female 12 28%

Acts

Total 22
Male 10 45%
Female/Mixed Gender 12 54%

Performances

Total 22
Male 10 45%
Female/Mixed Gender 12 54%

Create NSW Priority Areas

CALD 33
Youth 22

Notable Achievements

  • Council identified an increase in visitation to the Fairfield city centre through the event. 54% of people surveyed indicated they never, or rarely, visited the city centre in the evening.
  • 6 out of 8 businesses involved in the event stated they were interested in pursuing further music programming in the evenings.
  • Council identified need for policy that develops a more sustainable process for businesses to officially undertake live music in their premises, especially so for venues without liquor licenses.
  • Council achieved gender equity by adjusting a 71%/28% representation between individual male and female artists to a 45%/54% representation between male and female/mixed gender acts and performances.

Feedback

  • “Since the event, I’ve already started to see visitors becoming repeat customers. The business gained more exposure.” – Audi, owner of De Mustachio Café
  • “It’s a fantastic event that highlights and promotes the superb and diverse talent in the Fairfield area.” – FLAME Festival visitor
  • “Enjoying the music. Would like to see this twice a week, good for Fairfield makes it safer.” FLAME Festival visitor

Flame Festival

Bonnyrigg Plaza

Marketing Material