Welcome back, everybody!
To my disappointment, the first column of the year is not bearing the greatest of news. After years of watching the all ages scene in Canberra struggle to keep its head above water, I am sad to report a major loss. The youth services team of the Tuggeranong and Weston Creek Community Centres have unfortunately announced an end to all music events due to their funding not being renewed.
The Youth Services Team were kind enough in their grief to issue the following press statement regarding the defunding:
“Over the past five years, Communities@Work’s Tuggeranong and Weston Creek Youth Centres have successfully presented All ages Music Shows to meet the current shortfall in venues in the ACT. These drug and alcohol free events offered young people access to live music performances in safe and supervised environments. The shows were often technically supported by young people involved in the live music production mentoring program The Live Sound Crew provided by Communities@Work. The program gave participants the opportunity to work alongside professional touring artists and gain valuable skills and experience, with the aim of opening up future employment pathways within the music industry.
Over the past five years, The Tuggeranong and Weston Creek Youth Centres hosted international, national and local artists, with combined audience numbers exceeding 6000. Artists included names such as Propagandhi, Four Year Strong, Evergreen Terrace, The Red Shore, Attack Attack, Heroes for Hire, Emmure, Dream on Dreamer and many more. Communities@Work’s Youth Services forged strong relationships with local and interstate music promoters during this period.
Due to recent changes in funding of the Youth Sector in the ACT, Tuggeranong and Weston Creek Youth Services will no longer have the capacity to host these music events. However, there will continue to be a Communities@Work Youth Engagement Worker in the Tuggeranong region who will be able to assist young people with referrals to other services and conduct limited activities.
The Communities@Work Youth Services team would like to thank the many young people who have attended its gigs, been involved with the Live Sound Crew and made our jobs so much fun. We would also like to thank all stakeholders for their support, as well as BMA Magazine. We have greatly enjoyed our involvement with Canberra's All Age music and look forward to any opportunities to be involved in the future.
For more information in regards to youth engagement in Tuggeranong please email youthservices@commsatwork.org or call 02 6126 9059.”
The Youth Services Team deserves a huge amount of appreciation for what they have given the community over the past five years. They have given us great entertainment, and even through their struggle remained 100% involved in the Canberra all ages music scene. I personally would also like to thank them for their commitment and hard work over the years, which unfortunately quite often goes unrecognised and for their constant involvement with BMA Magazine and with the all ages column in particular. This news comes as a huge shock and is a massive loss to the entire Canberra community. Sorry to have to deliver such horrible news in the first issue of the year, but I feel that it is very important to recognise the great work that they have done. Thank you.
