2. What is NovoMix?
A music & art festival held in the heart of Newcastle’s CBD, over
12 jam-packed hours filled with amazing music, dance, art, film
and more, that aims to celebrate the unique aspects of
Newcastle’s culture and community.
A festival for not only Newcastle or “Novocastrian” music
lovers, but all music lovers.
Novocastrians + Music Mix = NovoMix!
Proposed Date: Saturday 16th February, 2013
Time: 11am to 11pm
Venue: Newcastle CBD
Capacity: 1000-1500
3. What’s in the “Mix”?
Music from local, national and
international musicians
Dance performances from local and
national performers
Arts, Crafts and Photography displays and
stalls from local artists
Arthouse films from local film makers
Food Stalls supplied by local produce
Outdoor garden bars
4. More Specifically…
NovoMix differs from many other music festivals as it incorporates
diverse music styles and even niche genres that are currently
influential in the Novocastrian cultural scene.
Celebrates not only international and national artists, but aims to
focus on many local artists.
Music is not the only focus, as the festival incorporates and
promotes the local dance, film, arts & photography culture, with
most performances coming from local performers.
Will be held in Newcastle’s CBD, surrounded by rich culture and
history – a unique setting of indoor and outdoor areas to be
appreciated by music lovers.
Has a strong focus on getting local people, business and produce
involved at all levels throughout the festival.
Aimed at audiences 18 years and above, with music and art
interests. Main target audience 18-35 years old.
5. Why host it?
Festivals have been shown to draw communities together to
celebrate local cultures (Duffy 2000) and are a great way of
“getting people together for fun, entertainment and a shared
sense of camaraderie” (Gibson 2012).
A festival that celebrates and brings together the music & art
culture of Newcastle is a great way to bring the community
together, and promote local talent.
The event should sell itself - “Music-lovers continue to buy
tickets” as festivals “offer a sense of belonging and clues to
how other people spend their lives” (Earl 2001). In other words,
a festival can be a great way for locals to form a sense of
identity and place within a community.
If the event is successful, and becomes an annual event, it can
also become central to our local identity (Gibson & Davidson
2004), as well as beneficial to the local economy through
generated profits and exposure.
Theodore Adorno (1976) found that art, in all forms, can show
the liberating power of human creativity, which is exactly what
this festival aims to do – showcase the creativeness of
Novocastrians and other artists alike.
Music – in both its production and consumption – can be an
important influence in shaping the typically hybrid identities of
people and places, of engendering a sense of place and
deep attachment to place (Hudson 2006).
6. Event Details – Date & Time
When is it?
Saturday 16th February, 2013
11am to 11pm
Why?
“Outdoor music festivals are concentrated in the summer
season” (Holt 2010), so with Homebake at the start of summer,
and Big Day Out during the middle, another festival towards
the end of summer would be a great way to end the string of
summer festivals in Australia. It is also towards the end of the
school holidays, just before students go back to University, so it
would be a great way to end the holidays on a high note and
get refreshed for the start of a new educational year.
Held over 12 hours to ensure it is a jam-packed day of music,
dance, art and film with enough time to enjoy a bit of
everything that the festival has to offer.
7. Operational Dates and Times
Wednesday Feb – 13 Bump In 8am – 6pm
Thursday Feb – 14 Bump In 8am – 6pm
Friday Feb – 15 Bump In 8am – 6pm
Saturday Feb – 16 EVENT DAY 6am – 12am
Sunday Feb – 17 Bump Out 8am – 6pm
Monday Feb – 18 Bump Out 8am – 6pm
All set up will include a mix of professional workers, artists and
local volunteers sourced from the Hunter Volunteer Centre,
and online volunteer applications through the events
website.
8. Location! Location!
NovoMix festival aims to
encompass Newcastle’s
cultural heart and soul, so
where better to host the event
than in the heart of
Newcastle’s CBD?
A unique setting and
backdrop filled with historic
landmarks.
The blue line indicates its
boundaries and encompasses
Civic Park, Civic Theatre, Civic
Hall and Wheeler Place.
The areas highlighted in yellow
will be the main areas hosting
the various performances
taking place throughout the
day.
The areas highlighted in
orange will host most of the
art and food stalls.
There will be plenty of areas
for attendees to just sit a relax
amongst the atmosphere,
with benches, tables, and
picnic blanket areas being
scattered throughout the
venue.
It is also easily accessible by
train, bus, car or on foot.
9. Projected Audience –
Who’s coming?
Most festivals are patronised by local people and the bulk of festival-
goers usually come from nearby (Gibson 2012), which is a factor
NovoMix sees as positive. Local people coming together on a day such
as this helps create a good sense of community.
Target audiences:
18– 35 year olds
The Newcastle community
Audience Attributes:
Interested and involved in music and the arts
Enjoy a creative and culture-rich life
Enjoy community engagement
Almost all those who attend music festivals of any kind come with
someone else, often in quite large groups; hence it is very much a
social experience (Gibson 2012).
10. NovoMix’s Impact
on Audience Identity
Music theorists suggest that active incorporate into its theme. Individuals
participation in music contributes to may then be able to identify with
identity development by providing a elements of the festival as it flows in-
medium for self-expression, mood line with their interests.
enhancement and spiritual functions
(Sloboda & O’Neill, 2001). Music can be used increasingly as a
means by which we formulate and
Currently, Novocastrians are create our own individual identities,
considered to be musically interested and particular situations and social
and musically active, with a number groups exert a powerful influence on
of different music scenes popping up what we do and what we say
around the region, including niche (Hargreaves et al, 2002).
genres. By incorporating these into
the festival, people can identify with So it stands to say that a music & art
particular genres or artists, which in festival such as NovoMix would help
turn can help further shape and attendees shape their musical
develop not just their individual identities, as well as be able to place
identity, but their group and even themselves within the community –
gender identities. either by associating with like-minded
people, or by comparing themselves
Many parts of Newcastle, in to others who are different.
particular Darby St, has developed
an alternative/”hipster” culture,
which this festival will also try to
11. Music – something for everyone
A mix of music from national and international reputable musicians means an
opportunity for regional musicians to interact with them, and enable career
development (Gibson 2012). It also means that the Newcastle community can
benefit from being exposed to a range of artists of different styles and backgrounds.
There will be a wide range of music styles and sounds which reflect the tastes of many
Novocastrian music lovers, including:
• Acoustic
• Alternative rock
• Independent/Indie
• Electro/Dance
The chosen styles describe some of the predominant methods of producing music in
the 21st century (artsopen.com) :
• Analog – music made with natural pitch, articulation & contour
• Digital – sounds created by electronic pulses or fingers
• Electric – vibrations amplified by mapping a signal onto a wider range
• Acoustic – carried directly by the air from the instrument to your ear
12. The Musicians
The following is only a selection of what NovoMix will have to
offer. A band competition will also take place in the weeks
leading up to the event, where artists can enter for a
chance to play during the festival.
Local Artists:
Bear at the Door (Indie/Punk/Alternative)
http://www.myspace.com/bearatthedoor
Harlequin (Electronic/Dance)
http://www.myspace.com/welcometogreebo
Firekites (Acoustic/Indie/Folk)
http://www.myspace.com/firekites
National Artists:
Matt Corby (Indie/Folk)
Husky (Roots/Indie)
Rufus (Dance/Indie)
WIM (Folk/Glam)
International Artists:
Explosions in the Sky (Post-rock)
Interpol (Indie Rock/Post-punk)
M83 (Electropop/Indietronica/Ambient)
13. Dance to the music
A number of dance
performances will take
place throughout the day
Many styles such as
contemporary, jazz, hip-
hop
Performances will be from
local and upcoming
dancers, allowing
Newcastle performers to
showcase their talent
Celebrates the
Novocastrian dance
culture and creates
awareness
Performances will be held
sporadically throughout
the day in City Hall’s
Concert Hall.
14. Art, Crafts &
Photography
o There will be various displays of art,
crafts and photography in a section
of Civic Park and other parts of the
venue.
o Submissions will come from local,
budding artists as a way to showcase
and sell their pieces to the public
o Celebrates Newcastle’s artistic
culture
15. Film
Showcase
A number of independent
films will be played
throughout the day from
local film makers
Will be shown in Concert
Hall, in a unique setting of
scattered lounges, chairs,
pillows, blankets, etc. –
relaxed, laid-back and
comfortable.
Chance to celebrate and
promote Newcastle’s film
culture
16. Themed from Life
Newcastle today is a fairly thriving city with a relaxed
coastal lifestyle and vibrant coastal life.
To reflect this, we will try to incorporate vibrant colours
throughout the event décor, also giving it a happy and fun
vibe.
There will be a number of places decorated with blankets,
pillows, lounges and the like, for people to “chill” and
simply relax and interact with one another.
17. NovoMix will not only be an amazing a fun-filled day of
music and art, but also a chance to celebrate Newcastle’s
thriving and diverse culture. Let the music be heard from
the heart of Novocastrians!
Thank You
18. Reference List
Adorno, T. 1976. Introduction to the Sociology of Music. Seabury Press, New York.
Duffy, M. 2000. Lines of Drift: Festival Participation and Performing a Sense of Place.
Popular Music. 19: 51-64.
Earl, P. 2001. Simon’s Travel Theorem and the Demand for Live Music. Journal of
Economic Psychology. 22: 335-358.
Gibson, C. 2012. Music Festivals and Regional Development in Australia. Farnham:
Ashgate Publishing Ltd.
Gibson, C. & Davidson, D. 2004. Tamworth, Australia’s “coun-try music capital”:
Place Marketing, Rurality, and Residents Reactions. Journal of Rural Studies. 20:
387-404.
Hargreaves, D.J. & North, A.C. 1999. The Functions of Music in Everyday Life:
Redefining the Social in Music Psychology. Psychology of Music. 27: 71-83.
Holt, F. 2010. The Economy of Live Music in the Digital Age. European Journal of
Cultural Studies. 13: 243.
Hudson, R. 2006. Regions and Place: Music Identity and Place. Progress in Human
Geography. 30: 626-634.
Sloboda, J. & O’Neill, S. 2001. Emotions in Everyday Listening to Music. Music and
Emotion: Theory and Research. 415-430.
