BENDIGO AUTUMN MUSIC
Commits To An Environmentally Friendly Festival
& Partners With
GREEN MUSIC AUSTRALIA
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A leader in the sustainable festival space, Red Square Music, have made a passionate commitment to deliver an environmentally friendly festival in Bendigo this April with the inaugural Bendigo Autumn Music (BAM).
The team that are behind the successful Bello Winter Music and Mullum Music Festivals in New South Wales, Red Square Music bring their green festival model to BAM, the third in their festival trilogy. As part of BAM’s waste reduction strategy, the festival will implement a cup exchange program which will see only re-useable cups used at festival bars, ensure rubbish is sorted and that there are free water refill stations around the festival so that patrons can use their own re-useable water bottles. A best practices guide will also be prepared for audiences, festival suppliers, bands and artists to show them how they can make a difference with some helpful tips. And by using Bendigo’s beautiful arts precinct and its existing infrastructure including historic venues, pubs, cafes, restaurants, community halls and car parks, the result is a far smaller environmental footprint.
Having reduced bar waste by 85% at the most recent Bello Winter Music festival, festival Director Glenn Wright makes a further commitment to sustainability at BAM, “We want to be on the front foot from day one of BAM with a real commitment towards waste minimisation. We are excited to be partnering with Green Music Australia, the artists performing, and our sponsors and commercial venues to achieve a small and sustainable footprint. We want to walk the walk and that means a reusable cup exchange at our festival bars (sponsored by Stone & Wood), drink bottles, water stations, sorted rubbish and sensible transport options. If people want to get involved head to the website to register your interest in being on the waste team.”
“We are thrilled to be working with the crew at Bendigo Autumn Music in their pioneer year, and even more thrilled that they are starting the festival right by implementing positive environmental practices from day one. A festival using existing infrastructure and staffing is a highly effective way of keeping carbon emissions to a minimum, and is a great approach to event sustainability. BAM will be encouraging attendees to utilise Bendigo’s extensive public transport infrastructure, educating vendors, artists and punters on best sustainable practises, using reusable cups in pop-up bars and providing an interactive workshop for festival goers to solve environmental concerns with performing artists. We congratulate BAM on its forward and innovative thinking and look forward to enjoying the music and reviewing the results together in April.” Emma Bosworth, Green Music Australia Co-CEO
Green Music Australia and BAM will also present a workshop featuring artist Madeline Leman, taking place at the festival for ticket holders to learn direct from some of the BAM festival artists on how they too can take action and affect change. BAM takes place in April around various unique performing arts spaces in Bendigo. One of the most exciting venues is the Ulumbarra Theatre, the 1,000 seater refurbished 1860’s Sandhurst jail which will house festival headliners and the opening night gala. The glory of the Ulumbarra was one of the reasons Wright chose Bendigo as the Victorian location after starting his search for a site over three years ago. The Ulumbarra is just one of the six heritage buildings run by festival partners, Capital Venues and Events, who also run the stunning National Trust- listed Victorian era Capital Theatre, with its iconic Corinthian columns, that will be the other headline venue with a capacity of 500.
Spilling over into Bendigo’s stunning Rosalind park and the streets and thoroughfares surrounding View Street and Pall Mall, many of Bendigo’s impressive heritage buildings as well as The Tap House, The Shamrock Hotel, The Rifle Brigade Hotel and The Gallery Cafe will be used to present the dynamic program of over 130 performances running from morning on Friday until late in the evening on Sunday.
Wright says, “Putting on a festival in the heart of a regional centre not only brings people into these incredible buildings to maximise and use them, which is clearly a great thing, but it also means no porta loos are needed, no chairs need to be hired, no marquees, no elaborate stages and sound systems, no lighting rigs. There are existing dance floors, parking, bars, toilets and staff who know these venues inside out. And for those environmentally conscious Victorians, there’s a train direct from Melbourne. The festival is designed for punters to explore on foot – with all venues under 10 minutes walk from each other, it’s good for the environment, and good for the festival atmosphere.”
By working with existing music venues the local business and event operators that present music all year round get to enjoy the economic windfall of the festival, the national touring artists grow their touring circuit around the country and the festival benefits from the existing infrastructure and staff that know these venues inside out.
BAM tickets are on sale now. Check the website for ticketing and accomodation recommendations.
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Kurt Vile & the Violators(US), Cash Savage & the Last Drinks, Mojo Juju
Tex Perkins & the Fat Rubber Band, Vika & Linda Bull, Sibusile Xaba (Sth Afr), Xylouris White
No Mono, Tiny Ruins (NZ), Estére (NZ), RVG, Z-Star Delta (UK),
16 Lovers Lane starring The Go-Between’s Lindy Morrison, Amanda Brown & John Willsteed with Dan Kelly,
Danny Widdicombe & Luke Daniel Peacock, Harry James Angus, Deborah Conway & Willy Zygier, Saskwatch
Katie Noonan’s ‘Elixir’ with Michael Leunig, Van Duren (US), Jeff Lang, Emily Wurramara
Laura Jean, Thando, Jazz Party, Arte Kanela Flamenco,
Lamine Sonko & the African Intelligence (Senegal), Alice Skye, Grand Salvo, Dan Kelly,
Perch Creek, The Seven Ups, Elizabeth, Jess Ribeiro, Freya Josephine Hollick, Fountaineer
Emma Russack, Alexander Biggs, Moussa Diakite & Wassado(Mali), Tek Tek Ensemble, The Maes
Madeline Leman & the Desert Swells, Archer, Cool Out Sun, Demon Days, Merpire, Alma Zygier
Emilee South, Broads, Ryan Downey, Hello Tut Tut, The Twoks, The Dusty Millers
Lucie Thorne w Hamish Stuart, 45 Packin’ Mama, Alwan (Israel/Iraq), Hannah Cameron, Skyscraper Stan,
Coda Chroma, The Sugarcanes, Xani, Cope Street Parade, Low Down Riders, Eliza Hull
The Stetson Family, William Alexander, Black Orchid Stringband ,Mariah McCarthy,
Danny Walsh Banned, Felicity Cripps Band, Grim Fawkner, Alanna & Alicia, Wolf & Willow
The Bean Project, Brekky Boy, Ruby Jones, Anchor & the Butterfly, Steve Lane & The Autocrats
James Kenyon, Way Dynamic, Taylor Project, Four Lions
On The Couch with Brian Nankervis, Asking for Trouble Theatre, Mario Queen of The Circus
Melbourne Indie Voices Sing Sessions, The Amazing Drumming Monkeys
Roundabout Theatre, Workshops, Forums, Masterclasses, Sunday Street Parade, Morning Yoga, Festival Market Place, Stalls & more still to be announced.
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Follow BAM
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