Music artists across Central West NSW had a chance to connect with regional music coordinator Sophie Jones and find out how to level up their careers and get them the recognition they deserve, during the Mixer Event hosted by Music NSW. 

Regional music coordinator from Music NSW Sophie Jones visited Warren, Coonamble, Bourke, and Lightning Ridge together with Outback Arts CEO Jamie-Lea Trindall and Arts OutWest CEO Kylie Shead between 21 June to 23 June. 

Sophie Jones is based in Bathurst where she is a musician, mentor, and music teacher for guitar and singing.

She tours and performs with her band Smith & Jones, and has run community choirs and workshops, managed events, and the Local Emerging Artists Program as part of the Inland Sea of Sound Festival. 

The mixer sessions are geared towards people creating original music who want to find out what steps they need to take to gain a bigger platform. 

"It's great for me to meet with musicians and industry in different rural areas to see what's happening out there," Ms Jones said. 

"It's about us giving them the skills to be able to book their own tours, release their own music, and do their own marketing."

The touring group met with performers at the Storer family's Ellerslie Lane in Warren. IMAGE SUPPLIED.

The tour started in Warren on Friday 21 June at the Ellerslie Lane, later in the afternoon the trio headed to Coonamble to chat with local artists and radio presenters at the Plaza Theatre. 

On Saturday 22 June, the team presented their program to artists in Bourke at the Port of Bourke Hotel before heading up to Lightning Ridge on Sunday 23 June for an open mic night at the Tin Camp Studios.

"I think places like Coonamble, Bourke, Lightning Ridge, and Warren are more rural than regional. They're quite far out. They have different challenges than there might be say in Bathurst,” Ms Jones said. 

The Tin Camp in Lightning Ridge. Photo by Sophie Jones

Although only a handful of artists showed up at each mixer session, the team was able to spread some advice about how to use tools, such as the regional touring website, and come up with ideas about how to revive the local music scene.

The regional touring website can be found on the Music NSW homepage.

It gives artists detailed information about venues, such as the equipment that is there, the capacity, contact information, and what staff are available to them.

Ideas such as starting karaoke nights at the Plaza Theatre and having more live music acts at local pubs were discussed.

"I think it's vital for me to come out and meet people face-to-face," Ms Jones said.

Ms Jones said one of the most important things locals can do to support music in small towns is to buy tickets for events well ahead of time so that organisers know there is demand for their show.”

"Shows get cancelled left, right and centre because people don't buy tickets. I think just support anything that's coming through the town."