The voices of regional musicians and communities were heard loud and clear at the Regional and Remote Music Summit in Byron Bay last week.

MusicNSW hosted artists and advocates from across remote and rural areas from July 23 to 25, supported by Regional Arts NSW and Outback Arts.

The summit brought together industry leaders, venue owners, and performers to shape the future of music in the regions.

Representing the Western Plains was Rebel Black, founder of The Hungry Spirit and a strong advocate for creative and community development in Lightning Ridge.

The Hungry Spirit site includes a recording studio and community space and was constructed in 2021.

At the summit Warren Mason joined her, a proud Goodooga man now based in Tasmania and co-founder of Tin Camp Studios, and Karlene from Warraan Widji Arts in Warren.

“This summit was an important opportunity to ensure that remote NSW communities are seen, heard and included in conversations about the future of the music industry,” Ms Black said.

“It’s been an interesting learning experience and, of course, a great chance to network with other people who are also passionate about music, community development and the arts.”

Ms Black and Mr Mason both took part in the Regional and Remote Music Roundtable on the first day, which will result in a report designed to inform future investment and strategies for the industry.

“There’s a lot of focus now on how music is consumed in regional and remote Australia,” Ms Black said.

“The industry needs to invest in the changing ecosystem and support models that work for emerging artists and audiences in remote areas.”

Mr Mason said that being at the summit reinforced how valuable their grassroots work already is.

“It felt like a lot of what people were talking about -creative community development, partnerships, building opportunities for emerging artists - we’re already doing that in Lightning Ridge,” he said.

“The benefit of being here was that all the industry people we need to connect with to help our work flourish were there.”

The Hungry Spirit and Tin Camp Studio at Lightning Ridge have given locals and visiting artists a place to perform publicly.

The pair also stressed the importance of government support, particularly in skills development, to ensure programs are relevant and reach communities that need them.

“There’s always this sense that people in remote areas need help and sometimes we do,” Ms Black said.

“But we also have a lot to offer back to the broader music industry.

"We’re creative with our resources, we naturally partner with our community, and we know how to build something from very little.”

The conversations at the summit also challenged assumptions, Ms Black said.

“We often hear that festivals are dying.

"But there, we heard stories about festivals thriving selling out tens of thousands of tickets before even announcing a lineup.

"It was important to hear another side and realise the potential still out there.”

Back home, the pair are wasting no time putting that energy into action.

Next Sunday, August 2, they’re hosting a music event at The Hungry Spirit, where Warren Mason will be joining Clinton Hoy to entertain the crowds.

“We do a regular open mic ( The Hungry Spirit's Open Mic Nights), and we’re really trying to promote emerging regional and remote artists and give them a stage, an audience, and a network,” Ms Black said.

Mr Mason said the momentum from the summit will help build even stronger pathways.

“We’re developing our audience, supporting original music, and helping artists grow.

"This summit helped show that what we’re doing matters, not just here, but to the wider industry too.”