Videos to put musicians on world stage

SOLO artists or bands of up to six people are invited to apply to be part of Creative Ballarat’s second Be_Hear/Now project.

Aimed at boosting the profiles of local musical talent, artistic director Kate Berry said eight acts will be selected to have one of their songs recorded and made into a small music video.

These will be filmed in a location that celebrates Ballarat and has meaning to the artists.

“They will walk away from Be_Hear/Now with properly produced assets that are beneficial to them, with professionally recorded sound and video,” she said.

“They can share these with the world and really show off their skills. This year, we’re also giving these artists tools to help themselves beyond this event, which is what we see as the real benefit.

“We’ll sit down with them, work out where they are with their music, and what help they need to further their careers, whether that be through mentoring or workshops.”

As the live music industry struggles, impacted by COVID-19 restrictions and venue closures, Ms Berry said it’s an ideal time to back local artists, whether they’re popular or lesser-known, and locate hidden “gems” throughout the city.

“We’re pleased to be able to give them an opportunity to share themselves with a wider audience.

“There’s no live music opportunities at the moment, so people are really limited with the avenues in which they can showcase themselves,” she said.

“Throughout the program, artists also have the chance to meet each other and support one another.”

Be_Hear/Now applications close this Friday, 20 August at 5pm via creativeballarat.com.au/be-hear-now.

Those successful will be contacted later this month, with assessment, development, and production between mid-September and early-October.

Finished videos, including small song introductions from the acts, will be live in November.